Packers Foundation awards record $450,000 in annual grants

The Green Bay Packers Foundation has awarded $450,000 to 145 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin in its annual distribution of grants, Charlie Lieb, chairman of the Foundation committee, announced Tuesday. Both the total donation amount and the number of recipient organizations are records for the Foundation.

The groups were guests at a luncheon Tuesday 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 $3 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, 48 grants – aggregating $166,500 – were awarded to Brown County organizations.

Additional grants, totaling $283,500, were made to 97 other groups around the state.

Lieb 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 was 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 $78,000 since 2006.

In the past year, the Packers Foundation also has distributed an additional $60,375 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, $3,000 to the "Play 60 Challenge" to encourage healthy lifestyles amongst our youth and $5,000 for the NFL National Partnership Grant focusing on efforts related to the military.

"We're honored to recognize the efforts of this year's recipients," Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said at the event. "We congratulate each of them for the tremendous impact they make in their communities."

The Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustees include, in addition to Lieb, Tom Arndt, Rick Chernick, Terry Fulwiler, Johnnie Gray, George Hartmann, Mark McMullen, Tom Olson, Diane Roundy and Mark Skogen. Bobbi Jo Eisenreich is the secretary of the Foundation.

The grants and other programs highlighted Tuesday are two components of the Packers' efforts in the community. Also, the Packers' community outreach department responded to more than 10,500 requests from organizations and individuals in 2012 with donated autographed items for fund-raising efforts that raised more than $3 million. Additionally, non-profit groups raised more than $750,000 by operating Lambeau Field concession stands during the 2012 season. These efforts, combined with direct cash donations by the Green Bay Packers to various charity endeavors, resulted in a comprehensive Packers charity impact in excess of $6 million in the past year.

A complete list of grant recipients:

Brown County Recipients:

1. Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association
2. American Foundation of Counseling Services
3. Associates for Collaborative Education Inc.
4. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin
5. Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay Inc.
6. Breast Cancer Family Foundation Inc.
7. Brown County Library
8. Brown County Oral Health Partnership Inc.
9. Calvary Lutheran Church
10. CASA of Brown County Inc.
11. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay Inc.
12. Center for Childhood Safety Inc.
13. Disabled American Veterans, Department of Wisconsin, Russell Leicht Chapter 3
14. Encompass Early Education and Care Inc.
15. Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin Inc.
16. Freedom House Ministries Inc.
17. Golden House Inc.
18. Greater Green Bay Community Foundation - Ben's Wish
19. Greater Green Bay Community Foundation - NE Wisconsin Veterans' Treatment Court
20. Greater Green Bay Community Foundation - Stocking the Shelves
21. Greater Green Bay YMCA Inc.
22. Green Bay Area Babe Ruth Baseball Inc.
23. Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc.
24. Green Bay Botanical Garden Inc.
25. Green Bay Crime Stoppers Inc.
26. Hand-N-Hand of Northeastern Wisconsin Inc.
27. Heritage Hill Foundation
28. Jackie Nitschke Center Inc.
29. Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc. - Brown County
30. Kim's Tkd Center Inc.
31. Learning Through Golf Foundation Inc.
32. Literacy Green Bay Inc.
33. Mayflower Nursery of Green Bay Wisconsin Inc.
34. National Society To Prevent Blindness
35. NeighborWorks Green Bay
36. New Community Shelter Inc.
37. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Educational Foundation
38. Salvation Army - Green Bay
39. St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter Inc.
40. St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center of Green Bay Inc. - Hospital Sisters
41. St. Norbert College
42. St. Vincent Hospital
43. Sullivan-Wallen Post 11 The American Legion
44. The Einstein Project
45. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Phuture Phoenix
46. Volunteer Center Inc.
47. Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center
48. Wise Women Gathering Place Inc.

Statewide Recipients:

1. 3 - 5 Club (Eau Claire)
2. Aaron J. Meyer Foundation Inc. (Dane)
3. Above and Beyond Corporation (Sheboygan)
4. Above The Clouds (Milwaukee)
5. Advocap Head Start (Fond du Lac)
6. Altrusa International Foundation Inc. (Door)
7. American Legion (Marathon)
8. Angel - A Helping Hand (Racine)
9. Arc Fox Cities Inc. (Winnebago)
10. Arc of Fond du Lac Inc. (Fond du Lac)
11. Be The Match Foundation (BTMF)/Central (Ramsey)
12. Beaver Dam Youth Sports Activities Inc. (Dodge)
13. Best Friends Of Neenah Menasha Inc. (Winnebago)
14. Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac Inc. (Fond du Lac)
15. Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area (Green Lake)
16. Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area Inc. (Marathon)
17. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley Inc. (Outagamie)
18. Cambria Friesland Athletic Booster Club (Columbia)
19. Canine Companions For Independence (Delaware)
20. Casco-Lincoln Area First Responders (Kewaunee)
21. Catherine Marian Housing Inc. (Racine)
22. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Inc. (Milwaukee)
23. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse Inc. (La Crosse)
24. Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse Inc. (Douglas)
25. Chippewa Valley Cultural Association Inc. (Chippewa)
26. Community Clothes Closet Inc. (Winnebago)
27. Community Foundation of Chippewa County Inc. (Chippewa)
28. Community Outreach Temporary Services Inc. (Outagamie)
29. Companion Day Services Inc. (Wood)
30. Creative Arts Resource And Network Of Western Racine County (Racine)
31. DAR Boys & Girls Club (Menominee)
32. Day By Day Warming Shelter Inc. (Winnebago)
33. Dominican Center for Women (Milwaukee)
34. Door County Memorial Hospital Foundation Inc. (Door)
35. Dunn County Historical Society (Dunn)
36. East Shore Industries Inc. (Kewaunee)
37. Edgewood High School of The Sacred Heart (Dane)
38. Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley Inc. (Outagamie)
39. Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley Inc. (St. Croix)
40. Fishing Has No Boundaries Inc. (Sawyer)
41. Free SPIRIT Riders Inc. (Fond du Lac)
42. Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes Inc. (Outagamie)
43. Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin Inc. (Winnebago)
44. Habitat For Humanity International Inc. (Marinette)
45. HELP of Door County Inc. (Door)
46. Journey House Inc. (Milwaukee)
47. Kenosha Literacy Council Inc. (Kenosha)
48. Kewaunee County Food Pantry (Kewaunee)
49. Kingdom Come Inc. (Oconto)
50. La Causa Inc. (Milwaukee)
51. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Wisconsin Chapter Milwaukee Main Office (Waukesha)
52. Literacy Partners of Kewaunee County Inc. (Kewaunee)
53. Lutheran Counseling & Family Services of Wisconsin Inc. (Milwaukee)
54. M&M Area Community Foundation (Menominee)
55. Make A Difference Wisconsin Inc. (Milwaukee)
56. Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin Inc. (Waukesha)
57. Marian University Inc. (Fond du Lac)
58. Michael's Place Inc. (Marathon)
59. Milton Area Youth Center (Rock)
60. Moms and Dads Against Meth Inc. (Polk)
61. My Home, Your Home Inc. (Milwaukee)
62. nIc Foundation Inc. (Shawano)
63. Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust Inc.  (Outagamie)
64. Northwoods Women Inc. (Ashland)
65. Opera for the Young Inc. (Dane)
66. Oshkosh Area Community Pantry Inc. (Winnebago)
67. Paper Industry International Hall Of Fame Inc. (Outagamie)
68. Parenting Network Inc. (Milwaukee)
69. PATH (Door)
70. PEARLS for Teen Girls Inc. (Milwaukee)
71. Rawhide Inc. (Waupaca)
72. RCS Empowers Inc. (Sheboygan)
73. Reach Counseling Services Inc. (Winnebago)
74. Risen Savior Ev. Lutheran Church & School (Milwaukee)
75. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Wisconsin Inc. (Milwaukee)
76. Safe Babies Healthy Families (Waukesha)
77. Safe Haven - Domestic Abuse Support Center of Shawano County (Shawano)
78. Serenity Inns Inc. (Milwaukee)
79. Shawano County Arts Council Inc. (Box in the Wood Theatre Guild) (Shawano)
80. Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra Inc. (Sheboygan)
81. Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program Inc. (Iowa)
82. St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation (Outagamie)
83. St. Francis Xavier Youth Football (Dane)
84. Summit Education Association Inc. (Milwaukee)
85. The Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development (Dane)
86. The Women's Center (Waukesha)
87. Two Rivers Day Care Center Inc. (Manitowoc)
88. United Sports Association For Youth Inc. (Outagamie)
89. University Of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority (Dane)
90. Volunteer Center of Door County Inc. (Door)
91. Walnut Way Conservation Corp. (Milwaukee)
92. Waukesha County Community Dental Clinic Inc. (Waukesha)
93. White Heron Chorale Inc. (Outagamie)
94. Women and Children's Horizons Inc. (Kenosha)
95. Word of Hope Ministries Inc. (Milwaukee)
96. Youth Go Corp. (Winnebago)
97. YWCA Southeast Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

Organization Speakers at Press Conference

1. Susan Lagerman, Communications and Library Program Manager, Brown County Library, Green Bay
2. Mary Kay Windler, Executive Director, Creative Arts Resource and Network of Western Racine County, Waterford
3. Danae Davis, Chief Executive Officer, PEARLS for Teen Girls Inc., Milwaukee
4. Noel Halvorsen, Executive Director, NeighborWorks Green Bay, Green Bay

Green Bay Packers Mark Murphy, President/CEO, Green Bay Packers (speaker)
Charlie Lieb, Chairman of Green Bay Packers Foundation Committee (speaker)
Bobbi Jo Eisenreich, Secretary of Green Bay Packers Foundation
Tom Arndt, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Rick Chernick, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Terry Fulwiler, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Johnnie Gray, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
George Hartmann, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Mark McMullen, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Tom Olson, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Diane Roundy, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee
Mark Skogen, Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustee