Modern Widows Club names grief researcher and philanthropist for 2026 awards dinner

Modern Widows Club will honor neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor and philanthropist Angelica Berrie at its 7th annual Legacy & Leadership Awards Dinner on Oct. 20 in Jersey City, New Jersey. The fundraiser supports programs for widowed women and highlights how grief, recovery and leadership intersect.

Why it matters: - Modern Widows Club's annual awards event raises money for programs that support widowed women through grief, recovery and leadership. - The dinner also spotlights two leaders whose work has shaped how loss and resilience are understood in public life. - Proceeds will support the organization's Hope, Heal, Grow, and Lead® Healthy Widowhood Pathway programs.

What happened: - Modern Widows Club will host its 2026 Legacy & Leadership Awards Dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Liberty House in Jersey City, New Jersey. - The nonprofit will honor Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor, an author, neuroscientist and grief researcher, and Angelica Berrie, a New Jersey philanthropist and business leader. - The event is the 7th annual edition and will bring together community leaders, donors and members from around the country.

The details: - O'Connor's research on the neuroscience and psychology of grief has helped frame grief as a learning process rather than a linear set of stages. - Her books, The Grieving Brain and The Grieving Body, are New York Times best sellers and have expanded public discussion of bereavement care. - Berrie has spent decades in business leadership and philanthropy with the New Jersey-based Russell Berrie Foundation and Russ Berrie & Company. - Berrie's philanthropic focus has included diabetes care, interfaith bridge-building, entrepreneurial leadership and social investment philanthropy. - Berrie is co-author of A Passion for Giving: Tools and Inspiration for Creating a Charitable Foundation. - Berrie said, "Widowhood is a Master Class in Leadership." - Both honorees were selected for their sustained impact on how loss, healing, personal growth and resilience are understood and supported. - Carolyn Moor, founder and executive director of Modern Widows Club, said empowering widowed women remains one of the most overlooked populations in philanthropy. - Moor founded Modern Widows Club in 2011 after being widowed herself. - Moor built the organization from a small local support circle in her home into a global movement serving widowed women. - Sponsorships range from table packages to title co-sponsorship, and individual and group tickets are available. - Sponsorship and ticket information is available here. - New York Life Foundation is a key event sponsorship and investment philanthropic partner. - More information is available at Modern Widows Club and New York Life Foundation.

Between the lines: - The awards dinner blends recognition with fundraising, using the honorees' profiles to draw attention to widow support as a broader social issue. - The event framing suggests Modern Widows Club wants to move widowhood from a private crisis to a public leadership and advocacy conversation. - The organization's emphasis on stage-based support reflects a structured approach that goes beyond short-term assistance.

What's next: - Modern Widows Club will hold the dinner on Oct. 20 and use the event to raise additional support for its programs. - Ticket sales, sponsorships and co-sponsorships remain open ahead of the event. - The nonprofit is likely to continue expanding its national network through community, advocacy and programming.

The bottom line: - Modern Widows Club is using its 2026 awards dinner to honor two prominent women while funding services for widowed women who often receive too little philanthropic attention.