Presented by Allianz Life Insurance of North America, Atomic Data, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, and Horton, the 2021 Lifeworks Virtual Annual Celebration was different from all other past events because it was entirely online. This new format allowed us to expand our audience geographically – as supporters across the country could tune in from their homes to hear stories from the people we serve and to learn more about Lifeworks impact.
Traditionally, the celebration is our largest fundraiser – and this year, the goal was to raise $350,000 for services that honor choice and encourage a sense of belonging for all by focusing on one person and their ambitions through every phase of life. Reaching our goal would mean that we could provide 60,000 more hours of personalized services in 2021 – supporting 100 additional people with disabilities across Minnesota.
With more than 400 households attending, we are excited to share that we not only reached this goal – but exceeded it by over $20,000. In total, this year’s celebration raised over $370,000! Our free-to-attend, 45-minute broadcast was co-hosted by Lifeworks President and CEO, Jeffrey Brown, and Regional Manager for Employment and Day Support Services at Lifeworks – as well as the leader of our policy and advocacy efforts – Raquel Sidie-Wagner.
The celebration highlighted how critical it is that the people we serve decide and drive how they are supported. It included stories from the people we serve, videos to learn more about Lifeworks, giving opportunity, and an exciting auction with one-of-a-kind experiences and original artwork.
Lifeworks is grateful for our supporters and their commitment to Lifeworks mission and the people we serve. Thank you to everyone who donated.
We are especially grateful to:
- John Abbott, Chair of Lifeworks Board of Directors, and his wife, Michele, for kicking off our fund-a-need with a matching gift at the $25,000 level.
- All of our community sponsors invested in disability inclusion.
- Atomic Data and its CEO, Jim Wolford, who along with being a presenting sponsor, donated three auction items that raised $13,500.
- Peace Coffee and Innovative Office Solutions who also donated auction items.
- Our Production experts: The Show Syndicate, Vern Hanson from Custom Visual Services, and CaptionMax.
- Principal Partner and Auctioneer, Glen Fladeboe, and his team at Fladeboe Advancement for their guidance, talents, and 15 years of enthusiastic support of Lifeworks.
Along with sharing Lifeworks work, we expressed our appreciation for John Orner, Chris La
rsen, and Marty Kiener who stepped down from the Lifeworks Board of Directors. In total, they have served on our board for 44 years – sharing with us their knowledge and helping us grow and successfully navigate change.
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2021 Lifeworks Annual Celebration. We’ll see you next April!
Missed the broadcast or want to relive the event? You can hear stories from the people we serve and the impact of our work by watching our celebration video.