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Spring has been nothing short of extraordinary for DLE member Luke Fitzgerald. The founder of the Love of T Foundation, who was recently featured in a DLE HUB Member Spotlight, Luke has been selected to share his expertise on a newly formed Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Advisory Committee for the city of Pittsfield (MA).
Luke’s appointment was announced earlier this month by Pittsfield Mayor Pete Marchetti. He joins 29 other professionals with leadership experience in mental health, substance use recovery, homelessness, family services and emergency services.
Mayor Pete, who has strong ties to the DLE, heard many members’ concerns about the impact of mental health issues on Pittsfield’s civic and business vibrancy during the 2023 debut DLE Listening Session. The topic was high profile in the mayor’s inaugural address on Jan. 2, 2024, when he pledged to create a task force to address the problem within his first 90 days of taking office.
“Luke is a dedicated member of the community, who has proven through his founding of Love of T that he is committed to finding solutions,” affirms Mayor Pete.
“Being appointed to this committee makes me the third generation of my family to serve Pittsfield, which is pretty cool. My work here is just getting started. I look forward to working with the amazing and dedicated folks who have also been selected,” says Luke.
Luke’s foundation, the Love of T, made news at the March 28 40 Under Forty Berkshire Awards for receiving $4,000 in donations from this year’s winners. Gifts of $1,000 were presented to each 40 Under Forty Berkshire winner, who in turn selected a local non-profit organization to receive the money. Four of this year’s winners chose the Love of T.
“It is amazing to sit back and watch the community’s response to the growth of Love of T. It’s hard to put into words. The 40 Under Forty winners were so generous with their donations. The support from the Berkshire community has been amazing and is growing every day,” beams Luke.
Luke has been busy planning a fundraiser for the Love of T, which promises lots of fun and laughs. On May 11, in collaboration with Dottie’s Coffee Lounge and Dorothy’s Restaurant in downtown Pittsfield, Love of T will host the first-ever “May-nia” event–a comedy show to destigmatize mental illness.
The event will open with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a comedy show with headliner John F. O’Donnell from New York City performing his one man show, I’M ON LITHIUM: A Comedic Journey About Bipolar Disorder. A social featuring Ayelada frozen yogurt will wrap up the night.
“John’s approach to comedy aligns directly with a core value of Love of T–namely, talking about mental illness and destigmatizing it. We know that people die and suffer when they are forced to be quiet,” shares Luke. For more information about the event, click here.
