Jim Geraghty to Receive Embracing the Legacy Award

It takes a village. That’s Westford, Mass. resident Jim Geraghty’s mantra. The son of a prison guard, he never imagined when he was growing up in public housing in Peabody, Mass. that he’d be a high school hall-of-famer invited to train with the U.S. Olympic ice hockey team, a graduate of Brown University, a candidate for State Representative on his 21st birthday, a coach for the Irish National Ice Hockey Team, and a top private wealth adviser. Nor did he envision himself at the age of 57 training for his first Ironman Triathlon. He credits his teachers, coaches, family and the Kennedys for how he got to where he is today.

“There are a lot of existing and pervasive issues in our country where symptoms of poverty and inequities in our education or our juvenile justice system create barriers for children to thrive that are being exacerbated by the pandemic,” says Geraghty. “I had coaches and teachers I looked up to. I read about the late John and Bobby Kennedy’s politics and was fortunate to work with Bobby’s grandson, Joe Kennedy, on his first campaign for Congressman. And, I’ve had the love and support of my family always. Every child deserves this.”

On May 11, Geraghty will be honored by the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps with the Embracing the Legacy award during the agency’s annual Embracing the Legacy celebration (virtual this year) for his work as a mentor and advocate for young people who hail from difficult circumstances.

As Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, Geraghty walks his talk. For the past seven years, he has served as a direct mentor for youth of DDAP (Detention Diversion Advocacy Program), the agency’s voluntary intervention alternative to court-ordered detention, providing young people with community-based support and supervision. And, for five years he co-chaired the agency’s annual Embracing the Legacy event, its largest fundraising event which supports year-round programming.

“Like the late Senator, I believe we have an obligation to help those who are less fortunate,” says Geraghty. “I like working with young people. I meet with them one-on-one. I introduce them to my contacts in fields of work they are interested in. I’ve seen the benefits of these relationships firsthand through the RFK Children’s Action Corps and my own children. We need to treat every child as if they are our own.”

Throughout the pandemic, board members like Geraghty have been instrumental in securing additional funding to support the agency’s year-round programs. The nonprofit’s social workers, teachers and direct care staff continue to work directly with young people, helping them to navigate the juvenile justice system, as well as address underlying mental health conditions and learning disabilities, conditions which often co-occur. In addition, the agency continues to work in a variety of jurisdictions, including Minneapolis and Milwaukee, providing consultation, technical assistance, training, and resources to improve outcomes for children of color.

“Right now, we are in the midst of creating a new mentoring program to sustain the progress youth make while in our Detention Diversion Advocacy Program. This program will be funded in part with money raised through Embracing the Legacy, allowing us to hire mentors to assist youth for a longer period of time to ensure they have the resources and support they need to successfully transition to adulthood,” says Geraghty. “Our programs have always mattered. However, the inequities felt by Black and Brown communities hit hardest by COVID-19, coupled with the recent rise in social injustice awareness, only reinforce the importance of our work: supporting youth of color and dismantling racist structures and systems.”

Geraghty has been recognized nationally for his work with Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps. He was named one of the national finalists for the 2017 Community Service Award by Invest in Others. In 2015, the Director of the FBI presented Geraghty with the Director’s Community Service Leadership Award. Geraghty also was one of 12 Boston business leaders named as a “Diversity Game Changer: White Men Who Can Jump.” He was recently featured in award-winning photojournalist Bill Brett’s new book “Boston Game Changers”.

For more than 30 years, Geraghty has served as a private wealth advisor exclusively for high net worth clients. He is currently a Managing Director for Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. He is a member of the Morgan Stanley Chairman’s Club and has been recognized as one of America’s Top Advisors by Barron’s (2008-2017) and Forbes inaugural list of America’s Top Wealth Advisors. Additionally, Geraghty was recognized as one of the Top 10 Advisors in Massachusetts by the Boston Business Journal (2008).

Outside of work, Geraghty has served as a board member and Chair of the Advisory Committee for the United Teen Equality Center and is a current board member for the Boston Police Athletic (PAL) and Philanthropic Trustee of Boston Medical Center. He is an active supporter of the American Ireland Fund, founder and current board member of the Massachusetts Children’s Hockey Foundation, and Finance Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gordon B. Seavey Distinguished Citizen Award for his years of service to Westford Public Schools. Throughout it all, Geraghty has been a steadfast supporter of Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps.

Founded in June 1969, Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps continues to serve and honor the late Senator’s belief that society has a responsibility to all of its members, and that lasting contributions are first made by improving the lives of children and their families. To date, the Massachusetts-based agency, a national leader in developing and implementing successful child welfare, social service and juvenile justice programs, has impacted tens of thousands of children and families.

ABOUT THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY CHILDREN’S ACTION CORPS’ EMBRACING THE LEGACY AWARD:

The Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps’ Embracing the Legacy Award celebrates the legacy of Robert F. Kennedy and the work of the organization founded to carry on his commitment to social justice and vulnerable people. Through its annual Embracing the Legacy celebration, the agency raises money to support some of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable youth and families. The agency, an affiliate of Doctor Franklin Perkins School, is in its 52nd year of service, provides care, treatment, and support to children in Massachusetts and support to thousands more across the country through training and technical assistance.

During the event, Former Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III, one of RFK Children’s Action Corps’ board members, will reflect on his late grandfather’s legacy and the lasting contributions he made toward protecting society’s most vulnerable children and families.

The event celebrates the critical work we have done during this challenging year and will honor Jim Geraghty, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management; Justin Pasquariello, Executive Director of East Boston Social Centers; Reverend Liz Walker, Pastor of Roxbury Presbyterian Church; and Marty Meehan, President of University of Massachusetts.

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