North End-West End’s Pam Donahue to be honored at ABCD Community Heroes Celebration on November 6
Award-winning screenwriter, activist Gregory Allen Howard is featured speaker, State Street’s Jay Hooley to receive Corporate Champion Award
Grammy-winning R&B group Tavares shakes it up post-dinner!
Action for Boston Community Development rolls out the festivities on November 6 in a gala celebration of 18 outstanding neighborhood volunteers who selflessly give back to their communities, as well as private sector members whose steadfast support makes all the difference for low-income families and neighborhoods.
Whether she’s preparing a boiled dinner for St. Patrick’s Day or sharing a story with a senior citizen, ABCD Honoree Pam Donahue does it with joy and compassion. Since 2014, she’s been volunteering with the ABCD North End/West End Neighborhood Service Center, and in April 2015, she became a member of their Advisory Board. Pam helps with food transportation for the West End Pantry and regularly assists with both daily meals and special holiday celebrations like our Valentine’s Roast and Italian Easter Monday picnic. By providing a welcoming environment for seniors and other guests, Pam both brightens their day and helps them access the housing support, fuel assistance and other social services they need to thrive. Playing an important role on the Advisory Board, Pam also made connections in the corporate world to support the North End/West End NSC’s 5th Annual Buona Sera: An Evening with Friends fundraiser.
.In addition, ABCD will honor Joseph L. “Jay” Hooley, Chairman & CEO, State Street Corporation, with the ABCD Corporate Champion Award for his tireless support of youth initiatives and neighborhood programs. Among other community commitments, Hooley serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. For many years, State Street Foundation has provided $250,000 annually to the ABCD SummerWorks youth jobs/education program, with the funds targeted to neighborhoods with a high incidence of violence. For many years ABCD ran joint training programs with State Street, leading to employment of thousands of inner-city residents in upwardly mobile positions at the bank.
Featured speaker and Hollywood screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard received national acclaim with his script for “Remember the Titans,” a 2000 film starring Denzel Washington about the high school football team that integrated Alexandria, Virginia in 1971. Howard, who also scripted “Ali,” has won two NAACP Image Awards and a Christopher Award, which honors work that “celebrates the humanity of people in a positive way.” Current projects include “Freedom Fire,” the Harriet Tubman story.
“ABCD is proud to honor our community volunteers and others who go above and beyond to help those in need,” said ABCD President/CEO John J. Drew. “We thank Jay Hooley and State Street Corporation for their ongoing support of at-risk youth and other community initiatives. We’ll also enshrine two highly dedicated supporters into the ABCD Hall of Fame. For well over a decade, their remarkable commitment to Boston’s low income youth, elders and families has had tremendous and lasting impact. They are always there when we need them. ABCD couldn’t be a force for good all these years without everyone pitching in, and we are grateful.”
The 18 community volunteers to be recognized for their tireless efforts to address the plight of Boston’s underprivileged residents and communities are: Julio Perdomo, Allston/Brighton; Stephen Kunian, Asian American Civic Association; Rachele Gardner, Dorchester; Amy Lima, East Boston; Carol Stamper, Elder Services; James A. Owens Jr., Elm Hill; Katharine Handy, Head Start & Children Services; Jennease Hyatt, Health Services; Betty White, HP/Project Care & Concern; David Flanagan, John F. Kennedy Center; Magalis Troncoso Lama, Jamaica Plain/Boston Hispanic Center; Cassandra Cato Louis, Mattapan; Pamela Donahue, North End/West; Daniel Roman, Parker Hill/Fenway; Daniel Brown, South Boston; Mary Manuel, South End, Velma DuPont, Women’s Service Club of Boston, and Sharon Burton of Mystic Valley.
