Potawatomi Hotel & Casino’s signature charity program Heart of Canal Street is providing $100,000 donations to five nonprofit organizations serving children in southeastern Wisconsin.
In addition, this year, Potawatomi is donating $25,000 to the Waukesha County Community Foundation to assist in helping the victims of the Christmas parade massacre on Nov. 21. In less than a month, WCCF’s United for Waukesha Community Fund has raised over $3 million to support victims and their families.
The organizations each receiving $100,000 are:
- Digital Bridge: The organization promotes digital inclusion by providing affordable technology and digital literacy to vulnerable and underfunded populations. During the pandemic, Digital Bridge partnered with Milwaukee Public Schools and the United Way to help meet demand for technology and will use Heart of Canal Street funds to provide more families with hardware and access to affordable broadband Internet.
- Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center: The health center provides health, peace and well-being services to urban Indians in the greater Milwaukee area. Heart of Canal Street funds will be used for the health center’s “Youth Empowerment Program,” which uses a variety of services to engage Native American youth, including summer day camp and mental health programming.
- Hunger Task Force: The organization works to meet the needs of hungry people throughout southeastern Wisconsin free of charge. Heart of Canal Street funds will be used to provide fresh and healthy food through its food box delivery program. Food is delivered to quarantined children and to those from families of domestic violence.
- Journey House: The organization provides adult and childhood educational opportunities along with youth development and family engagement to the near south side of Milwaukee. Heart of Canal Street funds will be used for youth development programs that provide services to 2,000 economically challenged, predominantly Latino youth, through educational, social, physical, mental health and creative development.
- Running Rebels: The organization offers mentoring, educational support, community organizing assistance and violence prevention to primarily Black youth between the ages of 12-25. Heart of Canal Street funds will be used for the “Community Mentoring Program,” which provides intensive mentoring with youth at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system.
Each of the organizations was chosen by Potawatomi leadership for exemplary service to the community throughout the COVID-19, the hotel and casino said in its announcement.
“We are so honored and humbled to present these amazing organizations with a donation through our Heart of Canal Street program,” said Dominic Ortiz, CEO and general manager of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. “The work they have done and continue to do shows true compassion and dedication to our community.”
