Team Effort

At Learning Services of Northern California, staff and clients go the extra mile for BIAA

Since entering the neurorehabilitation field as an occupational therapist, Lindsay Blakeley has been an avid supporter of the Brain Injury Association of America. Now, as the Clinical Director of Learning Services of Northern California – part of Collage Rehabilitation – she has been able to bring together both her colleagues and their clients to support BIAA.

During Brain Injury Awareness Month, Lindsay led an “all hands on deck” team of supporters, including Learning Services of Northern California clients and staff, along with family, friends, doctors, and community members, to raise funds for BIAA’s mission.

“Our program is like a tight-knit family, and whenever there is fun to be had, we all show up. Our favorite events in the program are the ones that bring us all together, and this was the perfect time to come together for an important cause,” Lindsay said.

In particular, Learning Services of Northern California’s clients were excited to fundraise and advocate for others who have experienced brain injury and need support. “TBI is a lifelong battle, and it can be very difficult to navigate without support,” Lindsay noted.

The team set a goal to raise $1,500 during Brain Injury Awareness Month, with a plan to host a “Walk and Roll” event at the program’s track, where client participants could be sponsored by friends and family who would donate for each lap they completed. They also decided to host a car wash and bake sale, incorporating the functional task of car washing, as well as cognitive tasks like money management and changemaking, into client physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy regimens.

“Any time all of our clients have the opportunity to come together for a common goal, and you get to see them interact and work together, it’s a beautiful thing,” Lindsay said.

In addition to their fundraising events, staff members shared their efforts on social media sites with their friends and family. They were also able to tap into the resources of their national marketing team with Collage Rehabilitation to spread the word even further.

The result?

“We ended up skyrocketing past our original goal, for a grand total of $5,000!” Lindsay shared.

Lindsay said that fundraising for BIAA during Brain Injury Awareness Month was a great personal and professional experience. “Everyone at Learning Services in Gilroy, California, appreciates the effort, support, and advocacy that BIAA provides on their behalf. We are so thankful that there is an incredible advocating association speaking up for brain injury survivors.”

If you are interested in forming your own fundraising team for Brain Injury Awareness Month, let us know! Reach out to Stephanie Cohen at scohen@biausa.org, or visit the 2026 Brain Injury Awareness Month campaign page to get started!