Following last week's announcement that the Green Bay Packers have established a $1.5 million COVID-19 Community Relief Fund through Packers Give Back, the first round of grants has been given to provide immediate support to Brown County residents facing challenges caused by the pandemic.
The first round of emergency response grants through Packers Give Back and the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, totaling $283,000, have been given to 20 organizations across Brown, Kewaunee and Oconto counties.
These grants help address food and hygiene needs, housing assistance, transportation, medication and other basic needs. Recipients range from food pantries to homeless shelters and organizations serving individuals with disabilities.
"Nonprofits depend on community support to ensure their long-term recovery, resilience and financial stability. Weathering this crisis will require sustained compassion and generosity from all of us," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy.
Additionally, Brown County United Way has also awarded its first round of grants to Brown County agencies, totaling $71,704. Among the areas of need addressed by the grants are shelter, meals, specialized support for specific populations in need, childcare resources and other basic needs.
Ten area nonprofits will receive the first rounds of grants from Packers Give Back, including:
- Green Bay Area Public Schools: Green Bay Area Public Schools will rely on the grant award for a weekend meal program for families at selected Green Bay Area Public School sites.
- Green Bay First Food Pantry: Green Bay First Food Pantry is serving the community with curbside pickup and delivery of food through First Assembly of God Church. This award will enable the pantry to expand services from twice monthly to seven days a week for those increasingly facing food insecurity.
- House of Hope: House of Hope provides a safe and supportive place for young parents and children experiencing homelessness. This grant award will support flexible housing options for clients and specific shelter room needs in response to the current health crisis.
- New Community Shelter: New Community Shelter provides safe temporary shelter, meals, education, and support to adult men and women. This grant award will fund the organization's Community Meal Program which supports non-shelter community members with hot to-go meal boxes.
- St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter: St. John's supports individuals who are at-risk for or experiencing homelessness in the greater Green Bay community. Grant funds will address emergency shelter services, sanitation supplies, basic needs, transportation and motel vouchers for those in need.
- Salvation Army Green Bay: The Salvation Army will rely on the grant award to support the lunch program and the food pantry program that distributes bags of food to community members. Funds will also be used to support transportation and delivery services associated with the meal program.
- Transformation House: Transformation House provides men with shelter and programming at a reduced rate. Grant funds will be used to provide additional meals, hygiene products and other needs for the increased numbers of clients being served.
- Vivent Health: Vivent Health supports people affected by HIV. Grant funds will be used to support the organization's food and medication delivery assistance programs, as well as its housing assistance efforts.
- We All Rise: African American Resource Center: We All Rise supports the African American community. This grant award will allow this organization to support clients with food, hotel vouchers, rental assistance and other basic necessities.
- YWCA of Greater Green Bay: The YWCA of Greater Green Bay will use grant funds to cover the cost of planning, designing and marketing a childcare center plan for essential workers who are still in need of childcare resources.
In addition to the $1 million of support earmarked for Brown County, the Packers Give Back COVID-19 Relief Fund also is directing $500,000 to support initiatives in the Milwaukee area; information about those funds will be announced at a later date.
Combined, the first round of grants distributed to local nonprofit organizations through Packers Give Back, the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and Brown County United Way totals $354,704.
The total community support, including the funds established by Packers Give Back, the Community Foundation and the Brown County United Way that have yet to be distributed, has now exceeded $2.5 million, as the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Emergency Response Fund has topped $1.3 million and the Brown County United Way Emergency Response Fund has reached $213,000.
Funding will continue to reach the community through the work of local nonprofits who serve the community's most vulnerable. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis as review teams continue to consider pending requests and assess short- and long-term needs.
To donate via the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation:
- Online at www.ggbcf.org
- By mail: Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, 320 N. Broadway, Ste 260, Green Bay, WI 54303
To donate to Brown County United Way:
- Online at www.browncountyunitedway.org
- By mail: Brown County United Way, P.O. Box 1593, Green Bay, WI 54305-1593, attn. ERF
The collaboration that exists between the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, Brown County United Way and the Packers ensures the latest information is being shared so resources can be quickly and efficiently distributed.
