In early 2009, a few women in insurance decided to hold a golf outing to raise money for a Boston charity. We wanted to give back to the community, but we also wanted to form networking events for women working in the insurance industry. We formed Women in Insurance in New England, or W.I.N.E.
We researched charities, found Women's Lunch Place (WLP) in Boston, and decided the shelter would be the charity that we donate to for each event. WLP provides a safe, comfortable daytime shelter, nutritious food, and support services for women experiencing homelessness or poverty. They treat women with dignity and respect, and foster a community dedicated to meeting each woman’s unique needs.
We had our first Nine & W.I.N.E. golf outing in October 2009 with great success. Since then, we’ve had eleven spring Mother's Day card drive/networking receptions, two virtual events, and fourteen more Nine & W.I.N.E. golf outings (all sold out leading to the expansion to a 2nd golf course a few years ago!). In total, we have raised close to $500,000 for Women’s Lunch Place.
W.I.N.E. now has a committee of 17 women from the insurance industry and a distribution list of close to 800 women across New England! The group is made up of agents, brokers, primary insurance companies, wholesalers, reinsurers and risk managers.
We are excited to continue this journey and hope you will support our efforts to give back to the community and strengthen networking among our peers.