Outstanding Community Leaders to be Honored at 30th Annual Seize the Dream Gala

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - Dec. 3, 2019 - PRLog -- Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Metrowest is pleased to announce the honorees for the Seize the Dream Gala to be held on Thursday May 7, 2020 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center: Bob Fields and the team at CommCreative; Retiring CEO of JFS, Marc Jacobs; and receiving the JFS Max Michelson Humanitarian Award, Barbara and Samantha Shapiro.

Seize the Dream honors area leaders who have demonstrated an unfailing commitment and personal dedication to supporting vulnerable children, families, and senior adults. This year's honorees have made it their life's work to stand up for those left behind and it is a privilege to recognize these exceptional individuals.

Bob Fields has led a distinguished and colorful life in which he has worn many different hats. After a career in marketing at leading brands like Gillette and Foster Grant, Bob founded CommCreative, which has grown into one of the industry's leading B2B marketing agencies. Over the years, Bob has dedicated his time to serving on several boards. JFS however, remains closest to his heart. A JFS board member since 2010, Bob has embodied CommCreative's "THINK WITH YOUR HEART" philosophy and fueled impact with strategy and expertise that accelerates JFS' drive to advance social, health, and educational equity in our community.

Marc Jacobs, MSW, LICSW, has been the Chief Executive Officer of JFS since 1996. His career exemplifies civic engagement, a moral compass unrelenting in addressing social and health inequities, and building collaborative partnerships to have collective impact. Marc has received significant leadership awards. In 2018, he was named Middlesex Savings Bank Foundation's 3rd Annual recipient of the John R. Heerwagen Award for Nonprofit Leadership. In 2017, William James College awarded Marc its prestigious Mental Health Humanitarian Award and The Joukowsky Family Foundation awarded its Sharp Rescuer Prize to Marc and his team for their tireless work supporting Syrian refugees in a large community wide project.

Barbara and Samantha Shapiro are committed to social justice. They both love children and helping others. Their passions aligned in 2016 when they became a part of the JFS Syrian Refugee Humanitarian Project. Barbara serves on the boards of Horizons for Homeless Children, Beaver Country Day School, and formerly JFS and The Rashi School. Barbara volunteers in the community and is actively involved in her family's foundation, The Shapiro Foundation. Samantha Shapiro is 17 years old and a senior at Beaver Country Day School. She plays hockey goalie, is captain of her tennis team, is part of the Jewish Actors Workshop at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley and recently filmed a documentary about the journey of one Syrian refugee family.

To learn more, please visit https://www.jfsmw.org.