JALBCA’s Virtual Awards Presentation Gala on May 25, 2021

What a night! JALBCA salutes our honorees, volunteers, grantees, sponsors and supporters for making our second – and last – virtual Awards Presentation Gala a smashing success! To everyone who celebrated with us on May 25th, including those who participated in the lively chat in the sidebar, THANKS! And to the more than 200 friends who have generously donated to support JALBCA and our grantees, DOUBLE THANKS! With your help, JALBCA raised nearly $1.2 million at the Gala!  Wow!

To honor past Co-President Sharon Nelles for her many years of service to JALBCA, more than 80 of her friends in the legal community formed the Nelles Brigade, raising over $150,000 to fund mammogram vans for uninsured and underinsured women in underserved communities in the coming year, and Sharon’s firm, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and more than 100 of her partners contributed over $425,000 to support JALBCA and its mission and grantees. And we got to watch Sharon’s reaction when these gifts were announced.

Matthew Schwartz, Robert Giuffra, Sharon Nelles

If you haven’t donated yet, please dig deep and DONATE TODAY! Your contribution of any amount will help change the lives of women with breast cancer. (Donate online at https://jalbca.org/donations/ or mail your check to JALBCA, 100 Crosby Street, Suite 303, New York, NY 10012.)

Sharon Nelles, Martha Samuelson, Hon. Jeff Sunshine, Hon. Loretta Preska, Jacqueline Flug, Hon. Janet DiFiore

If you weren’t able to join us on May 25th, or if you would like to watch your favorite speakers again, go to https://vimeo.com/554769116 to watch the Gala, including the moving remarks of our fantastic honorees (Sharon Nelles, Martha Samuelson and Analysis Group, and Hon. Jeffrey Sunshine on behalf of the Matrimonial Judges of the State of New York), outgoing Co-President of the Judges’ Division Hon. Saliann Scarpulla (including her heartfelt memorial tribute to Hon. Paul Feinman, JALBCA’s 2018 Leadership Achievement Award honoree and long-time JALBCA supporter), incoming Co-President Hon. Marguerite Grays, and Project Renewal ScanVan Program client Christal Putkowski.

Hon. Saliann Scarpulla, Hon. Marguerite Grays, Christal Putkowski, Faith Miller, Rich Edlin, Maura Miller

The Gala also featured videos spotlighting the work of JALBCA grantees who provide legal and social services to low-income women and families in crisis due to a diagnosis of breast cancer. And of course you won’t want to miss our terrific emcees, Rich Edlin, Faith Miller and Maura Miller, awards presenters Hon. Janet DiFiore and Hon. Loretta Preska, and the inimitable Judy Livingston. All of that (plus Executive Director Claire Gutekunst’s recap of JALBCA’s year) in less than an hour!

Judy Livingston, Executive Director Claire Gutekunst

We also invite you to view the virtual Gala Journal, featuring messages from our wonderful generous sponsors, which ran before and after the Gala (it begins at 57:03 on the tape).

Thanks again for your support! We look forward to celebrating JALBCA’s 30th anniversary with you IN PERSON at next year’s Awards Presentation Dinner at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 9, 2022!

Here is a special tribute video to Sharon Nelles for her many years of service