Several nonprofits across southeastern Wisconsin agree on one thing, participation and volunteering are invaluable when supporting local organizations. While the importance of donating money through team and individual fundraising has not depreciated, a handful of area nonprofits say the gift of time is just as essential as any other.
The Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, the Colon Cancer Coalition, the American Heart Association and Girls on the Run all host various fundraising and awareness events throughout the year, ranging from walking and running events to brunches, galas and golf outings. Although some of the organizations rely heavily on sponsors, the help of volunteers allows these nonprofits to host events at low cost or cost-free and, in turn, allocate more funds to other necessary expenditures.
Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance
New Berlin-based Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance, founded in 2000, hosts several fundraising events each year, including three run/walk events: Power Up for Purple; Nancy’s Run, Walk & Stroll; and the Whisper Walk. WOCA operates on a $300,000 yearly budget and works with roughly 100 volunteers annually, according to Ashely Schneider, executive director of WOCA.
One of the smaller events at WOCA, the Whisper Walk is held annually in early November, bringing 100 to 150 attendees – including ovarian cancer survivors and affected families – to Fitchburg, near Madison.
“We’re slowly building back up after COVID,” said Schneider.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic and within the first few years of hosting the walk, attendance was anywhere from 300 to 500 people. A few years after COVID, numbers are increasing and a recent donation match of $75,000 is helping to maintain the success of the organization, said Schneider.
WOCA has four flagship events each year, which in total account for around 30% of the yearly budget. Every flagship event is sponsored by a local business, and WOCA incurs no cost for these events.
The same goes for several other nonprofit organizations that host events in southeastern Wisconsin.
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
New York-based Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation hosts between 60 and 65 “Take Steps” walks throughout the country each year, three of which take place in Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay. The events held in the state are estimated to bring in about $150,000 of the Wisconsin chapter’s $500,000 yearly fundraising goal. The national organization has a yearly goal of $9 million. Of all the events hosted by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, 60% of all chapter earnings come from participation and donations at the events.
“If you think of our organization as a house, our walk program is our front porch,” said Mallory Cwik, manager of national fundraising campaigns and volunteer engagement at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. “It’s where we’re meeting our community, building our relationships and bringing people inside to learn more.”
There are no registration fees for any “Take Steps” walks.
Participation and volunteering are equally valuable to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation as they collectively relay close to 70% of the total return on investment to the foundation, according to Maggie Seer, executive director of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, Wisconsin chapter.
Colon Cancer Coalition
Minneapolis-based Colon Cancer Coalition has hosted its annual “Get Your Rear in Gear” run/walk in Milwaukee for 14 years. The Colon Cancer Coalition hosts 42 annual run/walk events throughout the U.S. and one in the Bahamas. National and local sponsors contribute to cover the cost of event materials and logistics, such as tee shirts, runners’ bibs and event spaces.
The Milwaukee Get Your Rear in Gear event relies on local sponsorships. This year, the event was sponsored by Froedtert Health, Crawford Evaluation Group, Ascension Medical Group and Novellia (a medical record-keeping platform).
The Colon Cancer Coalition incurs no cost from the event and all profits go back into the community. Individual and team fundraising earnings are funneled into grants, which are then distributed among cancer survivors, families of colon cancer patients and caregivers, all of whom need to apply to receive the grant, according to Lauren Burke, event manager for Get Your Rear in Gear, Milwaukee.
American Heart Association
Dallas-based American Heart Association’s Milwaukee chapter hosts several events each year: Heart Walk, Heart Ball, Hard Hats and Go Red for Women. The Heart Walk remains a staple event for the organization. This year, the Heart Walk held in late September drew roughly 2,500 attendees and 25 volunteers. This event contributed $500,000 to the local chapter’s $2.5 million goal for all fundraising events, according to Katie Connolly, executive director of the American Heart Association, Milwaukee chapter.
“There’s lots of ways to get involved with us, but people can always volunteer,” said Connolly.
Girls on the Run
Milwaukee-based Girls on the Run operates an eight-week program in 120 schools over seven counties across southeastern Wisconsin. Every year, Girls on the Run asks 650 volunteers to help with curriculum, practices and training and day-of event coordination. Girls on the Run has roughly 150 volunteers per event. All programs including twice-weekly meetings and a celebratory 5K are entirely volunteer based.
The program is offered to elementary and middle school girls between 3rd and 8th grade as a physical activity-based youth development program. A 5K running event at American Family Field wraps up each program, which run in fall and spring. In the interim, elementary and middle school girls participate in twice-weekly meetings that start with lessons about personal growth and development and finish with practice laps to prepare for the end-of-season event.
At the end of each season in November, Girls on the Run hosts more than 700 girls at the celebratory 5K run/walk at American Family Field, totaling roughly 2,000 attendees, including family members and members of the community. The spring program boasts three times more attendance, according to Tina Jones, executive director of Girls on the Run of Southeastern Wisconsin.
“We’ve got girls in 3rd through 8th grade and it’s often their first time doing a 5K,” said Jones, explaining why more volunteers and direction are needed at these events. “The community need is very big in the volunteer area.”
Jess Connell, a 5th grade teacher at St. Augustine Preparatory Academy on Milwaukee’s south side, has been volunteering as a head coach for Girls on the Run for 10 years.
“We have such a big demand for this program at Aug Prep,” said Connell.
For each participant, a fee of $175 is requested at the beginning of the season, but more than 50% receive financial aid to be a part of the program. Aug Prep charges students $20 to participate.
