Swampscott resident Larry Zabar is the recipient of Northeast Arc’s Changing Lives Award. Zabar, the executive vice-president of the New England Council, is being recognized for his support of the agency’s mission and commitment to people with disabilities.
He’ll be honored at Northeast Arc’s annual gala on May 3 at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. The Evening of Changing Lives dinner and fashion show will raise funds for the services the organization provides to children and adults with disabilities and their families.
“This award is not about me,” said Zabar in a statement. “So many businesses in the New England Council support organizations like Northeast Arc. The common thread is we all see value in what they and other groups do to make lives better.”
Jo Ann Simons, Northeast Arc president and CEO, said Zabar has been a steady supporter of Arc’s mission.
“Larry changes lives every day by linking people and organizations to create opportunities for alliances, business, employment, friendship, philanthropy and more,” Simons said in a statement. “It’s an honor for us to have the chance to shine a spotlight on all the good Larry does so quietly each day.”
Zabar attended a Northeast Arc holiday party in December where employees were honored for their years of service — many have been there for 35 years or longer.
“Nobody does that because they’re trying to get rich, and it’s certainly not an easy job,” said Zabar in a statement. “They do the job because they are dedicated and are a special breed of people. They help people and make a difference in the lives of so many.”
The New England Council was found in 1925 and is the nation’s oldest regional business organization. Zabar joined the council in 1989 and is its longest serving member.
He is responsible for organizing events including the Politics & Eggs series, which helps connect the region’s business community with would-be presidents while they chat up voters in New Hampshire.
Prior to his stint with the New England Council, Zabar spent 11 years in Washington D.C. as executive director of the Northeast-Midwest Coalition, the brainchild of former U.S. Rep Michael Harrington, of Salem. Zabar worked as an intern for Harrington while attending grad school at American University.
For more information, visit www.bit.ly/nearcgala2018.
