MAC Home in Merrill also among Lincoln County recipients
For the Tomahawk Leader
TOMAHAWK – A trio of Lincoln County organizations, including two in Tomahawk, were recently awarded grant funding from the Green Bay Packers Foundation.
The Green Bay Packers Foundation, on Monday, Nov. 20, announced that it had distributed a record $1.5 million in annual grants to 321 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin in its annual distribution of grants.
Michael Barber, chairperson of the Foundation, made the announcement, honoring and recognizing the outstanding efforts and services performed by each of the organizations.
Of the Foundation’s contributions, 40 grants – aggregating $189,500.00 – were awarded to Brown County organizations.
Additional grants, totaling $1,310,500.00, were made to 281 other groups around the state.
A release from the Foundation said this year’s grant cycle “focused on organizations that will direct the funds toward the need areas of elderly, homelessness, human services and hunger.”
Grants were awarded to organizations located in 50 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, with 43 grants going to the elderly, 66 to homelessness, 135 to human services and 77 to hunger.
Our Sisters’ House Temporary Homeless Shelter in Tomahawk, the Salvation Army of Tomahawk and the Merrill Community Homeless Shelter, also known as MAC Home, each received grant funding.
Other local grant recipients included the Northwoods Alliance for Temporary Housing and the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry, both located in Oneida County; the Taylor County Literacy Council; and Feed Our Rural Kids Inc. and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, both in Vilas County.
The grants awarded by the Foundation are not recurring and must be used for the specific program or initiative for which the organizations applied, according to the release.
“We’re proud to award a record $1.5 million through our annual Packers Foundation grants this year,” said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. “The recipient organizations are incredibly dedicated to their communities, serving some of our most vulnerable neighbors. We are honored to recognize and support their impactful and crucial work.”
The Foundation said it has now has distributed more than $22,542,000.00 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.”
“Additionally, under the Packers Scholarship Program established in 2002, $53,000.00 was awarded – $26,500.00 to Scholarships Inc., for distribution to students in four-year colleges, and $26,500.00 to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) – for distribution to students in two-year associate degree or apprenticeship trades programs,” the Foundation stated. “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 $557,000.00 since 2006. As in recent years, the Packers Foundation will also distribute additional dollars to various NFL Foundation programs in the coming months.”
The Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustees, in addition to Barber, include Dexter McNabb, Jan Allman, LeRoy Butler, Eddie Garcia, Mike Haddad, Jeffrey Joerres, Wilson Jones, Laurie Radke and Mike Simmer.
The Packers Foundation and its annual grants are part of Green Bay Packers Give Back, the Packers’ all-encompassing community outreach initiative that comprises appearances made by players, alumni, coaches and staff, football outreach, cash and in-kind donations, Make-A-Wish visits and community events.
Including $1.5 million in annual grants and a total of $1.5 million in impact grants to Foster the Village Inc., Journey To Adult Success, Journeys Lutheran School, Just One More Ministry Inc., Medical College of Wisconsin, NeighborWorks Green Bay, School District of South Milwaukee and Urban League of Greater Madison Inc., as well as $250,000.00 to Give BIG Green Bay and $5,000.00 to the American Legion Sullivan Wallen Post 11, $3.255 million has been awarded through Packers Foundation grants this year.
To learn more about the Green Bay Packers Foundation, visit www.packers.com/community/packers-foundation.