Jane Reitz
Charlestown resident Jane Reitz was recently honored by the Boston ABCD John F. Kennedy Family Service Center as its volunteer of the year.
Reitz picked up the honor at ABCD’s Annual Community Awards Dinner last month at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.
Reitz has played a key role in the JFK center’s annual Holiday Gift Drive. Serving on the Board of the Charlestown Mothers Association for years, Reitz began participating in the ABCD Adopt-A- Family program. Her involvement expanded to a leadership role as she now plans the ABCD Holiday Gift Drive for the JFK Center.
Last year Reitz used her community connections to generate about $10,000 in cash and in-kind donations to the gift drive, with her own home becoming a veritable toy store as the staging area for gift drop-offs. Reitz’s efforts have doubled the number of families and children receiving gifts. Last year over 400 families and children were served – for many these were the only holiday gifts they would receive.
“ABCD is proud to honor our Jane and our other community volunteers who go above and beyond to help those in need,” said ABCD President/CEO John Drew. “Their spirit and commitment speak to the essence of the EOA 50th anniversary that we celebrate this year. At ABCD, we are proud to persist in our work to achieve that landmark legislation’s mission ‘to eliminate the paradox that is poverty in the midst of plenty in this Nation…’ We look forward to a grand celebration of community and voluntarism.”
The awards dinner, included dinner, awards and a special performance by Mary Wilson of The Supremes.
Sarah Ann Shaw and Hubie Jones, two community icons who have made a difference for hundreds of thousands in Boston and beyond, were also inducted into the ABCD Hall of Fame.
Shaw was Boston’s first female African-American television reporter and is a renowned community activist who ran ABCD’s neighborhood programs in the organization’s early days.
Jones was recognized for his vital role in Boston and America’s social justice movement. He has held numerous positions in academia, served in policy and management roles at several community institutions and played a leadership role in the social development of Boston and its people.