FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 25, 2026

Contacts: Lisa Batitto, news@drugfreenj.org

Lawrence Cooper to Be Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at Angel of Hope Gala

LIVINGSTON, NJ — Longtime Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) trustee Lawrence Cooper will be honored with the Joseph (J.P.) Miele Lifetime Achievement Award at PDFNJ’s 32^nd annual Angel of Hope Gala on Wednesday, April 29 at the Liberty House in Jersey City. The event recognizes Cooper’s decades of leadership and dedication supporting efforts to prevent substance use and strengthen communities across New Jersey.

“Lawrence Cooper has been a pillar of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey since our earliest days,” said PDFNJ Board Chair Elaine Pozycki. “His unwavering commitment, thoughtful leadership, and decades of service have helped guide our mission to prevent substance use and protect families across the state. Honoring Larry with the Joseph Miele Lifetime Achievement Award is a fitting tribute to his lasting impact on our organization and the communities we serve.”

Cooper, a member of the PDFNJ Board of Trustees since its inception in 1992, was a partner in the law firm Miele, Cooper, Spinrad and Kronberg, specializing in litigation, real estate, transactions, wills, estate administration, and matrimonial law. A resident of Livingston, he served for 12 years as the Municipal Court Judge for the Township of Livingston and was elected president of the Essex County Municipal Courts Judges Association.

“It’s gratifying to be able to reflect back to the time when J.P. Miele decided to create the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey to combat opioid and other drug use in New Jersey,” Cooper said. “During these past 30 years, through his efforts and the efforts of the wonderful people working at the PDFNJ, this organization has become the leading voice in saving lives from opioid and other drug use in our state.”

During the evening, Atlantic Health will receive the Angel of Hope Award in recognition of its leadership to educate and safeguard New Jersey residents from the opioid crisis through dedicated community support and public health initiatives. Atlantic Health continues to be a leader in educating patients and clinicians on prescribing safe, non-opioid alternatives.

Elaine and Steve Pozycki, both members of the PDFNJ Board of Trustees, will serve as gala chairs.

More information about the event and sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.drugfreenj.org/gala or by calling 973-275-7985.

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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication.  To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 232 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.