Top (from left): Chris Skall of Northeast Legal Aid, with Draya Harrison, Aimee Parco and Katherine Schulte of Casa Myrna
Second from top (from left): Katherine Schulte of Casa Myrna, MBF Fellow Frank Ciano, MBA Secretary Damian Turco
Third from top (from left): MBF President Harvey Weiner and former Executive Director Beth Lynch
Middle (from left): MBF Trustee Iris Taymore Schnitzer, with Anna Richardson and Sarah Roxburgh of Veterans Legal Services
Third from bottom: MBF trustees with new Executive Director Susannah Thomas and former Executive Director Beth Lynch
Second from bottom (from left): Steve Matthews of MetroWest Legal Services, Jonathan Mannina and Faye Rachlin of Community Legal Aid, Betsy Soule of MetroWest Legal Services
Bottom (from left): Gail Packer of the Community Dispute Settlement Center, former MBF Executive Director Beth Lynch and Betsy Williams of the Mediation and Training Collaborative
The Massachusetts Bar Foundation (MBF) hosted its 2019 Grantee Reception on Sept. 26 at Nutter, McClennen and Fish in Boston, to celebrate and honor its current grant recipients and recognize leading supporters of the foundation. MBF fellows, donors, friends, and representatives from many of the 91 programs currently funded by the MBF were in attendance.
This year, the MBF awarded $2.5 million in grants through its annual Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Grants Program. These programs help thousands of individuals and families in Massachusetts each year who have legal issues relating to domestic violence, immigration status, housing, access to special education services, health care, discrimination and many more.
Massachusetts Bar Association Secretary Damian Turco welcomed those in attendance, and Betsy Soulé of MetroWest Legal Services served as this year’s grantee speaker. She highlighted the critical services provided by MetroWest with support from the MBF. Her stories of specific individuals and families assisted this past year drove home to those in attendance the critical nature of the services provided, as well as the tenacity and commitment of the legal aid attorneys working for MetroWest and other MBF grantees.
MBF President Harvey Weiner served as emcee of the event and presented the 2019 President’s Award to former Executive Director Beth Lynch. Given annually, the MBF President’s Award recognizes exceptional MBF supporters for their commitment to increasing access to justice for the most vulnerable in our state. Lynch served the foundation for 20 years and was its executive director from 2005-2019. Past MBF President Tony Stankiewicz, who helped to hire Lynch in 2005, shared his recollections with guests as well.
Click here to see photos from the event.