Each year at the JDRF Hope Gala, the Living & Giving Award is presented to individuals or organizations who have demonstrated exceptional support and dedication to JDRF. The 2017 Honorees, Jennifer and Sean Jeffries, were selected for their extraordinary commitment to the JDRF mission and to the well-being and enrichment of the Bay Area community.

Jennifer and Sean have been involved with JDRF for nearly twenty years. They were introduced to JDRF by their friends, the Bloom Family, co-founders of the Greater Bay Area Chapter. Although they do not have type 1 diabetes (T1D) in their family, they immediately began to engage with and serve as leaders in the JDRF community. They continue to inspire many of those living with T1D and, through their leadership, are helping to support life-changing advancements in T1D research.

“The Jeffries are generous with their love and support, both in time and in heart, of those people and causes that touch their lives. This is never done with an expectation of anything in return. They are humble and loving in their actions,” says Ana Dierkhising, 2017 Hope Gala Co-Chair.

Jennifer started her volunteer work with JDRF as an office volunteer, completing monthly reconciliations for the chapter. From there, she went to serve on many Hope Gala committees, chairing several over the years. Additionally, she served as a Board Member for the Greater Bay Area Chapter. Her volunteer work in the Bay Area has also included serving on the Junior Committee of the San Francisco Symphony, and as a Board Member of Project Glimmer, a non-profit inspiring at-risk teenage girls and women.

Sean has spent the last eighteen years working as West Coast Partner of Millennium Partners, the nationally recognized developer of mixed-use properties. He has served as President of the local downtown neighborhood not-for-profit organization, Yerba Buena Alliance, since 2004. He is also currently serving as Co-Chair of the Fundraising Committee for the Mexican Museum in San Francisco, slated for construction in the Yerba Buena Arts District.

Jennifer and Sean live in San Francisco with their three daughters, Ella, Meghan and Brynn. JDRF is pleased to present this year’s Living & Giving Award to Jennifer and Sean Jeffries.

Click here to learn more about the JDRF Hope Gala.