Bernards Township Local, Jody C. D’Agostini, is a Finalist in the 2017 Invest in Others Awards

The Invest in Others Awards program recognizes the charitable work of financial advisors and financial services firms in communities across the country and around the world. Advisors are nominated by their peers for actively giving back to non-profits to improve their communities and make a difference in the lives of others. There are five award categories for advisors and two for financial services companies.

Invest in Others received hundreds of nominations this year and finalists were selected based on their leadership, dedication, contribution, inspiration, and impact on a non-profit and the community it serves. Nominations were blindly reviewed by a diverse panel of judges representing industry associations and national media outlets.

In 2013, Jody D’Agostini founded Community in Crisis following the overdose deaths of two young adults in her community. Both were long-time friends of her college-aged daughter, who tearfully asked her mother, “How many more have to die before someone will do something?” This moment served as D’Agostini’s call to arms - she knew she had to take action against the heroin/opiate epidemic that was killing record numbers of 18-30 year olds, both in New Jersey and more broadly across the United States. Initially, D’Agostini worked with the Somerset Hills YMCA mobilizing public health officials, law enforcement, school leaders, faith-based leaders and representatives from multiple other sectors to create a community united in fighting the heroin/opiate crisis by reducing youth substance abuse, removing the stigma of addiction and preventing overdose deaths. In the past two years, D’Agostini’s leadership has taken the coalition to the next level, transforming it from a grassroots, partially YMCA funded initiative to its own separate 501c3. The organization offers bi-weekly support groups for families struggling with addiction, innovative educational opportunities in the school environment, medicine take-back days, town hall meetings, and more. Additionally, Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and the Horizon Foundation have partnered with Community in Crisis to produce and scale out an evidence-based community toolkit for implementation by communities across NJ. Thanks to D’Agostini’s vision and determination to make a positive change in her community, Community in Crisis continues to grow, diversify and secure funding, bring in new volunteers and serve the community with new, inventive outreach programs.

Awards will be presented at the eleventh annual Invest in Others Awards Gala, a premier event attended by nearly 600 financial advisors and financial services executives, on September 28, 2017 in New York City.

About the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation

The inspiration for the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation came directly from the financial advisors who invest in others by giving back to their communities with overwhelming generosity and dedication. Since its founding in 2006, Invest in Others has amplified these efforts by providing a platform for advisors to increase awareness, visibility, and funding to their favorite non-profits. For more information, visit www.investinothers.org.