ABCD held a Once-in-a-Lifetime Gala Celebration to honor the man who has been called the “giant” of community action in Boston and the nation, our longtime, beloved President/CEO Bob Coard!

Mr. Coard retired on November 1 after 41 years leading ABCD. The 35th annual Community Awards Dinner was a tribute to a life dedicated to improving the lives of low-income and disadvantaged residents in Boston and the nation. (Click Here to read an excellent tribute to Mr. Coard by The Boston Globe's Yvonne Abraham)

Along with honoring our #1 community hero Bob Coard, dinner participants celebrated 19 outstanding individuals nominated by ABCD neighborhood boards and agency program directors for their voluntary contributions of time, energy and talent to people and communities.  

The ABCD Community Awards Dinner is a night for all of us to join together to honor those who give so unselfishly of themselves for the betterment of their neighborhoods. For more than 47 years, ABCD has pursued the mission of upward mobility for hundreds of thousands of Greater Boston residents through innovative, quality programs and services. Each year, ABCD honors those community leaders whose inspirational deeds help to build a better Boston. 

These are men and women who volunteer with children and older people, who attend community meetings and provide critical input on important neighborhood issues. These volunteers are the heart and soul of life in Boston’s neighborhoods. They make this city work. 

Thanks to everyone who helped make the night such a memorable one!