Senator behind New Jersey’s first-in-the-nation recognition of International Widows’ Day sends letter of support ahead of Oct. 20 event in Jersey City
WINTER PARK , FL, UNITED STATES, October 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Modern Widows Club® | The Movement for Widow Care® announced today that New Jersey State Senator Gordon M. Johnson, Assistant Majority Leader and sponsor of the resolution that made New Jersey the first state in the nation to officially recognize International Widows’ Day, has sent a letter of recognition honoring the organization’s 2026 Legacy & Leadership Awards Event.
The event, taking place October 20, 2026 at Liberty House in Jersey City, will honor Ms. Angelica Berrie, President of The Russell Berrie Foundation, with the 2026 Leadership Award, and Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor, author of The Grieving Brain and The Grieving Body, with the 2026 Legacy Award.
In his letter, Senator Johnson wrote that widows “are subject to immense emotional, financial, and familial burdens that are too often overlooked by society,” and praised Modern Widows Club® for providing “tens of thousands of members” with “the tools to ease these burdens and teach widows to reach their full potential.”
Senator Johnson, who sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 30 alongside Assemblywoman Shama Haider to secure New Jersey’s official recognition of International Widows’ Day, also voiced his continued support for grief education and counseling in schools, calling New Jersey a leader in that effort.
“I am immensely proud to congratulate all of you on tonight’s event and on the work you do to benefit widows and their families across and beyond New Jersey,” Senator Johnson wrote. “I am proud to serve as your voice in Trenton, and my door is always open.”
“Senator Johnson has been a true champion for widows, not just in New Jersey but as an example for the nation,” said Carolyn Moor, Founder and Executive Director of Modern Widows Club®. “His leadership in securing recognition of International Widows’ Day set a precedent other states are now following. To have his support as we honor NJ Philanthropist Angelica Berrie and neuroscientist and NYT best selling author Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor — two women whose own work has profoundly shaped how we understand and care for widows — means a great deal to our entire community.”
This year’s event will also be joined by past Modern Widows Club Legacy and Leadership Awards Event honorees from 2022 and 2025, gathering together to celebrate the full breadth of leadership and legacy that continues to carry the movement for widow care forward.
Modern Widows Club® invites the public to join in honoring this year’s awardees and the broader movement for widow care at the Legacy & Leadership Awards Dinner on October 20 in Jersey City. Tickets, table sponsorships, and event details are available at https://modernwidowsclub.org/fundraising-events. We are deeply grateful to New York Life Foundation, and Russell Berrie Foundation, our investment sponsors, for helping make this evening possible.
ABOUT MODERN WIDOWS CLUB® Modern Widows Club® | The Movement for Widow Care® is a national women’s health nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering widows through community, mentorship, and advocacy. The organization serves through its signature Hope • Heal • Grow • Lead® healthy widowhood framework to build resilience and renewed purpose in life.
Carolyn Moor
Modern Widows Club
+1 844-429-4369
media@modernwidowsclub.org
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