Packers Foundation awards more than $205,000 in annual grants as a component of the total Packers’ Charity Impact – approximately $4 million in the past year!
Packers' donations football
The Green Bay Packers Foundation has awarded $205,000 to 78 civic and charitable groups throughout the state of Wisconsin in its annual distribution of grants, Casey Cuene, chairman of the Foundation committee announced Monday. Included in the 78 groups was Ministry Door County Medical Center Foundation (MDCMCF). Mike Herlache and Andy Boettcher, of MDCMCF had the opportunity to meet Packers president Mark Murphy and receive a check for $1,000 at a luncheon at Lambeau Field Atrium.
Including this week’s grants, the Foundation has distributed more than $2.2 million for charitable purposes since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of the Packers Corporation.
Of the Foundation’s contributions, 35 grants – aggregating $120,000 – were awarded to Brown County organizations. Additional grants, totaling $85,000, were made to 43 other groups around the state.
Cuene 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 is being 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 Packer’s 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 scholarship, the Green Bay Packers fund the remainder of the amount, a figure which totals $54,000 since 2006.
In the past year, the Packers Foundation also has distributed an additional $57,375 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, and $5,000 to the “Play 60 Challenge” to encourage healthy lifestyles amongst our youth.
“It’s an honor to host and salute these groups here today for the wonderful work they perform,” Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said at the event. “Our communities are better places with their efforts.”
The Green Bay Packers Foundation Trustees includes, in addition to Mr. Cuene, Tom Arndt, Ave Bie, Rick Chernick, Johnnie Gray, Charles Lieb, Edward Martin, Diane Roundy and Mark Skogen. Margaret Meyers is the secretary of the Foundation.
The grants and other programs highlighted Monday are two components of the Packer’s efforts in the community. Also, the Packers’ community outreach department responded to more than 8,000 requests from organizations and individuals in 2010 with donated autographed items for fund-raising efforts that raised more than $2.2 million. Additionally, non-profit groups raised more than $780,000 by operating Lambeau Field concession stands during the 2010 season. These efforts, combined with direct cash donations by the Green Bay Packers to various charity endeavors, resulted in a comprehensive Packers charity impact of approximately $4 million in the past year.
