The Green Bay Packers are giving $50,000 each to three Milwaukee-area organizations that reflect causes championed by a group of players.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, La Causa, Inc. and Sherman Phoenix are among five organizations statewide that will receive funding, the team announced this week.
Packers players — led by Geronimo Allison, Adrian Amos, Oren Burks, Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Jones, Corey Linsley, Will Redmond, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Za’Darius Smith and Dexter Williams — selected the organizations as part of the team’s community action initiative to support social justice causes.
“We’re proud to offer our support and contribute to the causes of five extraordinarily worthy Wisconsin organizations,” said Mark Murphy, president and chief executive officer of the Packers. “Our players have led the effort to expand our community action initiative this year by supporting groups that focus on empowering youth, creating economic opportunity and building safe and stable communities.”
La Causa, a Milwaukee-based bilingual social service agency and charter school operator, will use the donation to create a multi-purpose athletic space at its school, said George Torres, president and chief executive officer of La Causa.
“Being able to provide a space that will allow our students to both have fun and realize the benefits of meaningful physical exercise year round will be invaluable,” Torres said.
Sherman Phoenix —a health, wellness, food and culture hub in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood — is designed to support businesses-of-color through entrepreneurship mentorship and coaching.
“Sherman Phoenix is honored by the continued support from both the Green Bay Packers organization and the individual professional athletes as well,” said project developer Juli Kaufmann. “We are aligned in recognizing that social justice and small enterprise can take root together and, through the Sherman Phoenix, we give wings for entrepreneurs to rise.”
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee said the donation will support the organization’s ongoing academic and recreation programming.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee would like to thank the Green Bay Packers organization as well as players like Adrian Amos and Za’Darius Smith for this generous gift,” said Dawn Matson, vice president of marketing. “The grant will allow us to continue providing a safe space, meals and programming across education, arts, sports and recreation, health and wellness and leadership and service to almost 50,000 kids in Milwaukee annually.”
Other donation recipients included Court Appointed Special Advocates of Brown County and House of Hope in Green Bay.
