GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – As local nonprofits need critical financial support, possibly more than ever, Give BIG Green Bay is back for its fourth annual giving day.
The Green Bay Packers Foundation and the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation will host the community-wide giving day from noon on February 16th until noon on February 17th.
“It really is about connecting passionate people with their interests and supporting the community. Whether that is an arts and culture, hunger and homelessness, education – whatever interests you, there’s good work that’s being done in our community,” said Greater Green Bay Community Foundation President and CEO Dennis Buehler. “You can give as little or as much as you’re able to, but every single dollar goes to that nonprofit. 100-percent of that goes to the nonprofit, and is further leveraged by the matching funds are available by not only the Green Bay Packers, but our other donors.”
The minimum donation is $10, and the online giving platform makes it easy to contribute any amount to make a difference in the community. Between the Green Bay Packers Foundation and other donors, this year’s event will offer $350,000 in matching funds and incentives.
Like the past three years, there is no specific monetary goal set. But there’s a reason for that.
“You could easily craft the number of organizations or the type of organizations to try to really beat a previous year’s goal. And the intention is to tell the story and connect people with organizations, as opposed to trying to reach a specific number,” Buehler explained.
There are 45 organizations across 11 different fields of interest involved in the effort this year. While not every applicant was accepted, Buehler says that’s not intended to be a reflection of the organization’s efforts or importance. This year, 33% of the participating nonprofits are first-time participants.
“We really are trying to paint a picture of what the nonprofit community looks like and we want to keep this program fresh every year and telling stories about the work that is happening within our community,” Buehler said. “This one’s different because it allows us a day to really tell the story of the work that’s happening and to connect people without their passion for what they want to do in the community…People coming together, and it’s the aggregation of all of that support for these organizations that makes the impact.”
The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation will underwrite all program expenses allowing 100% of the Green Bay Packers Foundation $250,000 commitment to be allocated as matching funds and encourage our community to give BIG. Additional fundraising incentives are available this year, due to the generosity of Give BIG Green Bay supporters: Janet and Charlie Lieb, Kris and Terry Fulwiler, The Village Companies, and Associated Bank.
The combined three-year total of the crowd funding effort has exceeded $3.4 million of support for local nonprofits. Last February, more than $1.2 million was raised in 24 hours through the generosity of 2,800 donors. More than 43% of those donors self-identified as new to the organization they supported.
“What’s truly remarkable about this community is they care so deeply. And when you add all that together, the impact that has on the good work that’s happening is really, really extraordinary,” Buehler told WTAQ News. “The majority of giving is certainly happening in Wisconsin and Northeast Wisconsin, but it’s extraordinary to us that it’s reaching all across the country…Retirees down Florida or Arizona or across the country that are still passionate about their home town we also have the reach of the Green Bay Packers and people just wanting to support a town that they love and the good work that is happening here…So to say that we have 30-40 different states represented this program, we now have international supporters as well, is just kind of a fun thing to talk about a little bit. But the reach of people passionate and caring about Green Bay, Wisconsin is really quite heartening.”
“Our fans are everywhere. So I call on our fans, not only all across the country, but all across the world to support this,” said Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy. “One of the benefits to the non profits is not only the money that’s raised now, but the attention and publicity we’re bringing to the great things that they’re doing the community.”
On Feb. 16 to Feb. 17, from noon to noon, people everywhere can donate to support the work of any of the 45 local participating nonprofits by visiting giveBIGgreenbay.org.
The 2021 Give BIG Green Bay Nonprofit Partners are listed below by cause:
Animal Welfare
- Firefly Acres Horse Farm
- Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Arts & Culture
- Green Bay Botanical Garden
- Neville Public Museum Foundation
- The Art Garage
Community Improvement
- Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity
- Olde Main Street Green Bay
- YWCA Greater Green Bay
Education
- CollegeReady
- Encompass Early Education and Care
- Family & Childcare Resources of N.E.W.
- Greater Green Bay YMCA
- Literacy Green Bay
- NWTC Educational Foundation
Environment & Conservation
- Baird Creek Preservation Foundation
- Brown County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League
Health & Wellness
- Aging & Disability Resource Center of Brown County
- Altrusa House
- American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter
- Foundations Health & Wholeness
- Jackie Nitschke Center
- Oral Health Partnership
- Wello
- Wise Women Gathering Place
Human Services
- ASPIRO
- Casa ALBA Melanie
- CP
- Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin
- Hope and Olive
- Integrated Community Solutions
- Service League of Green Bay
Hunger & Homelessness
- Denmark Community Cupboard
- Freedom House Ministries
- Golden House
- House of Hope Green Bay
- The Salvation Army of Greater Green Bay
Military & Law Enforcement
- 4th HOOAH Wisconsin
Recreation & Sports
- Green Bay Action Sports Organization (GBASO)
- myTEAM TRIUMPH
Youth Development
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin
- Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay
- The Children’s Museum of Green Bay
- Foster the Village
- Journey to Adult Success
- We All Rise: African American Resource Center
