A season to honor valued volunteers

Cushing’s Springtime Gala will be held on Thursday, May 23 at the Boston Seaport Hotel. With a theme of Models of Volunteerism, this year’s honorees could not be more fitting recipients.

South Shore Bank President and CEO Jim Dunphy will be honored with the Richard Cardinal Cushing Award, which is given annually to someone who provides consistent support for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. Dunphy displays a relentless commitment to helping others and building community, especially when it comes to providing education and career opportunities for underserved youth.

“Receiving the Richard Cardinal Cushing Award is an honor, and I am grateful that the funds raised at the spring gala benefit Cardinal Cushing Centers in their mission to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing pathways for growth and endless possibilities,” said Dunphy.

Dunphy arrived at South Shore Bank in 2014 as executive vice president and was named president and CEO in 2015. He also serves as president of the South Shore Bank Charitable Foundation. Under his leadership, the bank has grown to become the region’s leading full-service mutual bank, with approximately $2 billion in assets. It has 11 branches in Weymouth, Quincy, Braintree, Hingham, Norwell, Stoughton, and East Bridgewater. The bank donates more than 10 percent of its profits to local organizations. The South Shore Bank Community Fund has distributed more than $500,000 to assist those struggling to pay rent and mortgages during the pandemic.

Born in Quincy and raised in Abington, Dunphy has a strong commitment to improving communities on the South Shore. He serves on the boards of various nonprofit and business organizations, including Special Olympics, and has been deeply involved with Cardinal Cushing Centers from the moment he stepped into the role of CEO. He and his team at South Shore Bank host Cushing’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Auction, raising funds to send the graduating class on a Trip of a Lifetime to Disney World each year.

Marshfield native Meg Kelleher will be honored at Springtime with the Franciscan Leadership Award, which is given to someone who actively builds a stronger community by providing opportunities for those who are less fortunate and demonstrating generosity, leadership by positive example and mutuality toward others.

“Being a part of Cardinal Cushing is very additive to my life,” said Kelleher. “To play a small part in making a difference in the lives of the students and adults we serve is a privilege, so when I found out I was being recognized for something I love to do, I could not have been more surprised.”

Kelleher has more than 40 years’ experience in financial services, including profit and loss management, setting strategic direction, and leading national and international teams of professionals. She recently retired from The Collaborative in Boston, where she consulted for investment advisors, banks, asset managers, broker dealers, wirehouses, and insurance companies. Her previous experience includes tenures at Fidelity Investments and State Street Bank.

Kelleher’s community involvement includes serving on the board of Alice’s House and in many capacities at Cardinal Cushing Centers, from being a member of the board of directors and the finance and development committees, to serving as a trusted volunteer in the Cushing Café at the MarketPlace.

“The more time I spend at Cardinal Cushing, the more passionate I become about both the mission and the community,” Kelleher said. “It’s one of those places that the mission—a place where people of all ages and abilities find possibility, opportunity and hope—plays itself out daily in the community. As I attend events like staff appreciation night, fundraising events, the Fun Run and Harvest Festival, and just spending time at the café as a patron, you can feel the commitment and love in every aspect of this community. As a board member, I can now see the inner workings of this amazing organization and it has deepened my understanding of what it takes to run an organization that is making such a difference in the lives of students, adults and families.”

Kelleher has also been very involved with her alma mater, Boston College, serving on the Alumni Board, chairing her reunion committees, and being an active member of the Council for Women of Boston College. The university recognized her with the John J. Griffin Award for Distinguished Volunteerism. She and her husband, Pat, raised their children, Patrick, Chris, and Haleigh in Marshfield.

For more information or to purchase tickets for Springtime, visit SpringtimeGala.org.