GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers Foundation announced this week it has distributed $1.5 million in annual grants to 395 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin in its annual distribution of grants. Wilson Jones, 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, 38 grants — aggregating $149,450 — were awarded to Brown County organizations. Additional grants, totaling $1,350,550, were made to 357 other groups around the state.
Local area organizations receiving grants include:
● Family Promise of Green County Inc (Green)
● Green County Humane Society (Green)
● Green Haven Family Advocates Inc. (Green)
● Friends of McKellar Park, Inc (Lafayette)
“We’re pleased to award $1.5 million through our annual Packers Foundation grants this year,” said Packers President and CEO Ed Policy. “It is truly an honor for the Packers to be in a position to support the crucial work these recipient organizations do in our communities. We are proud to support their causes and shine a light on them.”
This year’s grant cycle focused on organizations that will direct the funds toward the need areas of animal welfare, health and wellness, including drug, alcohol and domestic violence, civic and community initiatives and environmental causes. Grants were awarded to organizations located in 63 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, with 54 grants going to animal welfare, 226 to health and wellness, 68 to civic and community and 47 to environmental.
The grants awarded by the Foundation are not recurring and must be used for the specific program or initiative for which the organizations applied.
To learn about where each organization will be focusing the grant dollars and for more information on the grant cycles, visit packers.com/foundation and navigate to Project/Program Focus Area.
The Foundation now has distributed more than $29,552,000 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 was awarded — $26,500 to Scholarships Inc., for distribution to students in four-year colleges, and $26,500 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 $663,000 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 Jones, include Jan Allman, Michael Barber, LeRoy Butler, Mike Haddad, Bill Jartz, Mark Kasper, Laurie Radke, Mike Simmer and Chris Woleske. 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, $1.75 million in impact grants and other miscellaneous grants, more than $3.5 million has been awarded through Packers Foundation grants this year.
