FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Aretha McKinney
314.458.2095
aretha@whitpr.com
BOSTON, MA — March 18, 2026 — As part of its 2026 Summit Weekend, Jeremiah Program (JP) hosted the Community Is a Verb Awards Celebration Dinner, recognizing civic and corporate leaders whose investments are advancing economic mobility for single mothers and their families.
The annual awards celebration honors leaders who are actively working to expand opportunity and strengthen communities through policy, partnership, and philanthropy. Inspired by the belief that community is built through action—not intention alone—the evening highlighted individuals and organizations committed to creating lasting change for families nationwide.
This year, Jeremiah Program honored Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, Ulta Beauty, and New York Life Insurance Company for their leadership and commitment to supporting families experiencing poverty.
Mayor Dickens was recognized for his administration’s efforts to reduce poverty in Atlanta, where 43 percent of families are led by single mothers. Through initiatives such as the Women in Technology (WIT) Single Mothers Program and the city’s $5 billion Reinvestment Plan, Atlanta is expanding access to affordable housing, food access, and economic opportunity for families.
Mayor Ortiz Jones and the City of San Antonio were honored for their leadership in improving conditions for families experiencing poverty, including mobilizing public and private partnerships to help fill gaps for families during the suspension of SNAP funding.
Corporate honorees Ulta Beauty and New York Life Insurance Company were also recognized for their investments in programs that support women, families, and communities. Ulta Beauty was celebrated not only for its career exploration initiatives in the beauty industry, but for its comprehensive commitment to employee well-being through programs such as its Associate Relief Fund, loan assistance programs, and resources supporting associates experiencing hardship, including domestic violence. In 2025, Ulta further deepened this commitment by launching a Student Debt Retirement Program, enabling associates to receive company-matching 401(k) contributions while paying down student loans—an investment that reflects the company’s focus on long-term financial stability for its predominantly female workforce.
New York Life Insurance Company was honored for its longstanding dedication to children experiencing grief and loss through mental health-centered programming, as well as its intentional support of single-parent households. Recognizing that nearly one-third of households are led by single parents—most of them mothers—the company has developed tailored financial guidance and life insurance resources designed specifically for this group. During the Summit, New York Life also offered one-on-one financial consultations for attendees, which reached capacity within minutes—demonstrating both the demand for and impact of accessible, trusted financial support.
“Community is something we build through action,” said Chastity Lord, President and CEO of Jeremiah Program. “The leaders we honor tonight are helping create real pathways to opportunity for single mothers and their children by investing in the policies, partnerships, and resources families need to thrive.”
The evening was hosted by the Community Is a Verb Host Committee, including Brooke Ricketts, Chris Maggiano, Elizabeth Lee, Laura Clancy, Lakeysha Hallmon, Janice Johnson Dias, Jill Miller, Mychal Harrison, Stephen Lee, Lauren Odell, and Olivia Peoples.
The Community Is a Verb Awards Celebration Dinner took place alongside the Jeremiah Program Summit Weekend, when nearly 3,000 mothers, advocates, and community leaders gathered to share ideas, strengthen networks, and advance solutions supporting single-mother families nationwide.
To learn more about Jeremiah Program, visit jeremiahprogram.org.
About Jeremiah Program: Jeremiah Program (JP) is a national organization whose mission is to disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children, two generations at a time. By investing simultaneously in a mother’s vision for her personal and professional goals and the education of her children, she simultaneously reauthors her family’s outcome as well her community’s — proof points matter. In 2025, JP actively served over 2,000 moms and children across nine cities in Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN; Las Vegas, NV; Minneapolis, MN; Rochester, MN; and St. Paul, MN.