The Green Bay Packers Foundation has awarded South Milwaukee High School with a $100,000 grant from the NFL Foundation through the NFL Club Matching Youth Football Field Grant Program to contribute to the school's athletic facility refurbishment project.
The NFL grant program directs funds toward capital improvement projects and helps with building or refurbishing youth and high school football fields/stadiums. The program helps promote youth football and community programming on the fields, enhance player health and safety and aid in establishing positive relationships with local youth groups and schools to expand football programming.
The South Milwaukee refurbishment project, started in early 2023, is part of a larger $3.8 million refresh of all School District of South Milwaukee athletic fields. The improvements will allow for significantly more students and community members to utilize and enjoy the high school's facilities. The field is primarily used for football activities, but will also host varsity soccer matches, physical education classes, cheer and dance teams and the marching band, as well as youth recreational programming.
South Milwaukee High School's field needed repairs desperately; despite efforts at upkeep, regular flooding and poor soil conditions stripped away nutrients and contributed to overall poor grass quality. The football team could only utilize the field for home games if it had not rained, and no other extracurricular activities could utilize the space. Construction of the project began in April 2023, recently seeing the completion of the playing field itself with the installation of synthetic turf and a new Brock pad. Enhancements to the property are still ongoing, with improvements to the stadium still in progress. The upgrades will enable support for the school's athletic teams and will allow for more programs, students and community members to utilize the facilities.
"We're pleased to award this grant to South Milwaukee High School for their athletic facility refurbishment project," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "It's critical for youth sports to be accessible for everyone, and this project is helping create an ideal place for students and the wider community to engage in youth football and local programming."
"This grant from the Packers means so much to our school and to our city," said School District of South Milwaukee Superintendent Deidre Roemer. "Generosity built these fields – the generosity of organizations like the Bucyrus Foundation, the NFL Foundation, the Packers and Packers Foundation, and the generosity of our local businesses, alumni and neighbors. So many students will benefit from using these fields and knowing the community supports them."
This is the sixth such Packers grant in conjunction specifically with the NFL's club Matching Field Grant Program. It is also the 21st grant secured by the Packers since 1998 for Wisconsin organizations working on new or renovated athletic fields and stadiums.
Previous grants went to the Challenger League and Fox Valley Pop Warner (2022), Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation (2020), Racine Unified School District (2018), Milwaukee Public Schools (2017), Pulaski Community School District (2017), Green Bay Area Public School District (2015), Logan High School-La Crosse School District (2015), Bay Port High School Howard-Suamico School District (2014), Ashwaubenon School District (2013), Manitowoc Public School District (2012), West Allis-West Milwaukee School District (2011), Journey House in Milwaukee (2009), Wrightstown High School (2009), Green Bay Southwest High School (2008), Custer High School, Milwaukee (2005), Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay (2005), Bradley Tech High School, Milwaukee (2003), Green Bay East High School, (2001), Green Bay Preble High School (2001) and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (1998).
About the NFL Foundation: The NFL Foundation is the league's nonprofit organization representing the 32 NFL clubs. Its mission is to support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football and the communities which support our game.
