The Green Bay Packers Foundation has awarded $205,000 to 78 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 $2.2 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, 35 grants – aggregating $120,000 – were awarded to Brown County organizations.
Additional grants, totaling $85,000, were made to 43 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 $54,000 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.
"It's an honor to host and salute these groups here today for the wonderful work they perform," Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said at the event. "Our communities are better places with their efforts."
The Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustees includes, in addition to Mr. Cuene, Tom Arndt, Ave Bie, Rick Chernick, Johnnie Gray, Charles Lieb, Edward Martin, Diane Roundy and Mark Skogen. 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 2010 with donated autographed items for fund-raising efforts that raised more than $2.2 million. Additionally, non-profit groups raised more than $780,000 by operating Lambeau Field concession stands during the 2010 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 (35):
1. ASPIRO Inc.
2. Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
3. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin - Green Bay
4. Breast Cancer Family Foundation
5. Brown County Homeless and Housing Coalition - Green Bay
6. Brown County Library
7. CASA of Brown County Inc.
8. Center for Childhood Safety
9. Children's Promise
10. De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc.
11. Disabled American Veterans
12. The Einstein Project
13. Encompass Early Education and Care Inc.
14. Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin Inc. - Green Bay
15. First Book - Greater Green Bay
16. Freedom House Ministries Inc.
17. Golden House
18. Greater Green Bay YMCA
19. Green Bay Symphony and the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra - Green Bay
20. Helping Elevate thru Art & Love Inc.
21. House of Hope
22. Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center - Green Bay
23. Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc. - Brown County District Office - De Pere
24. Learning Through Golf Foundation
25. Literacy Green Bay
26. Mayflower Nursery School
27. My Brother's Keeper Inc.
28. Northeastern Wisconsin Dance Organization Inc. - Green Bay
29. Notre Dame de la Baie Academy
30. Preble High School
31. St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center
32. Salvation Army of Brown County (Kroc Center)
33. Sullivan-Wallen Post #11 The American Post - Green Bay
34. Volunteer Center of Brown County
35. Wisconsin Academic Decathlon Foundation Inc. - Green Bay
Other Organizations (County) (43):
1. Wisconsin Lions Foundation Inc. (Chippewa)
2. Aaron J. Meyer Foundation Inc. (Dane)
3. The River Food Pantry (Dane)
4. Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (Dane)
5. Door County Memorial Hospital Foundation (Door)
6. Innocent Justice Foundation (Door)
7. P.A.T.H. Promoting Access to Families with Special Needs to Help (Door)
8. Dunn County Historical Society (Dunn)
9. Trinity Equestrian Center Kids Kamp Inc. (Eau Claire)
10. Trinity Lutheran Church (Eau Claire)
11. Arc of Fond du Lac Inc. (Fond du Lac)
12. Friends Of Schlitz Audubon Center Inc. (Milwaukee)
13. Growing Power Inc. (Milwaukee)
14. Milwaukee Kickers Soccer Club Inc. (Milwaukee)
15. My Home, Your Home Inc. (Milwaukee)
16. NORMAL in Schools (Milwaukee)
17. Our Next Generation Inc. (Milwaukee)
18. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin Inc. – Wauwatosa (Milwaukee)
19. Willie D. Davis Scholarship Fund Inc. (Milwaukee)
20. YWCA of Greater Milwaukee (Milwaukee)
21. Kingdom Come Food Pantry (Oconto)
22. Appleton Soccer Booster Club Inc. (Outagamie)
23. CHAPS Academy (Outagamie)
24. COTS Inc. (Outagamie)
25. Fox Valley Literacy Coalition Inc. (Outagamie)
26. Neighborhood Housing Inc. (Outagamie)
27. St. Elizabeth Hospital Community Foundation - Appleton (Outagamie)
28. Tri-County Community Dental Clinic (Outagamie)
29. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ozaukee County Inc. (Ozaukee)
30. Assistance & Resource Center Inc. (Pierce)
31. Northwoods Homeless Shelters Inc. (Polk)
32. Indianhead Community Action Agency (Rusk)
33. Cable-Hayward Area Arts Council (Sawyer)
34. Safe Harbor Shelter From The Storm (Sheboygan)
35. Salvation Army - Grace Place & Faith House (St. Croix)
36. Side by Side Inc. (Walworth)
37. Kewaskum Community Pantry (Washington)
38. Hamilton Athletic Booster Club (Waukesha)
39. Rawhide Inc. (Waupaca)
40. Beaming Incorporated (Winnebago)
41. Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services Inc. - Neenah (Winnebago)
42. Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin Inc. - Menasha (Winnebago)
43. Mount Tabor Center Inc. (Winnebago)
Organization Speakers at Press Conference
1. Toni Loch, Executive Director, Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center (Green Bay)
2. Jim Valley, Investigator, Innocent Justice Foundation of Door County Sheriff's Department (Door County)
3. Toni Mattson, Co-Owner & Director of Programs & Ministries, Trinity Equestrian Center for Kids Kamp Inc. (Eau Claire County)
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
Tom Arndt, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Ave Bie, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Rick Chernick, 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
