Celebrations for good

Foundation Celebration for Good: Woman preforming a traditional dance

Celebrations for good

Eastern Bank believes in the power of recognizing and celebrating the outstanding work of community leaders and partner organizations. Not only are these celebrations acknowledgements of accomplishment, they are also an opportunity for leaders of nonprofit organizations to network with peers and establish deeper collaborations, further strengthening our communities.

Lee Family
Rivers SJA
Celebration of Social Justice 2017

 

Celebration of Social Justice

The Celebration of Social Justice is our hallmark event.  Expanding on the tradition established by Wainwright Bank, this annual celebration honors our Targeted Grant recipients as well as shines a spotlight on an individual whose accomplishments have made a deep impact to further social justice.  In 2016, over 1,000 people attended an evening reception held in downtown Boston honoring Marylou Sudders, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and celebrating $1.6 million in grants made to over 200 organizations working to strengthen families in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Chau-ming Lee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017

Chau-ming Lee

Executive Director

Asian American Civic Association

 

2016

Marylou Sudders

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

2015

John E. Rosenthal

Stop Handgun Violence

Violence Prevention

For a list of previous award winners, click here

 

Chau-ming Lee

Emigrating from Hong Kong to Boston, Chau-ming Lee began his career as a social worker at New England Medical Center, now known as Tufts Medical Center.  In 1982, Lee was appointed the Executive Director of the Asian American Civic Association (AACA).  He led the organization to its leadership position in workforce development, adult basic education, social service and immigration service, helping economically disadvantaged and limited English speaking immigrants achieve economic self-sufficiency and citizenship.

AACA serves a diverse population from 125 countries and advises clients on a wide range of immigration matters including adjustment of status, filing for reunion with family members, citizenship applications, and refugee and permanent residency filings through the Immigration Clinic, which Lee founded 20 years ago.  He began the NextStep Program in 1993, an advanced ESOL program for immigrants preparing for college entrance and job training, and designed AACA’s unique Case Management Retention model in 2005, which continues to ensure the success of AACA students in college or in their new careers.  Lee is perhaps best known for personally helping thousands of individuals with immigration inquiries by being available every Friday at the AACA drop in clinic, where people waited hours for his assistance.

Lee was a council member of the Boston Private Industry Council, Chinatown/South Cove Neighborhood Council and an advisory council member of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.  He was a member of the Chinatown Coalition, the Governor’s Advisory Council on Minority Services of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston’s Mayor Task Force on Community Service, and served on the board of the Voluntary Law Project of the American Bar Association.

Community Advocacy

Community Advocacy awards are presented to individuals across the regions we serve.  These awards celebrate the accomplishments of local leaders and recognized them for their work within the annual mission of the Targeted Grants.

 
Jitka Borowick

Jitka Borowick

Cleangreen

 
Jaqui Budd and Wayne Budd

Jacqui Budd, Dress for Success

Wayne Budd, Goodwin Procter

 

 

 
 
 
Jim Doremus

Jim Doremus

Concord Family YMCA

 
Sue Joss

Sue Joss

Brockton Neighborhood Health Center

 

 

 

 

 
Jay McManus

Jay McManus

Children's Law Center

 
Sovanna Pouv

Sovanna Pouv

Cambodian Mutual Assistance Assoc.

       
 
Maria Vertkin

Maria Vertkin

Found in Translation

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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