New Canaan Community Foundation announced the exceptional honorees for the 2026 Volunteer Recognition Awards in a celebration at Town Hall on March 4, 2026. These hometown heroes have dedicated their time and energy to making our community a better place.
2026 New Canaan Volunteer Recognition Awards Honorees include:
Youth Rookie of the Year – Will Taylor, Open Doors
Board Leadership MVP – Tom Reynolds, New Canaan Land Trust
Hands-On Hall of Fame – Terri Leopold, Person to Person
Hands-On MVP – Susan Freedgood, New Canaan Museum & Historical Society
Community Initiative – Scott Hobbs, New Canaan Housing Authority
Hands-On MVP – Michael Canoro, New Canaan Library
Hands-On Hall of Fame – Martha Porretta, Waveny LifeCare Network
Hands-On Rookie of the Year – Marshall Pask, Staying Put in New Canaan
Youth MVP – Jordan Alexander, Building One Community
Outstanding Group – Jill Robey, Flower Again Connecticut
Outstanding Youth Group – Dante Marsili & Graysen Handler, Feeding 500 New Canaan
Youth Rookie of the Year – Cassie Arevalo, Waveny Lifecare Network
New Canaan Community Foundation’s “Small Business, Big Impact” – Sean Brennan, C & H Automotive
New Canaan Community Foundation’s “Impact” – Ali Luddy
This special event and program was organized by the Volunteer Recognition Awards Committee, led by Chair Marley Thackeray, with committee members Robin Bates-Mason, Bob Doran, Jane Fox, Tracey Karl, Tucker Murphy, Maia Sapanski, Chris Schipper, and Valerie Stryker.
The program was supported by sponsors New Canaanite, New Canaan Rotary, Club Sandwich, Curry Mango, Swirl and Zumbach’s.
