American Mothers Incorporated, a nonprofit honoring inspirational mothers, has recognized Lynn Gierie as the 2021 Maine Mother of the Year.
Lynn and Bob Gierie founded the Robbie Foundation on behalf of their son Robbie, who has cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills. Soon after Robbie’s birth, the couple began advocating for their son to improve his quality of life. While on this mission, they discovered families with children with developmental disabilities struggling to pay for items their kids desperately needed, such as therapies, technologies and adaptive equipment. Many items are not funded by the state or covered by insurance. Robbie Foundation was established to help bridge this gap.
Lynn, a full-time teacher, oversees the organization with help from a team of volunteers and board members. To date, nearly $400,000 worth of equipment and services have been distributed.