Photo Credit: Michael Epaul
Top: MBF President Angela McConney and President’s Award recipient Jeffrey Trapani.
Second from top: Jennifer Dieringer of Community Legal Aid, Jenna Miara of the Massachusetts IOLTA Committee and Brad Gordon of Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority.
Second from bottom: MBF Vice President G. Perry Wu, Trustee Corey Carvalho, President Angela McConney and Trustee Hon. Mark Mason.
Bottom: Western New England University School of Law Dean Zelda Harris.
The Massachusetts Bar Foundation (MBF) hosted its 2023 Western Mass. Grantee Reception on Oct. 4 at Western New England University School of Law in Springfield. The event celebrated grant recipients and recognized leading supporters of the foundation. MBF fellows, donors, friends, and representatives from many of the 19 programs currently funded by the MBF in Western and Central Mass. were in attendance.
This year, the MBF awarded $3.4 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 housing, immigration, health care, access to special education services, domestic violence, discrimination and more.
Western New England University School of Law Dean Zelda Harris welcomed those in attendance and Attorney Brad Gordon of Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority made remarks as the grantee speaker.
MBF President Angela C. McConney served as emcee of the event and presented the 2023 President’s Award to Attorney Jeffrey J. Trapani of Pierce Davis & Perritano. 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. A Louis D. Brandeis Fellow of the Foundation, Trapani serves on the Western Mass. grant review committee and has assisted in awarding nearly $1.7 million to Western Massachusetts legal aid organizations.
Click here to see photos from the event.