Penn-Mar Human Services Celebrates 32nd Annual Gala With New Venue

February 6, 2024

Baltimore – On Saturday March 2, 2024, Penn-Mar Human Services, the region’s leading provider of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), will welcome friends, supporters, and benefactors to the 32^nd Annual Gala fundraiser.  The event will take place at 6 p.m. at a new location this year, the Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre in Owings Mills, Md.

Since it began in 1992, Penn-Mar’s Gala has stood out as the nonprofit’s most significant fundraising event, attended by more than 500 guests each year. The money is used to fund the group’s strategic programs and initiatives that advance and expand Penn-Mar’s services. 2023’s Gala was an especially generous year, reaching $1 million for the first time, including $530,000 from the event’s Special Appeal. The Gala’s funds are made up of event sponsorships, table and ticket sales, and the live and silent auctions.

In addition to being vital to Penn-Mar’s financial goals, the Gala is also an opportunity to celebrate the previous year’s success and the people who have helped shape the group’s ongoing mission to support men and women with IDD to always “Live Courageously”. In retrospect, 2023 was an exceptional year that had many highlights:

• Exceed the $7.5 million goal of the Building Bold Futures fundraising campaign
• Allocation of $3 million in increased wages for Penn-Mar’s Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), signaling further commitment to investing in Penn-Mar’s most vital workforce
• Continuation of the Belonging Initiative which began in 2022, and gives Penn-Mar’s internal team the opportunity to describe the realities and challenges of their work environment and identify ways to continually grow Penn-Mar’s culture to be even more dynamic

“The past year was one of the most significant periods in Penn-Mar’s long history and with the Gala, we get to celebrate and share that success,” says Penn-Mar CEO Greg Miller. “It’s our annual opportunity to formally show our gratitude for the generosity we have seen from old and new friends alike and celebrate everything Penn-Mar has been able to do because of their unwavering kindness and support.”

The Gala also shines a special spotlight on benefactors who have gone above and beyond in their support of Penn-Mar. This year’s Gala’s Distinguished Humanitarian Honorees are Kris and Joe Crosswhite. Kris Crosswhite started her own litigation boutique firm in 1997, Crosswhite, Limbrick & Sinclair, LLP, and retired in 2017. She has long been active in non-profit board work and has served on the Board of Penn-Mar Human Services for many years. Her husband, Joe, is a former M&T Bank executive and has served on dozens of regional boards including Better York, The York County Community Foundation, the United Way of York County, and WellSpan Health – to name just a few.

“Kris and Joe are the epitome of what makes Penn-Mar so successful,” adds Miler. “They give selflessly and generously and continue to look for ways to do more, help more, and give more. All in the name of helping the people we support to Live Courageously.”

Another highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Jonathan R. Kinsley Impact Award, named after the late Penn-Mar board member and long-time supporter Jon Kinsley. This year’s recipient is Timothy W. Chase, the chairman and co-founder of WMS Partners in Towson, Md. and the founder and CEO of SMGB Technologies, makers of the Scan My Golf Ball app. Tim is active in the local community, serving on the boards and investment committees of Penn-Mar Human Services, LifeBridge Health and Carroll Hospital Foundation. Tim and his wife Carol split their time between Maryland and Florida and have four children and six grandchildren.

“Tim has devoted himself to Penn-Mar’s mission and our organization is stronger because of his efforts,” says Miller. “The Impact Award is given to a volunteer who has made extraordinary contributions while promoting Penn-Mar’s mission and bringing exposure to the organization. And this exactly who Tim is and what he represents in our community.”

As in previous years, this year’s Gala will include many of the elements that have made it such a can’t-miss event such as a raw oyster bar, casino gaming tables, dancing, and live music from the band Onyx. One of the most popular parts of the evening is the live auction, which will be presided over by the nationally renowned Adcock Auctioneers and features fabulous jewelry, keepsakes, and getaways. Some of this year’s live auction items include:

• 23-Year-Old Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Myrtle Beach, SC vacation for 16ppl at Crystal Sands on Ocean Boulevard in Surf Side Beach
• (2) Tickets to see Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band 2024 Tour at Oriole Park, Camden Yards
• Lake Front Home on Tupper Lake, NY in the Adirondack Mountains, 9,000 square foot home, 7 bedrooms, 8 full baths
• Diamond Confetti Necklace and Earrings

The Gala’s March date coincides perfectly with National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, which was established in 1987 by President Reagan. The timing is fortunate, as the Gala’s funds sustain and expand Penn-Mar’s commitment to the regional IDD community.

For additional details regarding sponsorships or ticketing, please contact Jackie Summers at 443-491-9660 or at jsummers@penn-mar.org.

About Penn-Mar Human Services

Penn-Mar Human Services is a nonprofit that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to Live Courageously, whether that’s securing a job, being an active member of their community, building independence, or developing new relationships. Penn-Mar accomplishes this by supporting people on their own unique personal journeys. Founded in 1981, Penn-Mar operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. They support 400+ adults with disabilities daily through an array of customizable services. www.penn-mar.org.

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