Project Place convened it’s 50th Annual Meeting and Partners at Work Awards on June 29th. Current and past clients, staff, board members, and honored guests packed into the 2nd floor Project Place Commons. Executive Director Suzanne Kenney (right, above) welcomed everyone and then introduced Shelia Dillon (left, above), Chief of Housing and Director of Neighborhood Development, who spoke words of encouragement about neighborhood partnerships and the work PP is doing.
Anna B. Stearns Charitable Foundation, this year’s Community Partner of the Year, was one of the very first funders of ‘Place’ back in the late 1960s. Long time supporter and Foundation Trustee Sylvia Simmons accepted the award. Yolanda Atherton, graduate of Project Place programming, was honored for her perseverance and positive attitude, and addressed the group with grateful remarks about her experience. Boston-based photographer Vail Fucci was honored as the Volunteer of the Year. Vail (middle, above) has been capturing Project Place on film for more than five years, donating her time to photograph past Valentine and Spring Brunches, classroom and on-the-job learning, and even this year’s Open Door Gala.