Our Annual Trivia Night is held each Spring to benefit the Incarnate Word Inclusion Program (IWIP). Incarnate Word established an inclusion program that welcomes students with mild, moderate, and more severe disabilities into the general education setting. This includes, but is not limited to, children with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. We operate under the umbrella that is One Classroom (501c3), and receive funding through their organization and state grants; our program is required to raise a minimum threshold yearly in order to retain funding. All money raised from the event go towards the cost of paraprofessional staffing as well as the on-going special education classes required for our classtoom teachers to have these kiddos in their classrooms. 

My daughter, Sammie, is 10 years old and in 4th Grade at the school. Her classmate, Anna Kowalski, is a beneficiary of this program (along with four other children). Through this program, Anna has the benefit of going to a school where her siblings and friends also go; her parents get to do drop off and pick-up at a single school; and, from my perspective – my daughter is more well-educated around the diverse way in which people can learn. She understands that people come in all types of abilities, and has a level of empathy and kindness any adult would admire.

Our event will host 30 Tables (or 300 Attendees), and ~30 Volunteers. At the event, we will have multiple ways to financially support the program - Silent Auction, Raffles, Fund the Need, Wine Pull, and more. We aim to raise between $20-$25k ($20k is our minimum threshold to retain our grant). We are grateful to have the support of those in our community and companies that believe in our vision for inclusion for all.