By Laura M. MacNeil
At our annual meeting in November, North Shore Community Action Programs celebrated our accomplishments and honored former Mayor of Peabody, Michael Bonfanti. The employees enjoyed a dinner with their co-workers and family. We recognized employees who reached employment milestones, including Debbie Jackson, who has worked at NSCAP for 25 years!
The Senator Frederick E. Berry Community Service Award was established in recognition of former state senator Berry’s inspiring leadership and his dedication to improving the lives of low-income families and individuals. Senator Berry is a testament to a life committed to serving others and giving back to his community. He served as a VISTA volunteer as a young man. His work at the State House focused on education, human services, and children. His charitable work on the North Shore – collecting food for the local pantries and through his charitable foundation — has helped so many nonprofits, including NSCAP.
It was fitting and our joy to honor Michael Bonfanti with this year’s award.
Mike Bonfanti is a life long resident of Peabody. He served the city for 30 years: as library trustee, on the Peabody Electric Light Commission, as a board member and volunteer with nonprofits on the North Shore, including Haven from Hunger and the local historic society. As mayor, he led the charge in making sure children had enough to eat and to rehouse the homeless families who were sheltered in the motels on Route 1 – back before the current situation with homeless families now sheltered in motels in Danvers. The Mayor instituted the Social Service Summit, bringing together the many nonprofits that serve Peabody so that we could improve the way we worked together and helped the residents in need.
Under his leadership, he provided prudent fiscal management which resulted in low property tax rates, an ability to secure funding to build and renovate schools, minimize personnel layoffs during tough economic times. The Community Preservation Act was adopted on his watch, and during his tenure as Mayor, over $8.5 million was spent on open space, historical preservation and affordable housing projects using this new fund. NSCAP worked closely with the mayor’s office, helping Peabody residents access services that they needed in order to get through hard times.
Michael Bonfanti (center) with Peabody employee and NSCAP board member, Sara Grinnell (left) and NSCAP Executive Director, Laura MacNeil (right.)
Mayor Bonfanti’s remarks focused on the importance of teamwork. He said that he did not achieve anything in his work for the City of Peabody by himself, but rather he had many people who worked together to provide the best they could to the citizens of Peabody. He included NSCAP as one of those members of the team: we are a place that the city can reliably send people in crisis to in order to get the help they need.
Thank you, Michael Bonfanti, for your service to the residents of Peabody and your continued support of NSCAP. We are happy to be playing on the same team as you!
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