Tompkins Community Bank and the Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County have honored The Sophie Fund with the James J. Byrnes Award for Excellence recognizing “all of the great volunteer work and dedication The Sophie Fund gives to our community.”

The Sophie Fund was among nine recipients of 2024 James J. Byrnes awards presented during a “celebration of the unsung heroes of our community” at the bank’s Ithaca headquarters on May 20.

The awards are presented to honorees for making significant contributions toward the quality of life for others and for generously volunteering time and effort to activities helping others.

Other 2024 recipients were Darrell Harrington, founder of Be Kind Ithaca; Encore Players Community Theater; Love Living at Home Volunteers; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ithaca and Tompkins County; Enfield Pantry; Linda Glabach, of the Campus Club at Cornell; Carmen Guidi, of Second Wind Cottages; and William Maxwell, a Cornell professor emeritus.

The awards began in 1985 with a gift to the Legacy Foundation to honor outstanding contributions to the quality of life through religious, charitable, scientific, educational, artistic, literary, or civic achievement. The program has recognized more than 280 individuals or groups, with awards totaling more than $386,000.

“Tompkins is proud to support the amazing work volunteers are doing in our community through The James J. Byrnes Awards for Excellence,” said Johanna Anderson, president, Tompkins Community Bank’s Central New York market. “We are grateful to be continuing our partnership with the Legacy Foundation to showcase the incredible work being done in our community and to celebrate the efforts of individuals and groups who make it happen.”

Since 2014 the award has been named in honor of James J. Byrnes, a former board chair of Tompkins Financial Corporation and Tompkins Trust Company.

The Sophie Fund was nominated for a 2024 award by Maarten P. de Boer and Venetia M. Pimley.