April 6, 2022
Awardees, togetherness are highlights of ECCF’s 2022 Celebration of Giving

Steve and Darcy Immerman to receive George Peabody Award; Champions for Essex County to be honored

For Steve and Darcy Immerman, philanthropy is about more than writing a check. It’s also about the time and energy spent volunteering, advocating and connecting with people. Between the two of them, this Salem, MA, couple has touched dozens of local nonprofit organizations with their ability to innovate, think strategically and move others to step outside the boundaries of conventional problem-solving.

That is why on May 19, at Essex County Community Foundation’s 8th annual Celebration of Giving, the foundation will present the Immermans with the George Peabody Award for philanthropy.

“Steve and Darcy embody what it means to be modern philanthropists, in which engaging with the organizations and causes they support in a meaningful way goes hand-in-hand with providing financial resources,” said ECCF President and CEO Beth Francis. “They are incredibly deserving of the George Peabody award because of their passion, leadership and impact in Essex County.”

George Peabody, a 19th century American financier born in Danvers, is widely recognized as the “father” of modern philanthropy. This is the 7th year that the ECCF award named for him has been presented to an individual or group of outstanding Essex County philanthropists.

At the May 19 Celebration, two incredible Champions for Essex County will also be honored.

Doneeca Thurston, Executive Director of Lynn Museum/Lynn Arts, is being honored for her volunteerism, thoughtful mentorship of Lynn-area youth and passion as a longtime creative leader.

MakeIT Haverhill, a completely volunteer-led project of Community Action, Inc., is being recognized for building workforce development programming that matches the needs expressed by community members in Haverhill’s Mount Washington neighborhood.

“We are so thrilled for the opportunity to recognize Doneeca and MakeIt Haverhill, both of whom we’ve gotten to see in action over the last two years,” said Francis. “Their selfless commitment and passion for the work they do has made an enormous impact in each of their respective communities.”

This year’s Celebration of Giving, which will be held from 7:30am-9:30am at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, marks the first time the event has been held in person since 2019.

“We’re really excited to bring people together, face-to-face, to celebrate local philanthropy in all its many forms,” said ECCF’s Director of Development and Communications Crystal Bates. “Our hope is that hearing these stories at the event will inspire people to go out and give in ways that are meaningful to them.”

To learn more about ECCF’s 8th annual Celebration of Giving, our honorees and to purchase tickets for the event, please visit eccf.org/celebration/, where you can also see the list of generous partners supporting this event.

About ECCF

The mission of Essex County Community Foundation is to inspire philanthropy that strengthens the communities of Essex County. We do this by managing charitable assets, strengthening and supporting nonprofits and engaging in strategic community leadership. Since 1998, ECCF and its growing family of nearly 260 charitable funds have granted $106 million to nonprofits, schools and students in Essex County and beyond. Our ultimate goal is to have 34 thriving cities and towns in Essex County and to improve the quality of life for the region’s nearly 800,000 residents. Learn more at eccf.org.

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