Packers Give Back awards 30 more grants to Brown County organizations

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The Green Bay Packers have distributed 30 more Brown County grants through the Packers Give Back COVID-19 Community Relief Fund, a $1.5 million fund aimed at providing immediate support to Wisconsinites facing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.


The 30 new grants to Brown County groups are in addition to the 10 grants that were distributed with the first round of funds at the beginning of April, as grant applications have been accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.


In total, since the fund was established, 40 grants have gone to 38 different Brown County groups that are on the front lines of helping those most impacted by the pandemic, including organizations addressing food and hygiene needs, housing assistance, transportation, medication and other basic needs. Recipients range from schools and food pantries to homeless shelters and organizations serving individuals with disabilities.


The latest rounds of grants are benefitting 30 groups, including:

• Ashwaubenon School District; the grant will purchase food, gas cards and gift cards for families in need.
• Calvary Lutheran Church; the grant will go toward the church's food pantry
• Casa ALBA Melanie, Hispanic Community Resource Center; will use the grant to help clients with rental assistance, transportation and childcare.
• Community Services Agency (COMSA); the grant will assist Somali refugees and immigrant communities with emergency housing support, food, cleaning supplies, additional case management.
• Curative Connections; will use the grant to purchase disinfecting supplies and other necessities to conduct in-home visits for older adults formerly in adult day and early memory loss programs.
• De Pere Christian Outreach; the grant will help stock the Food Pantry's shelves and provide emergency assistance.
• De Pere Unified School District; will use funds to purchase nonperishable foods for weekend meal bags.
• Ecumenical Partnership for Housing; will use grant to keep families in long-term homes.
• Encompass Early Education and Care; the grant will support early education and childcare costs for essential workers and assist lower-income families with securing basic needs.
• Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin; funds will support technology improvements to serve clients through virtual counseling sessions and home visits during the pandemic.
• Freedom House Ministries; will use funds for food and supplies to continue meeting clients' basic needs.
• Friends of Pals Youth & Families; the grant will help secure hygiene products, diapers, formula, groceries, cleaning supplies and over-the-counter medications.
• Golden House; funding will help purchase food, gas cards, cleaning supplies and necessities for residents.
• Greater Green Bay YMCA; the grant will provide shower facilities to clients and subsidize childcare for essential workers in need.
• Green Bay Area Catholic Education; the funds will support the ongoing food program for families.
• Green Bay Area Public Schools; the grant will provide meals and school supplies for students learning remotely.
• Howard-Suamico School District; will use grant to support immediate household needs of district families.
• Jackie Nitschke Center, Inc.; the grant will be used to provide services to clients through technology.
• Jake's Diapers; the award will provide diapers to community members in need of resources.
• NEWCAP; funding will allow NEWCAP to provide clients with rental assistance, hotel vouchers, transportation assistance, food and case management support.
• Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Educational Foundation; funds will support students with unforeseen financial emergencies through an on-campus food pantry, a limited assistance fund that covers short-term costs and a childcare assistance fund.
• One Wrightstown; the grant will help meet basic needs of residents in the Wrightstown community.
• Options for Independent Living; the grant will assist clients with disabilities to stay in their homes safely.
• Paul's Pantry Inc.; grant will be used to purchase non-perishable food items to distribute to those in need.
• School District of West De Pere; grant will be used to put together weekend food bags for students and families, as well as purchase gas and gift cards to support families who need assistance.
• Stocked Shelf Food Pantry; the grant will be used to provide food to those dealing with food insecurity.
• Unity Hospice; funds will be used to acquire PPE and telehealth implementation.
• Volunteer Center of Brown County; the grant will support nonprofits in critical need by converging volunteers around that need.
• We All Rise: African American Resource Center; will provide rental assistance, hotel vouchers, food and necessities to clients.
• Wise Women Gathering Place; funding will help those in need of safe shelter and technology supports to keep people connected with their resources.

The groups receiving grants earlier this month include Green Bay First Food Pantry, House of Hope, New Community Shelter, St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter, Salvation Army Green Bay, Transformation House, Vivent Health and YWCA of Greater Green Bay. Green Bay Area Public Schools and We All Rise: African American Resource Center both received grants in the first round and in a subsequent round of grant distribution.


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 Milwaukee County. The first round of those grants has already been distributed to 16 Milwaukee County groups and additional grants will be announced at a later date.


Packers Give Back continues to work closely with the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation to identify community needs and to quickly and efficiently distribute resources. Funding will continue to reach the community through the work of local nonprofits who serve the community's most vulnerable.


Grant applications for both Brown County and Milwaukee County are still being accepted on a rolling basis as review teams continue to consider pending requests and assess short- and long-term needs. Organizations can learn how to apply at packers.com/community/.


Members of the community who want to give can donate via the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation online at www.ggbcf.org or by mail: Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, 320 N. Broadway, Ste 260, Green Bay, WI 54303.