Mattie Palmore Wins 2020 Gerry Hyland Humanitarian Award

MOUNT VERNON, VA — Mattie Palmore, an advocate for domestic violence victims and active community member, was honored by United Community with the 2020 Gerry Hyland Humanitarian Award.

Palmore was recognized for her lifelong service and dedication to the Mount Vernon and Gum Springs community. The Honorable Gerry Hyland presented her with the award Thursday on a Zoom call with remarks from Chairman Jeff McKay and others.

"The criteria for the Gerry Hyland Award is that an individual, through their personal effort will have demonstrated a long-term, sustained commitment to serving people in need through empowering, transforming and enriching their lives," said United Community President and CEO Alison DeCourcey. "I can think of few better examples of that than Mattie Palmore."

Palmore is from DC and came to Virginia in 1980 with three children due to an abusive relationship. She joined the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services Homeless Transition Program and became an advocate for fellow domestic violence victims. At one point, she became the director of that program and retired in January 2011.

She was also one of the first Black women to serve as magistrate in Fairfax County. She was selected by the Supreme Court of Virginia in 1995 and served in the role for 15 years.

Palmore also co-founded the Women's Group of Mount Vernon, organized by the Attorney General's office and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to provide a safe environment for victims of abuse. In 2006, she received the Women We Admire Award from Black Women United for Action and was one of five finalists for Queen Latifah's Project Confidence Award. She also received the Joseph T. Adinaro Award for her advocacy in 2011 and the Molina Healthcare Community Champions Award in 2012. In 2017, she was named Mount Vernon District's Lady Fairfax.

She is the mother of three children, one stepchild, eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.