GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Gathered on the sixth floor of Lambeau Field were 11 nonprofit organizations from Brown, Dane, and Milwaukee counties, ready to accept a share of the $1.7 million from the Green Bay Packers Foundation.
The impact grants will immediately benefit each organization in continuing their mission, much like the Jackie Nitschke Center.
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“Our mission is to continue breaking down those barriers that people face when they want recovery, right?” said CEO Abby Brezinski. “So individuals who have noticed in themselves that they would like treatment for substance abuse disorder.”
The luncheon also allowed the different groups to familiarize themselves with each other, learn about their goals, and understand what drives them to support their communities.
“It’s not very often that several nonprofits sit in a room and kind of just exist and learn about the new things that they are doing. We have our community leaders that we refer to, but this was a perfect opportunity for different individuals who serve different populations and understand the good work that they do,” Brezinski said.
Giving back to the community is what puts the Packers and the state of Wisconsin above all other professional sports teams.
“It’s great to be a part of an organization that really does get up every day and try to help take care of the community,” said Wilson Jones, chairman of the Packers Foundation. “And it’s a luncheon that we as trustees, a Packers organization, look forward to every year. It’s the people in our community who are making a difference, so to give back, make a difference.”
This is the 13th year the Packers Foundation has awarded impact grants throughout the state, totaling over $12 million—something Jones says benefits everyone involved.
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“Covering the whole state, I think it’s a real testament—and I might be a little prejudiced—but there is not another professional sports team in the U.S. that does what the Green Bay Packers do for their communities.”
The board will begin reviewing next year’s applicants to find its next recipients starting in 2025.
