DA David Sullivan to be Honored with Friends of Children 2022 Changemaker Award

FLORENCE — Friends of Children Inc. will present Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan with the 2022 Changemaker Award at a dinner on Friday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Garden House in Look Park.

Sullivan is being presented with the Changemaker Award to celebrate his accomplishments, advocacy, and impact. He has been a steadfast advocate for vulnerable people in the Pioneer Valley, including children and young people served by Friends of Children, since 2003.

Sullivan has led initiatives to address child abuse and domestic violence. He co-founded the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region and serves as an advisor to its board, as well as to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hampshire County. Sullivan was part of the core team that helped establish the Franklin County Family Drug Court. He co-founded and co-chairs Hampshire HOPE and the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and North Quabbin Region to address the opioid epidemic and its devastating impact on children and families. He is a board member of the Massachusetts Children’s Trust, an organization dedicated to ending child abuse. He also testified twice to the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities in support of bills that would establish external oversight of the state’s child welfare system.

Friends of Children is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults impacted by foster care or juvenile-justice involvement. It addresses the needs of high-risk children who are not readily supported by systems designed to protect them and encourage their full participation in society.

For more information and tickets to the March 25 event, visit www.friendsofchildreninc.org.