2023 Imagine the Possibilities Gala Honoree: Former Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett.

Bridgewell is pleased to announce this year’s Imagine the Possibilities Gala Honoree: Former Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett.

Mr. Blodgett will be presented Bridgewell’s 2023 Visionary Leadership Award at our annual Imagine the Possibilities Gala on Friday, April 28 at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront in Boston.

Bridgewell’s Visionary Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding individual for excellence to a community, social cause, or to Bridgewell. It is intended to honor those who are truly inspirational to others. Jonathan Blodgett’s innovative and progressive approaches to fighting crime in Essex County over his 20 years as DA, including the Drug Diversion Program he created and expanded during his tenure, are true testaments to his visionary leadership.

Mr. Blodgett has been a leader in confronting a range of issues including the opiate epidemic, domestic violence, auto insurance fraud and gun violence, through prosecution, diversion, and partnerships with schools, police, and community leaders. Mr. Blodgett currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Addiction Policy Forum and served on the Board of the Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance from 2005 to his retirement in 2023. He was elected President of the National District Attorneys Association in 2018 and has served on the Board and the executive committee of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.

Mr. Blodgett’s groundbreaking work on drug diversion and treatment programs for non-violent offenders during his tenure as Essex County DA has made a tremendous impact, and our Bridgewell team is grateful for our partnership with Mr. Blodgett and his team over the past 15 years. We are excited to highlight Bridgewell’s long-standing partnership with Mr. Blodgett and the Drug Diversion Program in Essex County, which continues today. Bridgewell is also proud of our partnership with former DA Blodgett in a ground-breaking after school program he established in Lynn in 2016.

The Breed All Stars program is an innovative program for middle school students who have a parent(s) who suffer from the disease of addiction. In addition to these programs, Bridgewell provides quality addiction treatment programs and services to help people facing challenges with substance use disorder, including our new Lotus House Family Supportive Housing program in Lynn, which opened in December. We plan to continue expanding our recovery services in the coming years and we will highlight this pillar of our mission at the gala on April 28th.

We applaud former District Attorney Blodgett’s progressive leadership and the broader partnerships he has built to help confront the challenges of addiction and recovery in the region. Congratulations, Jon!

Please join us at the 2023 Imagine the Possibilities Gala to celebrate this award with us!

Click here for event details and tickets.