The Green Bay Packers Foundation on Tuesday awarded $800,000 to 316 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin in its annual distribution of grants. Terry Fulwiler, chairperson of the Foundation, made the announcement. Overall, including a recent $250,000 impact grant awarded to the Jackie Nitschke Center and a $250,000 impact grant to the St. Norbert College, $1.3 million was awarded through Foundation grants this year.
The total donation amount surpassed the Foundation's donation record, and the number of recipient organizations is also a record for the Foundation.
The groups were guests at a luncheon in the Lambeau Field Atrium, an event that welcomed all the recipients and honored the outstanding efforts and services performed by each of the organizations.
The Foundation now has distributed more than $7.2 million for charitable purposes since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of the Packers Corporation, "as a vehicle to assure continued contributions to charity."
Of the Foundation's contributions Tuesday, 63 grants – aggregating $172,100 – were awarded to Brown County organizations. Additional grants, totaling $627,900, were made to 253 other groups around the state.
Additionally, under the Packers Scholarship Program established in 2002, $53,000 was awarded – $26,500 to Scholarships Inc., for distribution to students in four-year colleges, and $26,500 to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) for distribution to students in two-year associate degree or apprenticeship trades programs. A portion of the scholarship funds come from National Football League Properties which, at the Packers' request, returns to the Foundation royalty fees paid for using the Packers logo on Wisconsin automobile license plates. Because the royalties do not fully cover the scholarships, the Green Bay Packers fund the remainder of the amount, a figure which totals $201,000 since 2006.
In the past year, the Packers Foundation also has distributed $20,000 in Green Bay Packers Give Back Awards to civic leaders for their contributions to the community; $13,500 in the NFL's "Coach of the Week" program, which honors successful Wisconsin high school coaches on a weekly basis throughout the season; $10,000 Youth Football Grant focusing on a football safety clinic for moms; $200,000 Club Matching Youth Football Field/Stadium Grant to Green Bay East High School; $20,000 through the "Hometown Huddle/Youth Fitness Zone" program and $5,000 for the NFL Breast Cancer Awareness Team Program Grant.
"We're honored to congratulate a record number of recipient organizations this year, and we thank them for the outstanding work they do in our communities," Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said at the event. "As a community-owned team, we are inspired by the efforts of these organizations and the positive impact they have on those that they serve."
The Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustees, in addition to Fulwiler, include D.J. Long Jr., Tom Cardella, Valerie Daniels-Carter, Ricardo Diaz, Jerry Ganoni, Larry McCarren, Mark McMullen, Tom Olson and Hon. John Zakowski. Bobbi Jo Eisenreich is the secretary of the Foundation.
The Green Bay Packers Foundation is part of Green Bay Packers Give Back, the Packers' all-encompassing community outreach initiative that comprises appearances made by players, alumni, coaches and staff, youth football outreach camps, cash and in-kind donations, Make-A-Wish visits and community events.
Brown County Recipients:
- Altrusa International Foundation Inc. of Green Bay
- Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders Association
- American Legion - Sullivan Wallen Post 11
- ASPIRO, Inc.
- Bay Area Humane Society, Inc.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin
- Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay Inc.
- Breast Cancer Family Foundation Inc.
- Brown County Jail Ministry
- Brown County Library
- Camp Lloyd
- Casa Alba Melanie Hispanic Community Resource Center of Green Bay
- CASA of Brown County Incorporated
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay Inc.
- Center For Independent Documentary Inc
- Children's Museum of Green Bay
- Christian Counseling Ministries, Inc.
- De Pere Christian Outreach Inc
- Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin, Inc.
- East High School
- Einstein Project
- Encompass Early Education and Care, Inc.
- Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin Inc.
- Film Green Bay
- Freedom House Ministries, Inc.
- Friends of Neshota Park
- Golden House Inc.
- Green Bay Action Sports Organization
- Green Bay Area Public School District
- Hand-N-Hand of Northeastern Wisconsin, Inc.
- Integrated Community Services Inc.
- Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc.
- Learning Through Golf Foundation Inc.
- Literacy Green Bay Inc.
- Living Loud Inc
- Lutheran Counseling & Family Services of Wisconsin Inc.
- Mediation Center of Greater Green Bay
- Music For The Sake Of Music, Inc
- My Brother's Keeper, Inc.
- National Railroad Museum
- National Society To Prevent Blindness
- NeighborWorks Green Bay
- New Leaf Foods, Inc.
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Educational Foundation
- Northeastern Wisconsin Master Gardeners Association Incorporated
- Notre Dame de la Baie Academy
- Ovarian Cancer Community Outreach, Inc.
- Pilgrim Lutheran Church & School
- Reading Connections
- Resurrection Lutheran Church
- Scholarships, Inc.
- Service League of Green Bay, Inc.
- St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center of Green Bay Inc. - Hospital Sisters
- St. Vincent de Paul Society District Council of Green Bay
- The Farmory
- The Salvation Army of Brown County
- Trout Unlimited Inc.
- Unity Limited Partnership
- University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Phuture Phoenix
- Volunteer Center Inc.
- Weidner Center Presents, Inc.
- Wisconsin CASA Association
- YWCA of Green Bay - De Pere
Statewide Recipients:
- Northwoods Women, Inc. (Ashland)
- The BRICK Ministries (Ashland)
- Friends Of The Turtle Lake Public Library Inc. (Barron)
- The Salvation Army - Faith House Shelter (Burnett)
- Hilbert Fire Department (Calumet)
- River Of Hope Inc. (Calumet)
- Aaron J. Meyer Foundation, Inc. (Dane)
- Autism Society Of South Central Wisconsin (Dane)
- Badger Childhood Cancer Network (Dane)
- Boys And Girls Club Of Dane County Inc. (Dane)
- Breast Cancer Recovery (Dane)
- Briarpatch Youth Services Inc. (Dane)
- Children's Theater of Madison (Dane)
- Common Wealth Development Inc. (Dane)
- Dance Wisconsin (Dane)
- East Side Alano Club Of Madison Inc. (Dane)
- Forward Learning Youth And Young Adults Inc. (Dane)
- Friends Of Norwegian Culture Inc. (Dane)
- Gigis Playhouse Inc. (Dane)
- Madison Area Technical College Foundation (Dane)
- Madison Symphony Orchestra Inc. (Dane)
- Madison Youth Choirs Inc. (Dane)
- Neighborhood House Community Center Inc.
- OccuPaws Guide Dog Association (Dane)
- Overture Center Foundation Inc. (Dane)
- Sunshine Place Inc. (Dane)
- The Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development (Dane)
- The River Food Pantry (Dane)
- Vera Court Neighborhood Center (Dane)
- VSA Wisconsin Inc. (Dane)
- Warner Park Cardinals Youth Football Program Inc. (Dane)
- Wisconsin Literacy (Dane)
- Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra (Dane)
- YMCA of Dane County, Inc. (Dane)
- Church Health Services, Inc. (Dodge)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dodge County & Watertown Community Inc. (Dodge/Jefferson)
- Altrusa International Foundation Inc. (Door)
- Door County Community Foundation, Inc. (Door)
- Door County Humane Society (Door)
- Door County Memorial Hospital Foundation Inc. (Door)
- Door County YMCA Inc. (Door)
- Neighbor-to-Neighbor Volunteer Caregivers of Door County, Inc. (Door)
- St. John Bosco Catholic School (Door)
- Sunshine House Inc. (Door)
- Washington Island Community Health Program Inc. (Door)
- Duluth Area Family YMCA (Douglas)
- Chippewa Valley Free Clinic (Eau Claire)
- Literacy Chippewa Valley (Eau Claire)
- The Community Table (Eau Claire)
- Badgerland Youth for Christ (Fond du Lac)
- Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac Inc. (Fond du Lac)
- Fond du Lac Adult Literacy Services (Fond du Lac)
- Fondy Food Pantry Inc. (Fond du Lac)
- Habitat for Humanity of Fond du Lac County, Inc. (Fond du Lac)
- Marian University Inc. (Fond du Lac)
- SHARDS Inc. (Fond du Lac)
- Millennium Economic Development Corporation Inc. (Forest)
- Wisconsin Badger Camp Inc. (Grant)
- Family Promise of Green County (Green)
- Care 4 U Inc. (Green Lake)
- Community Options Inc. (Green Lake)
- Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program Inc. (Iowa)
- Community Sharing Pantry Inc. (Juneau)
- Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha (Kenosha)
- Hope Council On Alcohol And Other Drug Abuse Inc. (Kenosha)
- Kenosha Achievement Center, Inc. (Kenosha)
- Kenosha YMCA (Kenosha)
- Shalom Center of Interfaith Network of Kenosha County (Kenosha)
- Sharing Center, Inc. (Kenosha)
- Women and Children's Horizons, Inc. (Kenosha)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region (La Crosse)
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse Inc. (La Crosse)
- Everybody Can Dance Inc. (La Crosse)
- Riverfront Activity Center Incorporated (La Crosse)
- Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association (La Crosse)
- The Salvation Army (Lincoln)
- Hope House of Manitowoc County (Manitowoc)
- Lakeshore CAP, Inc. of Wisconsin (Manitowoc)
- Lakeshore FIRST Robotics (Manitowoc)
- Lakeshore Humane Society, Inc. (Manitowoc)
- Manitowoc - Two Rivers YMCA (Manitowoc)
- Manitowoc County Historical Society (Manitowoc)
- Manitowoc Police Department K9 Unit (Manitowoc)
- Manitowoc Youth Baseball Softball Ltd. (Manitowoc)
- The Salvation Army (Manitowoc)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northcentral Wisconsin (Marathon)
- Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area Inc. (Marathon)
- Community Foundation Of North Central Wisconsin Inc. (Marathon)
- Community Theatre of Wausau, Inc. (Marathon)
- North Central Health Foundation Inc. (Marathon)
- Peaceful Solutions Counseling Inc. (Marathon)
- Samoset Council, STEM Scouts (Marathon)
- United Way of Marathon County (Marathon)
- Wausau Bethesda Thrift Shop/Bethesda Lutheran Communities Inc. (Marathon)
- Wausau Child Care (Marathon)
- Crime Stoppers Of Marinette County Inc. (Marinette)
- Crivitz Area Food Pantry (Marinette)
- Habitat For Humanity International Inc. (Marinette)
- Marinette & Oconto Counties Literacy Council Inc. (Marinette)
- Pastor Fred's Food Pantry (Marinette)
- Peshtigo Food Pantry Inc. (Marinette)
- Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services, Inc. (Marinette)
- Abundant Life Mission Inc. (Menominee)
- DAR Boys & Girls Club (Menominee)
- Keshena Animal Help & Rescue Inc. (Menominee)
- Woodland Boys and Girls Club Inc. (Menominee)
- Healthy Youth Coalition of Marinette and Menominee Counties (Marinette and Menominee)
- Above The Clouds (Milwaukee)
- Artists Working In Education Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Cathedral Center, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Cru Inner City – Milwaukee (Milwaukee)
- Discovery World Ltd. (Milwaukee)
- Dominican Center for Women Inc. (Milwaukee)
- GPS Education Partners (Milwaukee)
- Guest House of Milwaukee, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Hmong American Friendship Association Inc. (Milwaukee)
- House Of Peace (Milwaukee)
- Just One More Ministry Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Kathy's House (Milwaukee)
- Literacy Services of Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
- Make A Difference Wisconsin Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Make-A-Wish Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
- Milwaukee Achiever Literacy Services, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Milwaukee Center For Independence (Milwaukee)
- Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (Milwaukee)
- New Concept Self Development Center, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- NewThreads Of Hope Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Next Door Foundation (Milwaukee)
- Pathfinders (Milwaukee)
- PEARLS for Teen Girls, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Playworks Education Energized (Milwaukee)
- Project Concern of Cudahy-St. Francis (Milwaukee)
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- SaintA (Milwaukee)
- Schools That Can Milwaukee, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Serenity Inns Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Silver Spring Neighborhood Center (Milwaukee)
- Social Development Foundation (Milwaukee)
- Sojourner Family Peace Center (Milwaukee)
- St. Anthony Congregation/St. Anthony School (Milwaukee)
- St. Francis Children's Center (Milwaukee)
- St. Joseph Academy (Milwaukee)
- St. Marcus School (Milwaukee)
- The Friendship Circle (Milwaukee)
- The Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Transcenter For Youth Inc. (Milwaukee)
- United Community Center Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Unity In Motion, Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Urban Ecology Center (Milwaukee)
- Wheaton Franciscan - St. Joseph Foundation Inc. (Milwaukee)
- Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (Milwaukee)
- Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (Milwaukee)
- Young Life Wauwatosa (Milwaukee)
- Cashton Cupboard & Closet Inc. (Monroe)
- Kingdom Come, Inc. (Oconto)
- Rhinelander Area Food Pantry (Oneida)
- Agape Of Appleton Inc. (Outagamie)
- Appleton Ice Inc. (Outagamie)
- Artists For The Humanities Inc. (Outagamie)
- Bay Lakes Council, Boy Scouts of America (Outagamie)
- Blessings In A Backpack Inc -Ferber Elementary Site (Outagamie)
- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley Inc. (Outagamie)
- CASA of the Fox Cities Inc. (Outagamie)
- CHAPS Academy (Outagamie)
- Compassionate Home Health Care Inc. (Outagamie)
- COTS Inc. (Outagamie)
- Dyslexia Reading Connection, Inc. (Outagamie)
- Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Inc. (Outagamie)
- Fox Valley Literacy Council, Inc. (Outagamie)
- Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra Association Inc. (Outagamie)
- Fox Valley Warming Shelter Inc. (Outagamie)
- Homeless Connections (Outagamie)
- Housing Partnership of the Fox Cities (Outagamie)
- Neighborhood Housing Inc. (Outagamie)
- New Life United Methodist Church (Outagamie)
- Outagamie County Association for Home and Community Education (Outagamie)
- Riverview Gardens Inc. (Outagamie)
- St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Inc. (Outagamie)
- Tri-County Community Dental Clinic (Outagamie)
- Valley Home Schoolers Inc. (Outagamie)
- Valley Packaging Industries Inc. (Outagamie)
- Concordia University (Ozaukee)
- Living Life with Autism (Ozaukee)
- Assistance & Resource Center Inc. (Pierce)
- Community Referral Agency (Polk)
- Moms and Dads Against Meth, Inc. (Polk)
- Wild Rivers Habitat for Humanity, Inc. (Polk)
- Portage County Literacy Council (Portage)
- Big Brothers-Big Sisters Of Racine And Kenosha Counties Inc. (Racine)
- HALO, Inc. (Racine)
- Hopes Center Of Racine Inc. (Racine)
- CASA of Rock County (Rock)
- YMCA of Northern Rock County (Rock)
- Hope House of South Central Wisconsin, Inc. (Sauk)
- Sauk County Historical Society Inc. (Sauk)
- Boys And Girls Club Of Lac Courte Oreilles Inc. (Sawyer)
- Boys and Girls Club of Shawano (Shawano)
- Camp Tekakwitha Retreat & Conference Center (Shawano)
- Junior Achievement of Wisconsin (Wolf River District) (Shawano)
- Christ Child Academy (Sheboygan)
- Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County (Sheboygan)
- Friends of Camp Anokijig Inc. (Sheboygan)
- Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice, Inc. (Sheboygan)
- Sheboygan County Reads (Sheboygan)
- Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley Inc. (St. Croix)
- Taylor County Literacy Council (Taylor)
- Couleecap, Inc. (Vernon)
- Agape House Inc. (Walworth)
- St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church (Walworth)
- Friends of Abused Families, Inc. (Washington)
- Museum Of Wisconsin Art Inc. (Washington)
- Rides and Reins T E C Inc. (Washington)
- Volunteer Center of Washington County (Washington)
- American Cancer Society - Midwest Division (Waukesha)
- American Diabetes Association Inc. (Waukesha)
- Hope Center Inc. (Waukesha)
- Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County (Waukesha)
- Interfaith Senior Programs (Waukesha)
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Inc. (Waukesha)
- NAMI Waukesha, Inc. (Waukesha)
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Wisconsin Chapter (Waukesha)
- ProHealth Care Foundation Inc. (Waukesha)
- Sharon Lynne Wilson Center For The Arts, Inc. (Waukesha)
- Waukesha County Community Dental Clinic Inc. (Waukesha)
- Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance (Waukesha)
- Zachariahs Acres Inc. (Waukesha)
- Happily Ever After Animal Sanctuary Inc. (Brown and Waupaca)
- Rawhide, Inc. (Waupaca)
- Little Sprouts Discovery Center Non-Profit Inc. (Waushara)
- Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh, Inc. (Winnebago)
- Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services, Inc. (Winnebago)
- Father Carr's Place 2B Ltd (Winnebago)
- Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity (Winnebago)
- Heckrodt Wetland Reserve, Inc. (Winnebago)
- Labor Of Love Inc. (Winnebago)
- Leaven (Winnebago)
- Mount Tabor Center, Inc. (Winnebago)
- Neenah Animal Shelter Inc. (Winnebago)
- Oshkosh Area Community Pantry Inc. (Winnebago)
- Oshkosh Area Humane Society (Winnebago)
- Reach Counseling Services Inc. (Winnebago)
- Solutions Recovery Inc. (Winnebago)
- St Vincent De Paul Council Of Neenah-Menasha Inc. (Winnebago)
- St. Mary Catholic Schools (Winnebago)
- The Teachers' Closet Inc. (Winnebago)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wood County (Wood)
- Marshfield Area United Way (Wood)
- Marshfield Clinic (Wood)
- Parents Information & Education Resource (Wood)
Organization Speakers at Press Conference
Danae Hischke, President of Living Loud Inc. in De Pere
Cindy Weber, CEO; Crista Kochanski, Community Outreach Director of Sunshine House Inc. in Sturgeon Bay
Paul VanderVelde, Vice President of Program Operations for the YMCA of Dane County, Madison.
Green Bay Packers
Mark Murphy, President/CEO, Green Bay Packers (speaker)
Terry Fulwiler, Chairperson of the Green Bay Packers Foundation (speaker)
Jerry Ganoni, Alternate Chairperson of the Green Bay Packers Foundation
D.J. Long Jr., Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Valerie Daniels-Carter, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Ricardo Diaz, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Tom Cardella, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Larry McCarren, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Mark McMullen, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Tom Olson, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Hon. John Zakowski, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Bobbi Jo Eisenreich, Secretary of Green Bay Packers Foundation
