After 19 years of service, including nearly a decade as CEO of Wellspring Center for Prevention, Ezra Helfand is retiring, but he’s not stepping away from the work he loves. Instead of a retirement party, Ezra has asked that the community come together to raise $19,000 to support Wellspring’s life-changing services and sustain the momentum he helped create.
Help Us Reach Our Goal: $19,000 Raised in Ezra’s Honor
Every dollar honors a year of Ezra’s service and fuels a future of growth. Whether it’s $1.90, $19, $190, or $1,900, your gift continues the legacy Ezra built: one focused on compassion, connection, and community wellbeing.
Let’s meet this goal together.
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A Leader Who Gives His All
Since joining the organization in 2006, when it was still known as NCADD of Middlesex County, Ezra has been a driving force behind its growth. Under his leadership, Wellspring expanded services, strengthened partnerships across Middlesex and Monmouth Counties, and enhanced visibility through a full rebranding effort. Today, Wellspring is recognized as a statewide leader in prevention education, community advocacy, and youth services.
Ezra’s impact includes overseeing a team of 29 dedicated professionals, managing a $2.4 million budget, and securing the resources that allow Wellspring to serve students, families, and partner agencies throughout New Jersey. His work in strategic marketing and communications, honed during a successful earlier career leading campaigns for Pan Am airline, Caesars Atlantic City, and the New York and New Jersey State Lotteries, brought new energy and engagement to the nonprofit world.
How Your Donation Supports Our Mission
Your contributions directly support our innovative programs. Here is a breakdown of how donations may be used:
• $19 provides printed prevention materials for a local classroom or health fair.
• $38 supports learning tools for students in our school-based programs.
• $95 funds a complete prevention education session in a local school.
• $190 supports community outreach events that deliver lifesaving education and resources.
• $570 (three times $190) expands our reach, helping us deliver impactful prevention presentations and support across the region.
No matter the amount, your contribution can make a lasting impact.
19 Years. Countless Lives Touched.
From his early days guiding a newly renamed Wellspring to his recent work developing innovative programs for schools and communities, Ezra’s contributions have made a measurable difference. Highlights include:
- Leading the transformation from NCADD to Wellspring Center for Prevention.
- Building long-term partnerships with local schools and agencies.
- Collaborating with grantors to deliver community-based programming throughout Middlesex and Monmouth Counties.
- Expanding the agency’s budget and team to meet growing needs.
- Launching digital learning and communications platforms.
- Helping shape state and local strategies around prevention and wellness.
- Launching web-based training for addiction professionals’ initial and re-certification needs.
- Launching web-based targeted training for educators on topics required by the NJDOE.
Each of these accomplishments represents thousands of students supported, families strengthened, and futures shaped all thanks to Ezra’s steady, passionate leadership.
During Ezra Helfand’s tenure as Executive Director, Wellspring Center for Prevention experienced a period of remarkable financial growth, with the agency’s budget nearly doubling from 2015 to 2023.
This sustained expansion enabled Wellspring to significantly broaden its prevention education efforts throughout Middlesex and Monmouth counties, reaching more students, families, and community partners than ever before.
Ezra’s leadership not only strengthened internal operations but also enhanced external trust and visibility, earning the agency a solid reputation for transparency and impact. To learn more about Wellspring’s financial stewardship and mission, visit our Candid GuideStar profile.
Donate now to honor 19 years of leadership and support the programs Ezra helped build.
What Your Gift Supports
Under Ezra’s leadership, Wellspring expanded its programming to meet the growing and evolving needs of communities across Middlesex and Monmouth counties. Today, your donation helps sustain the very programs he helped build and ensures more people have access to the services that make a lasting difference.
Prevention Education
Our school- and community-based education programs equip young people and families with the tools to make healthy, informed choices. Through interactive presentations, evidence-based curricula, and community outreach, we help prevent substance misuse before it starts.
Examples of your impact:
> Classroom presentations
> Youth and parent workshops
> Health fair outreach
Learn more
School-Based Clinical Services
Wellspring’s in-school counseling programs support students’ mental health, emotional resilience, and academic success. Our licensed clinicians work directly with students to navigate challenges like anxiety, peer pressure, trauma, and family issues.
Examples of your impact:
> One-on-one mental health counseling
> Drop-in wellness spaces
> Crisis support and referral coordination
Learn more
Professional Development Training
We train the next generation of prevention and addiction professionals. Our workshops and CEU courses help Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CADCs), educators, and other professionals stay informed, inspired, and certified.
Examples of your impact:
> Addiction counselor certification and renewal
> Training for school staff and community leaders
> Virtual courses available statewide
Learn more
Make Your Gift. Honor a Legacy.
As Ezra wrote in his farewell, “This moment is bittersweet as I reflect on an incredible journey filled with meaningful work, dedicated colleagues, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and families.”
Help us honor that journey and invest in the future Ezra believed in. Your gift ensures that Wellspring’s mission continues with strength, heart, and the same visionary leadership that Ezra championed every day. Want to share your own thoughts or memories? Post a message with #19for19 and help us celebrate Ezra’s legacy across social media.