New Jersey senator backs Modern Widows Club awards dinner

New Jersey State Sen. Gordon Johnson is recognizing Modern Widows Club ahead of its Oct. 20 Legacy & Leadership Awards Dinner in Jersey City. The event will honor Angelica Berrie and Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor and spotlight ongoing efforts around widow support and grief education.

Why it matters: - The recognition underscores growing public attention to widow care, grief education and the financial and emotional burdens widows face. - Johnson’s support also ties the event to New Jersey’s first-in-the-nation recognition of International Widows' Day, which could help other states follow suit.

What happened: - New Jersey State Sen. Gordon M. Johnson sent a letter of recognition to Modern Widows Club ahead of its 2026 Legacy & Leadership Awards Event. - The dinner is set for Oct. 20, 2026, at Liberty House in Jersey City. - Modern Widows Club will honor Angelica Berrie, president of The Russell Berrie Foundation, with the 2026 Leadership Award. - The organization will also honor Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor, author of The Grieving Brain and The Grieving Body, with the 2026 Legacy Award.

The details: - Johnson sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 30 with Assemblywoman Shama Haider to make New Jersey the first state to officially recognize International Widows' Day. - In his letter, Johnson said widows face “immense emotional, financial, and familial burdens” that are often overlooked. - Johnson praised Modern Widows Club for giving “tens of thousands of members” tools to ease those burdens and help widows reach their potential. - Johnson also backed grief education and counseling in schools and said New Jersey is leading that effort. - Modern Widows Club founder and Executive Director Carolyn Moor said Johnson has been a champion for widows and that his support matters as the organization honors Berrie and O'Connor. - The event will also include past Legacy and Leadership Awards honorees from 2022 and 2025. - Modern Widows Club said tickets, table sponsorships and event details are available at event information. - The organization also said New York Life Foundation and Russell Berrie Foundation are helping sponsor the evening.

Between the lines: - Johnson’s public support gives the event political credibility and keeps widow advocacy connected to policy, not just philanthropy. - The mix of a philanthropist and a grief researcher as honorees reflects the movement’s dual focus on practical support and broader cultural understanding. - The return of past honorees suggests Modern Widows Club is trying to frame the dinner as a movement-building moment, not a one-night fundraiser.

What's next: - Modern Widows Club will hold the Legacy & Leadership Awards Dinner on Oct. 20 in Jersey City. - The organization is inviting the public to attend, sponsor tables and support the widow care movement. - Continued attention to International Widows' Day recognition could shape future state-level advocacy.

The bottom line: - Johnson’s endorsement elevates Modern Widows Club’s mission and links widow support to a broader push for policy, education and public awareness.