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February 21, 2021 / 2021 Power 50

2021 Power 50: 34. Sam Gray Jr. & Jason Jakubowski

HBJ File Photo Former Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford President and CEO Sam Gray Jr.

Nonprofits have been hard hit by the pandemic, but they’ve also been first responders in addressing the needs of those who have lost jobs as a result of COVID-19.

Sam Gray

Two of the region’s top nonprofit executives are Foodshare CEO Jason Jakubowski and Sam Gray Jr., CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford.

Jakubowski has responded to a huge increase in food insecurity amid the pandemic. In fact, in the early stages of the pandemic demand for food in Foodshare’s service area increased overnight by 35%, even as donations and volunteers dropped off dramatically and staff members struggled to adapt to new working conditions.

Foodshare’s drive-through food pantry at Rentschler Field in East Hartford proved to be a lifesaver, serving tens of thousands of families and delivering millions of pounds of food.

Now he’s leading a merger between Foodshare and Wallingford-based Connecticut Food Bank. The nonprofits completed their combination earlier this year and will soon unveil a new name for the combined organization, which has an annual budget of about $110 million and 115 employees.

Jason Jakubowski

Gray is a dynamic CEO who has helped Boys & Girls Clubs launch virtual operations amid the pandemic.

Last June, Gray led the groundbreaking on a $21 million new club facility in Hartford’s south end, which is expected to debut later this year.

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