Each year, the Invest in Others Awards bring forward remarkable stories of financial advisors whose commitment to serving others extends far beyond their professional lives.
For the judges tasked with reviewing those stories, the experience offers a unique window into the deeply personal motivations behind advisors’ charitable work, and the extraordinary impact that work can have on communities.
Marianne Rivera (pictured left in the photo with longtime Invest in Others supporter and industry executive Kate Healy and Board member Brian Hamburger) served as a judge for the 2026 Invest in Others Awards, helping to evaluate this year’s nominees before joining the Invest in Others community in Boston for the 20th Anniversary Awards Gala on September 17.
What stood out to her most was not simply the scale of the advisors’ impact, but the personal challenges many have overcome while continuing to show up for others.
“What strikes me most is how advisors keep making a difference even while facing their own challenges, from illness to the loss of a loved one to cancer or rare diseases,” Marianne said. “Seeing these advisors’ work touch so many families gives me real hope, and their stories inspire me to keep giving back.”
Stories That Stay With You
Those stories took on even greater meaning when Marianne saw the advisors and nonprofits celebrated in person at the 20th Anniversary Gala.
For Marianne, one moment in particular captured the perseverance behind so much of the charitable work Invest in Others seeks to recognize.
Amy Weinberger, of Green Earth Financial Professionals and Osaic, was named the 2026 Volunteer of the Year Award recipient for her work with Soft Bones, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by hypophosphatasia, a rare metabolic bone disease.
When Amy took the stage, she reflected on having been recognized as an Invest in Others finalist multiple times before receiving the top honor this year.
“All advisors’ stories are impactful, and there’s never a dry eye in the room,” Marianne said. “However, when Amy Weinberger went on stage, she mentioned she has been an Invest in Others finalist for multiple years. She shows persistence, resilience and commitment, all great qualities we should all strive to cultivate in ourselves.”
That persistence reflects something larger about the advisors recognized through the Invest in Others Awards. Their charitable involvement is not defined by a single moment, grant or recognition. For many, it represents years, or even decades, of sustained commitment to causes that have become deeply personal to them.
Shining a Light on the Cause
That is also why sharing these stories matters. The advisors recognized by Invest in Others are not pursuing charitable work for recognition. But by amplifying their efforts, Invest in Others can bring greater visibility to the nonprofits they serve while inspiring others throughout the financial services community to consider how they, too, can make a difference.
“It’s important to recognize these advisors because they’re not doing this for the spotlight,” Marianne said. “They’re driven by real passion for their charities. Recognition puts a light on them and their causes. It’s infectious and it inspires others to do more.”
That idea sits at the heart of the Invest in Others mission: to amplify, celebrate and inspire the charitable work of financial advisors.
For 20 years, the Invest in Others Awards have provided a platform for advisors to tell the stories of the causes that matter to them, helping those organizations reach new audiences and demonstrating what is possible when financial professionals bring their time, talents and resources to the communities around them.
And as Marianne’s experience as a judge illustrates, those stories have an impact well beyond the individuals being honored. They can move people, create connections and inspire others to find their own ways to give back.
That ripple effect is precisely why these stories deserve to be told.
