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Fellows » Distinguished Fellows Award

LGC established the Distinguished Fellow Award to honor a Fellow who has made a significant leadership contribution to the community. For the first four years, the Chicago Community Trust provided a $25,000 award that the Distinguished Fellow could designate to the organization of his or her choice. Today, the Distinguished Fellow has the opportunity to name an organization of his/her choice as LGC’s Annual Holiday Party Beneficiary. Donations made at this annual event typically range from $4,000 to $7,000. LGC alumni are eligible to nominate their peers for the award, which is awarded at the annual dinner.

Marca Bristo, 2003

Nationally recognized disability rights advocate Marca Bristo, 1992 Fellow, became the fourth Distinguished Fellow. Bristo says that she "literally dove into leadership" 25 years ago when she broke her neck in a diving accident. Since then, she has worked with local, national and international leaders to change the lives of people with disabilities. In 1980, Bristo co-founded Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, which has served more than 30,000 people with disabilities, 80 percent of whom are on fixed incomes. In addition to housing, Access Living addressed the full array of issues affecting people with disabilities, including transportation, education and employment issues.

In 1994, Bristo was the first person with a disability to be appointed by the President to chair the National Council on Disability. She helped found the Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing and the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities. She has been a member of official U.S. delegations to the United Nations.