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Let me start at the beginning. There are very few people you meet who think big, lead by example and action and inspire others to be the best version of themselves--for me, Lenny was that person. When Lenny was diagnosed with cancer in 1995, he could have turned inward--many of us would have—but as he always did, he turned to community. And he turned toward those people in the neighborhoods of Boston and beyond who were doing the hard work- the often unrecognized and unfunded work--of building up their communities. And when Lenny reached out to me and others to join him in forming The Fund, he was giving us a gift—a call to action--helping to repair the world- tikkun olam.
The first grant we ever provided says everything about Lenny’s vision for LZF---Dominic Avellani ran a citizenship training program for immigrants living in East Boston known as the East Boston Adult Education Center. It was held in the basement of a building at night and on weekends. He was funding this program by himself, and the electric utility was about to literally “turn off the lights” because of unpaid electric bills. We gave $1,000 to pay off the bill, and the school continued. That story so beautifully reflects the essence of our mission-- support those who are doing great work and who fall under the radar of traditional philanthropy.
Now, thirty years later, the work of LZF is not done. The need for our support continues to grow; given the climate today, it is more urgently needed than ever. It has been my honor to serve and carry out Lenny’s vision over these last 30 years, and I thank each of you for being a part of the loving and generous LZF community. I pledge to stay engaged, and I hope that all who have helped make this Fund the success it is, both original supporters and new members of our community alike, will join me in keeping Lenny’s legacy alive.
Best,
Rob Sherman
LZF Board Member, 1995-2025
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