Easterseals Massachusetts Annual Empowerment Celebration Honors Local Leaders for Their Impact on the Disability Community

Easterseals Massachusetts (ESMA) recently held its annual Empowerment Celebration, a premier fundraiser and awards ceremony that highlighted leaders who positively impact the community by ensuring equal opportunities for people with disabilities. The event raised more than $80,000.

This year’s Empowerment Celebration theme was Create, Play, and Empower. The theme captured the essence of ESMA’s newest programs which involve a healthy amount of play, as “play” is crucial for learning and empowers clients to gain new skills that help them achieve their goals.

Attendees enjoyed an energetic evening featuring ESMA client-created art, a silent auction, motivational speeches from award honorees, a competitive fund-a-need appeal, and a special musical guest performance by Worcester’s own Cara Brindisi from NBC's The Voice.

President and CEO of Easterseals Massachusetts, Paul Medeiros, welcomed attendees and noted the heightened enthusiasm for the event in response to this year’s incredible awardees. “We are here to congratulate those who have helped empower our mission. Sean Flanagan, Sue Gagnon-Flanagan, former Massachusetts State Senator Harriette Chandler, and Berkshire Bank have all been allies of the disability community for many years. Their support of Easterseals Massachusetts only confirms their commitment to doing good in the world.”

This year’s awardees are:

Sean Flanagan & Sue Gagnon-Flanagan: 2023 Equal Opportunities to Live Award 

• Skip Flanagan, son of honorees presented this award.
• The Flanagans’ support of ESMA began nearly 40 years ago as corporate partners. When their son, Skip, was born deaf in 1992, ESMA provided services that helped him achieve personal and educational successes. Since that time, the family has been tireless champions of empowering people in the disability community by holding fundraisers that provide direct support to individuals and families. Their passion inspires others also to be champions.

Former Massachusetts State Senator Harriette Chandler: 2023 Empowerment Award

• Paul Medeiros, President & CEO of Easterseals Massachusetts presented this award.
• During her distinguished career, Senator Chandler was always an advocate for people with disabilities throughout Massachusetts. She regularly attended ESMA legislative roundtables and was an ally in advocating for funding for important programs like assistive technology, youth leadership, and the Assistive Technology Loan Program. She is deserving of this award for using her talents to empower others and for the success of her efforts that increased accessibility.

Berkshire Bank: 2023 Team Hoyt Award

• Russell Hoyt, President & CEO of The Hoyt Foundation presented this award.
• The Team Hoyt Award is presented to individuals and organizations who reflect the courage and determination of the Hoyt family and share the Hoyt vision to say, “Yes You Can,” when barriers are presented. Berkshire Bank’s relationship as an ESMA Mission Partner helps support vital programs that provide opportunities for everyone to flourish.

More information about the awardees can be found at empower.eastersealsma.org.

The proceeds from this event go directly to Easterseals Massachusetts programs and services. Many of its programs including Camp, Accessible Martial Arts, College Navigator, Military & Veteran, and the Assistive Technology Mobile Van, are underfunded and rely heavily on the annual Empowerment Celebration to continue bringing these services to communities throughout Massachusetts. The event was possible thanks to volunteers and sponsors, including major sponsors State Street, Bayer Health Care, and Commonwealth Care Alliance.