You are invited to the Peace Development Fund's first ever gala, a special celebration of our work and the work of social justice organizers. Join us as we honor the leaders in the movement and provide Truth Awards for outstanding organizations and organizers. The Truth Awards are named for Sojourner Truth a remarkable local advocate for abolition and women's rights.

Join us as we gather with like-minded community to support the work that will be needed in the coming months and years.

MCs Monte Belmonte and Kaliis Smith from the Fabulous 413 will inspire us and add levity.

The event will feature PDF’s Truth Awards honoring the individuals and organizations that are tenacious community and movement builders extending Sojourner Truth’s legacy to current intersectional fights for social justice.

Truth Awardees

2024 Organization of the Year: Springfield No One Leaves- SNOL works to keep people from being displaced through foreclosures and gentrification in the greater Springfield area. They have been organizing for their community since the foreclosure crisis in 2010. Since that time their work has expanded to train new organizers with their Peoples School.
2024 Organizer of the Year: Aramis Sundiata- Aramis Sundiata of People's Justice Project in Ohio has worked tirelessly on racial justice reform to stop police-involved killings in Ohio and beyond.
2024 Legacy Award: Paul Haible- The Legacy Award will honor our recently retired Executive Director, Paul Haible, and his long legacy of supporting grassroots movements and Indigenous rights. We are kicking off a new Land Justice Fund to honor that legacy. Paul Haible recently retired after 20+ years as the Executive Director of PDF. He has more than thirty years’ experience working with the Public Foundation movement, serving in all the roles: staff, board member, advisor, consultant, volunteer and grant committee member. He was a co-founder of the Funding Exchange, worked for Vanguard Public Foundation for twelve years, served on boards of several of the Funding Exchange funds, as well as the board of Seva Foundation.

Host Committee:

Tara Brewster
Zac Chapman
David Halbert
Dr. Steve Jones
Guillermo Quinteros
Lisa Ranghelli
Alexandra Russell
Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa

Sponsorship packages available. Click here or see donation page.

Sponsored by:

Justice Vanguard Sponsor

Anonymous

Truth Award Sponsor

Anonymous

Catalyst Sponsors

Peace Lily Sponsors

Beveridge Family Foundation

Dean's Beans Organic Coffee

Greenfield Savings Bank

PeoplesBank

Grassroots Gala

By Peace Development Fund, Inc.

Grassroots Gala

Honoring the Past While Building the Movement's Future

Team Members