The Women's Initiative Network (WIN) has successfully fundraised over $3.4 million for the patients and families at Kennedy Krieger. This incredible support has enabled the funding for specific programs, clinics and research projects that have had an immediate impact on the lives of those we serve.
To learn more about past fundraising events, member events, and the inspiring women who contribute to our mission, please see below.
Past Fundraisers and Events
Past Membership Events
Member Luncheon at Linwoods
Thursday, May 19, 2022, 12 p.m.
This year, our WIN members were seated with one or more of the Institute's female clinicians or senior leaders! WIN members had the opportunity to learn more about their respective programs or area of focus at the Institute. We thought this was a lovely way to integrate the most impressive females leaders at the Institute with some of our most generous female donors and supporters.
WIN Member Friendraiser
On a rainy April evening, our Membership Chair Laura Wille opened her beautiful home and welcomed over 40 WIN members and their guests to a lovely evening of great good and conversation! Guests who attended learned more about the Institute and the many ways to get involved with our Women's Initiative Network. While at that event, guests packaged over 200 toiletry bags and donated boxes of snacks for inpatient families at the Institute.
Girls' Night Out at Green Spring Station
Thursday, October 14, 2021
The courtyard at Green Spring Station was buzzing with excitement on Thursday, October 14, 2021 when the Women’s Initiative hosted a Girls’ Night Out. Members and friends socialized and shopped for a cause. Participating merchants contributed a percentage of the day’s proceeds to Kennedy Krieger Institute. In addition, shoppers made additional donations.
Funds raised will be used to purchase BUNDLES FOR BABIES AND CAREGIVERS. Each bundle costs $250 and includes a play mat, Boppy® Pillow, sound machine, crib mirror, diapers, toys and other items, along with a congratulatory balloon and welcome sign.
A display table with WIN information and a video was set up in the courtyard. Participants were given complimentary drink tickets to use at Tark’s Grill.
Special thanks to Laura Wille, Chair of Membership for being the evening’s host. Thanks also to Mikey Monaghan who coordinated the event with Green Spring Station.
Virtual Girls' Night Out
Thank you to those who joined us for our virtual Girls Night Out on June 11, 2020. While it was lovely to see your faces, we look forward to the time we can be together in person to enjoy another WIN event or Institute gathering.
It was a special treat to have Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute, give an update on the Institute and what changes have been made to accommodate our "new normal." While the Institute continues to thrive and is looking for opportunities in the face of adversity, Dr. Schlaggar discussed the immediate and critical needs of the Institute.
A Virtual Evening With a Kennedy Krieger Institute Expert
This event was held on Monday, April 27, 2020.
We heard from child and adolescent psychologist Dr. Roma Vasa, director of education and training at Kennedy Krieger and assistant professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
With mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder being of concern to our community, Dr. Vasa offered some wonderful insight. This event was for WIN members only.
Girls Night Out
More than fifty women came together at the home of Laura Wille, WIN membership chair, to celebrate the holidays and learn more about the Institute and WIN.
The money donated from the WIN Girls' Night will be used to purchase gift cards to gas stations and grocery stores for our inpatient families.
It can be financially difficult for inpatient caregivers to drive back and forth to see their child in the hospital while taking care of siblings at home and maintaining a job. By providing gift cards to gas stations, we can relieve some of the financial stress and added cost that is typically not accounted for during a hospital stay.
A majority of our families are from out of town and, as you can imagine, it can get very expensive purchasing three meals a day. The Social Work team provides grocery store gift cards to help offset the cost of meals. There is a refrigerator/microwave in our Parent Lounge, so parents can purchase groceries and prepare their own meals.
Recognizing Outstanding Contributions: Past Award Recipients
WIN's Annual Member Recognition Event: Canapes & Conversations, 5/31/23
WIN members and several of the Institute's remarkable senior leaders and clinicians gathered at The Corner Pantry for a breezy evening of canapes, conversations and well-deserved recognition of all the amazing acts of fundraising, volunteering and advocacy WIN accomplished in 2023!
Also, WIN member Dulany Dent was this year's recipient of the Lainy Lebow Sachs award. Since 2011, Dulany has been extremely generous with her time, talent, and resources, and is a selfless advocate for the Institute. Dulany served as the first president of WIN, has co-chaired multiple events, helped to spearhead new events, and hosted membership gatherings at her home. She has also volunteered tirelessly in the Institute's Child Life Department, at WIN-hosted dinners for families of children being treated on the inpatient unit, at Planting Hope, at Camp Soar, during holiday crafting events, and at the inpatient carnival in the earliest days of WIN's history. Most recently, she and her daughter were models at this year's Fall Fete, where she exuded grace and beauty on the runway.
Laura Wille Receives Mimi Baklor Volunteer of the Year Award
On Thursday, May 25th, hundreds of Kennedy Krieger's donors gathered at the Penguin Room at the Whitehall Market to celebrate and recognize their generosity and commitment to the Insitute. One of the esteemed awards that is given each year is the Mimi Baklor Volunteer of the Year Award which was established in 1986. This award is presented to a volunteer who best demonstrates and exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism on behalf of Kennedy Krieger. This year, this award was given to Laura Wille, who is a dedicated Women’s Initiative Network member, leader, and volunteer.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Laura earned a degree in social work and, before having her three children, was a case manager who worked with adults with brain injuries. Laura became a WIN member after hearing a patient's family’s story at a friend’s WIN gathering. She has been a volunteer for Kennedy Krieger for 10 years and has performed hundreds of volunteer hours on behalf of the patients and families the Institute serves, including chairing, co-chairing, and hosting WIN events. She’s been especially involved with the Institute’s Child Life and Therapeutic Recreational Department, where she works with our staff to support the therapy needs of our hospital patients. Laura says “I want to educate as many women as possible about WIN and the Institute, and how they can get involved!” Laura is truly one of a kind and her charisma and energy for life are contagious!
Congratulations to Laura and this year's honorees for their continued generosity, support, and advocacy to further the mission of the Institute!
WIN's Advocacy for Mental Health Awareness Month, May 2023
During Mental Health Awareness Month, two WIN members took action, alongside Dr. Carmen López-Arvizu, Medical Director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Program at Kennedy Krieger Institute, to advocate for the community to seek ways to support the development and implementation of crucial mental health resources.
Hats & Horses 2023 Co-Chair Kim Greeley joined Dr. López-Arvizu for the Baltimore-based WBAL-TV 11 segment Maryland Peace of Mind to share information about the postmaster's fellowship program being funded by WIN's annual event Hats & Horses.
WIN Co-President Cynthia Cavanaugh joined Dr. López-Arvizu and WJZ-CBS News Baltimore to emphasize the importance of taking action and utilizing mental health resources in the community.
Hats & Horses 2023
This elegant, Derby-themed event was held on Thursday, May 4 at The Assembly Room in Baltimore. Guests enjoyed expertly prepared cuisine and specialty cocktails, dancing and silent and live auctions.
Warm Holidays Hugs
Winter just got a good bit warmer for all 35 children participating in Kennedy Krieger's Southeast Early Head Start (SEEHS) program! SEEHS is is a comprehensive program that has been serving the southeast Baltimore community since 1995, offering an intensive set of core services to pregnant women and children up to age 3. Its mission is to provide an accepting, nurturing and caring environment for children and families whose income is below the poverty threshold through the building of respectful relationships and educational opportunities.
A special THANK YOU to WIN co-president Cynthia Cavanaugh for running point once more on this year's Warm Holiday Hugs effort! Within a matter of hours, Cynthia and several other WIN members and their caring contacts managed to completely furnish every last item on the wish list! Items included brand new coats and hats, toys, books, items for healthy dinners and more!
Barrels & Bonfires, held at the picturesque Farmacy Brewing, was the perfect way to enjoy a beautiful autumn evening and celebrate the generosity of our sponsors and guests with delicious food, beverages and music.
Through fundraising efforts from this event and Fall Fête, WIN successfully raised more than $34,200, allowing for support of the creation and implementation of a multimedia mental health campaign. The campaign will provide tools for teenagers that go beyond awareness and give tangible information on how to approach care and expectations about treatment.
Fall Fête 4 Featured in The Daily Record
The Fall Fête 4 was highlighted in The Daily Record. Fall Fête 4, which took place on Friday, September 23, 2022 at the Courtyard at Green Spring Station, raised more than $50,000 for Kennedy Krieger programs. The fashion extravaganza featured a runway show with on-trend fashion highlights from Green Spring Station retailers, delectable food and beverage stations by Green Spring Station Merchants, funky dance music and plenty of engaging elements to satisfy Baltimore’s most stylish clientele.
Hats & Horses 2022 Featured in The Daily Record
The success of Hats & Horses 2022 was the subject of an article in The Daily Record. The popular event was back in person for the first time since 2019, and raised money for Kennedy Krieger’s PediaCORE program.
Virtual Wine Walkabout Raises Funds for Fairmount School Campus Playground Improvements
Now in its eighth year, the Wine Walkabout is an annual don't-miss charitable event hosted by the Women's Initiative Network (WIN) for Kennedy Krieger Institute. On Friday, April 30, 2021, WIN offered a virtual wine tasting with food pairings to be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of home. WIN partnered with Linwoods and Peter Wood, managing partner at The French Paradox Wines, to provide award-winning wines from Argyle Winery and an array of culinary delights.
Hats & Horses 2020 Raises Funds for International Spinal Cord Injury Center Expansion
When planning for our 2020 Hats & Horses event began, we expected to welcome you in person, but a worldwide pandemic dictated that a new direction was needed. While we weren't able to physically be together, we were still able to unite virtually for a memorable evening.
Because of your incredible generosity, and a matching grant from the Charles T. Bauer Foundation, we raised more than $270,000 in support of the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger.
Thank you to our phenomenal event co-chairs and committee, WIN members, generous sponsors, and guests! It is thanks to you all that Hats & Horses was such a success, and that we were able to raise critical funds for Kennedy Krieger patients.
The Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) hosted its sixth annual Wine Walkabout on Thursday, November 21, at Caves Valley Golf Club. Thanks to the hard work of Co-chairs Alex Shek, Shari Tompkins and Emma Young, the event was a success. Generous sponsors and guests helped raise more than $40,000 for Kennedy Krieger Institute. Proceeds from this event will benefit benefit the much-needed expansion of the Institute’s International Center for Spinal Cord Injury (ICSCI) through the purchase of a new functional electrical stimulation bicycle for arms and legs.
An Evening With a Kennedy Krieger Institute Expert
Our inaugural speaker event was held on Thursday, October 10, at the lovely home of Aimee Fulchino. More than 25 WIN members gathered to learn from Dr. Stacy Suskauer, co-director of Kennedy Krieger Institute's Center for Brain Injury Recovery, director of the Institute's Brain Injury Research Center and one of the leading experts in concussion research. Dr. Suskauer discussed some of the findings from her work and how those findings advance patient care, both at Kennedy Krieger and around the world. A question and answer session with Dr. Suskauer followed.
The Fall Fête 3 Raises More than $14,600 for Kennedy Krieger!
During this fashion extravaganza, the Courtyard at Green Spring Station turned into a fabulous runway show featuring Institute patients and staff members in stylish outfits provided by Green Spring Station boutiques. Attendees dined on delectable food and beverages from local restaurants, and enjoyed live DJ music.
Gifts of Health, Fitness and Comfort
This past winter, Ted Bauer, owner of The Valley Inn and The Oregon Grille, was invited by Lisa Vogel, co-president of the Women’s Initiative Network (WIN), to tour Kennedy Krieger Institute and learn more about its services. Ted’s experience, like that of so many who visit Kennedy Krieger, was profound, and through his family’s foundation, he pledged to support the Institute in a meaningful way.
Hats & Horses Raises $430,000 for Kennedy Krieger Pool Renovation
On Friday, May 3, more than 275 people danced, laughed and cried at the fourth annual Derby-themed Hats & Horses fundraiser for Kennedy Krieger Institute.Decked out in festive Derby attire, Hats & Horses guests enjoyed dinner, a silent auction and an inspirational video about the children being helped at Kennedy Krieger, and then danced the night away.
When Lainy LeBow-Sachs came to Kennedy Krieger Institute in 1995, she was the first and only staff member dedicated to fundraising and outreach for the Institute. A Massachusetts native and former Philadelphia schoolteacher, she’d served for 16 years as special assistant to William Donald Schaefer— former Baltimore mayor, Maryland governor and state comptroller—and was looking for a new opportunity to do some good in the world.
When Aimee Fulchino and Lisa Vogel first joined Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Women’s Initiative Network (WIN), little did they know just how important it would become in their lives—or how much they’d soon contribute to the success of the organization, which promotes and facilitates volunteerism that assists Kennedy Krieger patients, students and their families.
Shelley Cortezi clearly remembers her mother-in-law, Lynn Cortezi, calling nearly four years ago, to say Ben, Shelley’s nephew, had a brain tumor.
“I’ll never forget how scared I was,” Shelley says.
Wine Walkabout Raises $43,000 for Kennedy Krieger
The Women’s Initiative Network for Kennedy Krieger Institute (WIN) hosted its sixth annual Wine Walkabout at Caves Valley Golf Club on Thursday, November 29. Thanks to the hard work of Co-Chairs Shari Tompkins and Emma Young, the event, which included a raffle and live auction, was a success: Generous sponsors and guests helped raise $43,000 for Kennedy Krieger.
WIN Sponsors Camp SOAR for Former Inpatients and Siblings
For the fourth year in a row, the Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) raised money for Camp SOAR (Sibling Outdoor Adventure Retreat), a three-day, two-night weekend retreat offered to former Kennedy Krieger Institute inpatients and their siblings, ages 8–16. This year’s camp wrapped up on Sunday, June 3, with a celebration luncheon and awards ceremony.
