Component of Total Packers Charity Impact Of Approximately $4 Million In Past Year

The Green Bay Packers Foundation has awarded $176,534 to 62 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin in its annual distribution of grants, Casey Cuene, chairman of the Foundation committee, announced Monday.

The groups were guests at a luncheon Monday at the Lambeau Field Atrium, an event that welcomed all the recipients and honored the outstanding efforts and services performed by each of the organizations.

Including today's grants, the Foundation has distributed more than $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, 24 grants - aggregating $104,423 - were awarded to Brown County organizations.

Additional grants, totaling $72,111, were made to 38 other groups around the state.

Cuene made the grant announcements during a press conference at the Lambeau Field Atrium prior to the luncheon.

Additionally, under the Packers Scholarship Program, established in 2002, $15,000 is being awarded - $7,500 to Scholarships Inc., for distribution to students in four-year colleges, and $7,500 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 $42,000 since 2006.

In the past year, the Packers Foundation also has distributed an additional $57,375 on behalf of National Football League Charities - $20,000 in "Community Quarterback" awards to civic leaders for contributions to the community, $12,375 in the NFL's "Coach of the Week" program which honors successful Wisconsin high school coaches on a weekly basis throughout the season, $20,000 through the "Hometown Huddle/Youth Fitness Zone" program, and $5,000 to the "Play 60 Challenge" to encourage healthy lifestyles amongst our youth.

"These groups perform great work in their communities and deserve our thanks and recognition," Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said at the event. "We're very excited to host and salute them here today at Lambeau Field."

The Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustees includes, in addition to Mr. Cuene, Ave Bie, Johnnie Gray, Charles Lieb, Edward Martin, Diane Roundy, Mark Skogen, Mike Wier, and Hon. Donald Zuidmulder. Margaret Meyers is the secretary of the Foundation.

The grants and other programs highlighted Monday are two components of the Packers' efforts in the community. Also, the Packers' community outreach department responded to more than 8,000 requests from organizations and individuals in 2009 with donated autographed items for fund-raising efforts that raised more than $2.2 million. Additionally, non-profit groups raised more than $750,000 by operating Lambeau Field concession stands during the 2009 season. These efforts, combined with direct cash donations by the Green Bay Packers to various charity endeavors, resulted in a comprehensive Packers charity impact of approximately $4 million in the past year.

A complete list of grant recipients:

Brown County Organizations (24):

1. Allouez Village Band

2. American Legion-Sullivan Wallen Post 11

3. American Red Cross - Lakeland Chapter

4. Beacon House Inc.

5. Brown County Library

6. Encompass Early Education and Care Inc.

7. Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin Inc.

8. First Book - Greater Green Bay

9. Greater Green Bay YMCA

10. Green Bay Symphony and the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra

11. Hand-N-Hand of Northeastern Wisconsin Inc.

12. Helping Elevate thru Art & Love Inc.

13. Heritage Hill Foundation

14. Literacy Green Bay

15. Mayor's Neighborhood Leadership Council

16. Neville Public Museum Foundation

17. Notre Dame de la Baie Academy

18. R-Paws

19. Riah's Rainbow Inc. - Suamico

20. St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter

21. St. Norbert College

22. UWGB - Phuture Phoenix

23. Volunteer Center of Brown County

24. YWCA of Green Bay - De Pere

Other Organizations (County) (38):

1. Aaron J. Meyer Foundation Inc. (Dane)

2. Altrusa Club of Door County Wisconsin Foundation Inc. (Door)

3. Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired Inc. (Milwaukee)

4. Cathedral Center Inc. (Milwaukee)

5. Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services Inc. (Winnebago)

6. Clarity Care (Winnebago)

7. Companion Day Services Inc. (Wood)

8. COTS Inc. (Outagamie)

9. Eastbrook Academy (Milwaukee)

10. Edgewood High School of The Sacred Heart (Dane)

11. Family Resource Center - St. Croix Valley (St. Croix)

12. Father Carr's Place 2B (Winnebago)

13. Fishing Has No Boundaries Inc. (Sawyer)

14. Friends of Ledge View Nature Center (Calumet)

15. Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation/Children's Miracle Network (La Crosse)

16. Harbor House Crisis Shelters (Douglas)

17. House of Vision (Milwaukee)

18. Innocent Justice Foundation (Door)

19. Kenosha Achievement Center Inc. (Kenosha)

20. Marquette University (Milwaukee)

21. Milwaukee College Preparatory School of Wisconsin Inc. (Milwaukee)

22. Milwaukee Rescue Mission (Milwaukee)

23. My Home, Your Home Inc. (Milwaukee)

24. NAMI Fox Valley (Outagamie)

25. Near South Side Catholic Schools Association (Milwaukee)

26. Neighborhood Housing Inc. (Outagamie)

27. New Beginnings/Three-to-Five Club (Eau Claire)

28. Northwoods Women Inc. (Ashland)

29. Portage County Hunger & Poverty Prevention Partnership (Portage)

30. Risen Savior Ev. Lutheran Church & School (Milwaukee)

31. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin Inc. (Milwaukee)

32. Sexual Assault Crisis Center (Outagamie)

33. Silver Lake College (Manitowoc)

34. St. Vincent de Paul Society (Calumet)

35. Two Rivers Elks Lodge No. 1380 (Manitowoc)

36. Walkin' In My Shoes Inc. (Kenosha)

37. Wisconsin Badger Camp (Grant)

38. Women and Children's Horizons Inc. (Kenosha)

Organization Speakers at Press Conference

1. Tom Martin, President/CEO, Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin Inc.

2. Micki Klein, President/Director/Founder, Riah's Rainbow (Suamico)

3. Minister Larry Anthony, President/CEO, House of Vision Inc. (Milwaukee)

4. Patty Draxler, Executive Director, Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley Inc. (Baldwim)

Green Bay Packers

Mark Murphy, President/CEO, Green Bay Packers (speaker)

Casey Cuene, Chairman of Green Bay Packers Foundation Committee (speaker)

Margaret Meyers, Secretary of Green Bay Packers Foundation

Ave Bie, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee

Johnnie Gray, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee

Charles Lieb, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee

Edward Martin, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee

Diane Roundy, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee

Mark Skogen, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee

Mike Wier, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee

Hon. Donald Zuidmulder, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee