One Person Can Make A Difference

 Lauren Breen

University at Buffalo 

The recipient of the 2007 One Person Can Make A Difference Award is Lauren Breen, Director of the University at Buffalo Law School Community Economic Development Clinic. She is being honored for her leadership of the Economic Self Sufficiency Coalition of Western New York.

Under her leadership, the Coalition has grown to more than 60 agencies and organizations dedicated to promoting economic self sufficiency for all families in Erie County. The Coalition's most visible initiative, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, helped 9,108 people access $12 million in income tax refunds and credits in tax year 2005, and that figure is expected to rise significantly for tax year 2006.

Volunteer of the Year

Kevin Murphy

Bank of America

Kevin Murphy, Market Executive for Bank of America, is the 2007 United Way of Buffalo & Erie County Volunteer of the Year for his efforts to bring 2-1-1 Western New York, an innovative telephone and internet based health and human service information and referral service, to Erie County.

Under his leadership, the 2-1-1 Western New York Advisory Committee has developed a clear vision, and representatives from five counties have come to - and stayed at - the table. His efforts to address issues and build consensus have been remarkable, and he has been instrumental in moving the process forward to where it is today-2-1-1 Western New York is expected to be operational in Erie County and 4 other Western New York counties by the end of 2007.

George L. Wessel

Labor Volunteer of the Year

Tom Burke

Carpenters Local 289 

Thomas Burke, President and Business Representative for Buffalo/Niagara Carpenters Local 289, is the recipient of the 2007 George L. Wessel Labor Volunteer of the Year Award for his volunteer efforts on the annual United Way Day of Caring and year-round.

Each year, he reaches out to his brothers and sisters in the Carpenters Union to make a difference for agencies across our community through Day of Caring, offering skilled volunteer assistance in completing needed projects. He routinely engages his colleagues in volunteer work for agencies year- round. Under his leadership over the years, dozens of projects have been completed for numerous agencies.