We strive for and celebrate excellence.
Excellence is the hallmark of all JCA programs.
JCA has been honored with dozens of local, regional and national awards. Each year, we also present several awards to outstanding individuals and organizations who are making a difference and serving as role models, with past award winners listed below.
Here are just some of the awards JCA has had the privilege to receive:
- National Summit Award (a top, national program honor) from the American Society of Association Executives for the JCA 50+ Employment Expo
- National Achievement Award (with Montgomery County, Maryland) for the Connect-A-Ride Transportation Resource Center from the National Association of Counties
- Selection as a top 10 best-practice model for senior transportation by the Community Transportation Association of America for the Connect-A-Ride Transportation Resource Center
- National Program of Distinction Award from Generations United for the JCA Heyman Interages Center
- Selection as a National Program of Distinction by the Slingshot Guide for Women and Girls, honoring the JCA Career Gateway Program
- Program Achievement Award from the Maryland Gerontological Association for the JCA Career Gateway Program
- Team Excellence Award from Fairfax County, Virginia
- Gold Circle Award (a national honor) for outstanding newsletter and overall communications excellence from the American Society of Association Executives
- Golden Rule Award from JCPenney
- Outstanding Journalism Award from The Journal Newspapers for our series of newspaper articles on issues of aging
- Workforce and Economic Development Senior Participant of the Year Award (two- time winner) by Montgomery County, Maryland for participants in the JCA Senior Community Service Employment Program
- Award of Service Excellence (multiple winner) for the JCA Senior Community Service Employment Program from Senior Service America, Inc.
- Community Service Award (many-time winner) from Iona House/Iona Senior Services
- Leadership Participation Award (two-time winner) from The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
- Volunteer Service Award (multiple winner) from the Maryland Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism and from Montgomery County, Maryland
- Positive Partnership in Aging Award (many-time winner) from Montgomery County, Maryland
- Celebrate Partnership Award (two-time winner, with other organizations) for the 50+ Employment Expo and NV Rides Program from Fairfax County, Virginia
JCA staff members have received frequent honors, too. As example:
- CEO David Gamse received the Leadership in Aging Award from Seabury Resources for Aging and an Eminent Graduate Award from the University of South Florida’s Aging Studies Program.
- Assistant CEO Micki Gordon shared The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Ted B. Farber Professional Excellence Award with Lew Fontek of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes and Tasha Museles from the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington.
- Micki Gordon and Ellen Greenberg, Director of Information & Education at JCA, shared a Caregiver of the Year Award from the John J. Barcklow Foundation.
We take pride in honoring others!
We are proud to honor those who exemplify the principles of tzedakah (righteous duty) as they strive to improve the world and amplify the benefits of JCA’s work.
Click an award name in the list below to see a list of past honorees.
Sylvia and Abe Blajwas Productive Aging Award
Each year since 1994, we have presented The Sylvia & Abe Blajwas Productive Aging Award to shatter limiting stereotypes about aging. This award recognizes an older adult or couple for being a national model of positive aging.
1994: The Honorable Louis Goldstein
1995: Katharine Graham
1996: Dr. C. Everett Koop
1997: Al Hirschfield
1998: Mike Wallace
1999: Gwen Verdon
2001: Roberta Peters
2002: Sargent & Eunice Shriver
2003: Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee
2004: Jerry Stiller & Anne Meara
2005: Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson
2006: Robert Prosky
2007: Daniel Schorr
2008: Phil Donahue
2009: Judith Viorst
2010: Phyllis Richman
2011: Cokie & Steven V. Roberts
2012: Edgar M. Bronfman
2013: Doris Kearns Goodwin & Richard N. Goodwin
2014: Sally Quinn
2015: Arlene and Alan Alda
2016: Sam Waterston
Humanitarian Award
In some years, we present a Humanitarian Award at the Productive Aging Award Dinner. This award pays special tribute to an outstanding individual or couple whose work embodies the mission and values of our philanthropy.
2009: Rabbi Matthew Simon
2010: Joanne & Norman Goldstein
2011: Irma & Lester Poretsky
2013: Arlene & Robert Kogod
2014: The Hon. Sidney Kramer
2015: Sylvia Greenberg
2016: Esthy & James Adler
Jacqueline Unger Community Service Award
Each year, JCA honors an outstanding volunteer with the Jacqueline Unger Community Service Award.
1992: Ruth & Larry Berman
1993: Max Schreiber
1994: Lee Weinberg
1995: Sydell Laskowitz
1996: Muriel & Jim Lyman
1997: Marilyn Lipowsky
1998: Rosa Weinstein
1999: Dorothea Lear
2000: Funny Jaffe
2001: John “Jay” Kenney
2002: Toby and Abe Friedberg
2003: Les Levine
2004: The Hon. Douglas M. Duncan
2005: Lisa Friedman
2006: Bruce Kipnis
2007: Kenneth Jacob
2008: Joan DiCostanzo
2009: Harvey Levine
2010: Terry Korth
2011: Margo Smith
2012: Melissa Coiner-Williams
2013: Margaret Levchenko and Lois Baker
2014: Pearl Lake
2015: Leslie Shapiro
2016: Nick Gross
Ruth Breslow-Young Staff Award of Excellence
The Ruth Breslow-Young Staff Award of Excellence has been presented at our Annual Meeting since 1997.
1997: Ellen Greenberg
1998: Gloria Brown
1999: Marcy Kostbar
2000: Ted Collins
2001: Brian Goodspeed
2002: Keh-Ay Shyu and Richard Zung
2003: Phyllis Gittleson
2004: Teresa Simmons
2005: Lo-jen “Sandy” Lo
2006: Mordechai “Moti” Galil
2007: Harriet Shapiro
2008: Bea Stapleton
2009: Epsie Bromfield
2010: Janetha Kamelo
2011: Nancy Cooper
2012: Abby Levin
2013: Bonnie Clausen
2014: Colleen Kemp
2015: Chris Prinz and Lorraine LeSchack
Margaret Cutler Award
Our Heyman Interages Center presents the annual Margaret Cutler Award to honor a champion of Interages’ intergenerational programs.
1994: Helen Abrahams
1995: Pat St. Clair
1996: Frank Masci
1997: Margaret Maring
1998: Sally Marchessault
1999: LaVerne Toler
2000: Carolyne Starek
2001: Phyllis Courlander
2002: Charles Short
2003: Chris Merkle
2004: Robert Shoenberg
2005: Debra R. Sekuler
2006: Gregory H. Bowman
2007: Barbara A. Newland
2008: Larry Hartnett
2009: Elaine Lessenco
2010: Beverly Belin, Adeline DePola, Cecelia Sonnabend
2011: Joey Potter
2012: Jerry Feuer
2013: Tony Edghill
2014: Austin Heyman
2015: Brenda Lopez and Toni Quan
Advocate for the Aging Award
We acknowledge the extraordinary work of advocates for local seniors with the Advocate for the Aging Award.
2002: Selma Sweetbaum
2004: Caring From A Distance
2005: Jewish Community Relations Council
2006: Stuart Rosenthal
2007: William Schlossenberg
2008: Jewish Youth Philanthropy Institute
2011: Helen Kaufman
2012: The Hon. Isiah Leggett
2013: The JCA Past Presidents, the then-current president Samuel G. Kaplan, and founding Executive Director Ruth Breslow-Young
2014: Chuck Short
2015: Austin Heyman
Experience Counts Award
In 2014, JCA collaborated with the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development and its Workforce Investment Board to launch the Experience Counts Awards, spotlighting the good work of local employers on behalf of older workers.
2014 Awardees
Adventist HealthCare
National Institutes of Health
Sandy Spring Bank
2015 Awardees
The Beacon Newspaper, Inc.
Dynaxys LLC
Social and Scientific Systems, Inc.
Rosalie and Leon Gerber Distinguished Seniors Award
In earlier years, JCA honored the work of extraordinary older volunteers and philanthropists whose work benefited the lives of local seniors and family caregivers. The winners of the Rosalie & Leon Gerber Distinguished Seniors Award were
1984: Charles E. Smith
1985: Louis C. Grossberg
1986: Morris Rodman
1987: George H. Hurwitz
1988: Simon Hirshman
1989: Ida E. Freedman
1990: Esther and Harry Plotkin
1991: Anne S. Reich
1992: Dr. Leonard Kapiloff
1993: Julius Sankin
1994: Luna Diamond
1995: Robert Nathan
1996: Gerry & Howard Polinger
1997: Kitty & Martin Strauss
1998: Maurice “Maury” D. Atkin
1999: Sylvia Blajwas