Honoring Our Action Heroes
Each year, WCAC hosts an annual Awards Celebration to publicly recognize individuals and organizations who have gone above and beyond in supporting the agency’s mission.
WCAC’s 3rd Annual Resiliency Awards will be held on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, from 8-9:30 a.m. at AC Hotel by Marriott Worcester, 125 Front Street, Worcester. The event will recognize people striving to make every day better for the lives of those in our community, and celebrate the wonderful legacy of heroes who have helped support WCAC’s work in moving individuals and families out of poverty and towards economic mobility.
2024 Honorees to include:
- 2024 Sargent Shriver Trailblazer Award – Gladys Rodriguez-Parker, Congressman James McGovern’s Office
- Steven M. Desmarais Champion for Kids – Steven Desmarais (posthumously)
- Iggy Strong Award, Providing Youth Opportunities – Stacie Brimmage, Regional Environmental Council
- Energy Equity Champions – Ken Martinetty, Martinetty General Contracting; Justin Gervais, EJT Siding, Co.; Michael Welch, Universal Home Improvements
- Action Hero Award(s) – Dominique Lee, RCAP Solutions; United Way of Central MA; Easter Seals Massachusetts; Center for Living & Working; MA EdCO; Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central MA & Metrowest
Special thanks to our 2024 presenting sponsor National Grid. Additional supporting sponsors include Webster Five, Mutual of America, UMass Chan Medical, Cinch IT, Mass General Brigham, Country Bank, Polar Beverages, Fidelity Bank, Cornerstone Bank, Bowditch & Dewey, and LPA Architects. Additional sponsorship opportunities available by emailing
WCAC hosted its 2nd Annual Resiliency Awards on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the AC Hotel Marriott, 125 Front Street, Worcester. Opening with an uplifting keynote address by Sha-Asia Medina of The Village Worcester, the celebration recognizes everyday people striving to make every day better for the lives of those in our community, and the wonderful legacy of heroes who have helped support WCAC’s work in moving individuals and families out of poverty and towards economic mobility. Honorees includes: 2023 Sargent Shriver Trailblazer Award; Champion for Kids; Iggy Strong Award – Providing Youth Opportunities; Energy Equity Champions; and Action Hero Award(s) Photos can be found HERE.
Special thanks to our presenting sponsor National Grid. Additional sponsorship support provided by UMass Memorial Health, Webster Five, Mutual of America, Bowditch Attorneys, Polar Beverages, UMass Chan Medical School, Unibank, Western MA Economic Development Council, WBDC, Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Friendly House, Cornerstone Bank and the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central MA. Special thanks to our hosts, the AC Hotel Marriot; and award designer Daisy’s Designs LLC
After postponements in 2020 and 2021, it was good to be back! WCAC hosted its newly renamed Resiliency Awards on Monday, February 14, 2022! In deference to continuing best practices of social distancing, WCAC hosted a hybrid event with an opportunity for our honorees to gather in-person safely, while allowing the greater community to celebrate with us virtually. We were thrilled to welcome Mark K. Shriver as our keynote speaker and to present our first-ever Sargent Shriver Trailblazer Award! We also presented our new Champion for Kids and Iggy Strong-Providing Youth Opportunities Awards, as well as several Action Hero Awards. You can watch a copy of the celebration which was livestreamed from the JMAC Theatre in downtown Worcester HERE. Additional photos can be viewed HERE.
Special thanks to our presenting sponsor National Grid. Advocate level sponsor Webster Five; Supporters – Cornerstone Bank, Fidelity Bank, Lamoureux Pagano Associates Architects; our hosts JMAC Theatre; and award designer Daisy’s Designs LLC
