Posted October 16, 20153:48 pm
October 2015 -- The Cleveland Foundation awarded its inaugural Encore prizes — an honor that comes with a $25,000 check — to the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and Thomas Gaghan, the founder of the Cleveland Furniture Bank.
The foundation’s Encore prizes honor an organization and an individual involved in efforts that empower people 50 and older to apply their professional experiences and passions into solving some of society's problems. In particular, the foundation is recognizing the Legal Aid Society’s Act 2 program, which deploys late career and retired volunteer lawyers into the community to work with low-income individuals. The organization plans to use the funding to boost staffing capacity for the Act 2 program.
As for Gaghan, the foundation is recognizing him for his work launching the furniture bank in 2006, which provides basic home furnishings to people in need. Today, the Cleveland Furniture Bank serves more than 1,400 families each year. Gaghan founded the group after being downsized from his corporate job. He plans to invest the funding back in the furniture bank.
The Cleveland Foundation announced the winners during BVU’s Purpose@50Plus event on Thursday night, Oct. 15, at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence — the organization that resulted from the merger of the Akron-based Center for Nonprofit Excellence and Cleveland’s Business Volunteers Unlimited — is one of the foundation’s Encore partner organizations. BVU matches volunteers with opportunities customized to their interests, skills and schedules.