Hope Aldrich to be honored for Longtime Community Leadership

Hope Aldrich, President and CEO of Eastern Insurance Group LLC, will be awarded the second annual 1851 YMCA of Greater Boston Legacy Award for Volunteer Leadership for her nearly 23 years of service as a board member for the YMCA of Greater Boston. Aldrich, of Wellesley, will accept the award at the Y’s annual Spark Party on Wednesday, Oct. 17.

The YMCA of Greater Boston’s 1851 YMCA Legacy Award for Volunteer Leadership recognizes an individual in Greater Boston who exemplifies the YMCA’s mission and is a strong advocate for ensuring that everyone in our community has the opportunity to lead a healthy and productive life. The award honors those individuals who are making a meaningful and measurable impact on the Greater Boston community.

“The YMCA’s mission to serve and empower youth and families first resonated with me as a young working mother starting out in my career,” says Aldrich. “Far too many opportunities are just not within reach for countless hard working families in our communities. With the services of the YMCA, these families can become a strong and healthy part of our communities and our workforce. To me, this award is a reflection of the outstanding efforts from each and every member of this organization on a daily basis. It has been my honor to be able to serve and support the Y in this way and I am humbled by this recognition.”

As the Y’s board chair from 2003 to 2004, Aldrich helped lead the nonprofit’s early education and after school program expansion, increasing access for nearly 5,000 youth and affordable childcare for working parents. As a member of the Y’s Executive Committee and Chair of the Development Committee, she was instrumental in raising funds for renovations of the Y’s Oak Square, Huntington Avenue, East Boston and Parkway locations. To date, she has raised more than $3 million to support the Y’s programs and services. In addition, she remains actively involved with the Y’s Training Inc. job training program, which enables unemployed and underemployed adults to find jobs and earn a living wage.

In addition to her tremendous efforts on behalf of the Y, Aldrich has been sparking the good in children and families through her leadership and service as President and CEO of Eastern Insurance Group. Her philanthropic example has driven employees at Eastern Insurance to follow in her footsteps in giving back to their community. In 2017, employees at Eastern Insurance volunteered a collective 2,300 hours to various charitable organizations across the state.

“Through her deliberate and heartfelt acts of service, Hope has changed the lives of countless residents, including children and working parents, of the Greater Boston community,” says James Morton, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. “She has helped to spark the good in all of us. We are grateful for her longtime support, commitment and guidance.”

“We greatly appreciate this opportunity to celebrate the important work of the YMCA of Greater Boston and to congratulate Hope Aldrich and the other honorees on this well-deserved recognition,” says Bob Rivers, Chair and CEO of Eastern Bank. “In addition to her extensive community leadership, Hope has built the second largest insurance agency based in Massachusetts and the largest in the United States led by a woman, with over $1 billion in premiums written annually. She is a true inspiration to all of us.”

The Spark Party is the Y's largest annual fundraising event, bringing together over 300 respected community leaders and individuals in support of greater Boston's children and families. This year, Aldrich will accept her award alongside two other prominent members of the Boston community who have championed health, wellness, and youth development: Jay Hajj, chef and owner of Mike’s Diner, who will accept the 1851 YMCA of Greater Boston Civic Engagement Award, and Jerry Sargent, President of Citizens Bank Massachusetts, who will accept the 1851 YMCA of Greater Boston Legacy Award for Corporate Citizenship.

About the YMCA of Greater Boston

The YMCA of Greater Boston is one of Massachusetts leading nonprofits committed to strengthening communities by improving health, empowering youth and activating people for good. Every day the Y works with thousands of men, women, and children to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has access to Y programs and services. As the nation’s fifth largest charity, the Y is creating a community of caring people through meaningful memberships. For more than 165 years, the Y has been developing skills and emotional well-being through education and training, welcoming and connecting diverse populations, preventing chronic disease and building healthier communities. The YMCA of Greater Boston is America’s first Y.

About Eastern Insurance Group LLC
Eastern Insurance Group LLC, headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastern Bank, the largest independent, mutually owned bank in New England with branches stretching from the Merrimack Valley to Cape Cod. Eastern Insurance serves more than 75,000 individuals and businesses and provides a full range of personal and commercial insurance products, as well as employee benefits services. Eastern Insurance is recognized as the largest insurance agency headquartered in Massachusetts and the 31st largest property and casualty agency in the country. In 2017, year-end premiums exceeded $1 billion. For more information, visit www.easterninsurance.com. Follow Eastern Insurance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Join us for good at JoinUsForGood.com.

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