Wisconsin Energy Foundation Blog

Foundation grants support education, economic development, youth

2012-02-14T12:56:00.001-06:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

Education

Partners Advancing Values in Education (PAVE), Milwaukee – $50,000 for UCC Bruce-Guadalupe Community School expansion.
YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee – $10,000 for Sponsor-a-Scholar program.
La Casa de Esperanza, Inc., Waukesha – $12,500 for before and after school, and summer programs.
Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership Inc., Milwaukee – $25,000 for Center of Excellence.
United Negro College Fund, Milwaukee – $10,000 for scholarships.

Economic development

New North, Inc., De Pere – $10,000 for economic development
Milwaukee Urban League, Milwaukee – $25,000 for economic and workforce development programs.
Community Advocates, Milwaukee – $50,000 for Journey of Hope capital campaign.

Youth

Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, Milwaukee – $15,000 for urban outreach initiatives.
Boy Scouts of America – Three Harbors Council, Milwaukee – $12,000 for leadership breakfast.
La Causa, Inc., Milwaukee – $10,000 for crisis nursery and respite center.
Danceworks, Inc., Milwaukee – $6,000 for Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap program.
Racine Family YMCA, Racine – $25,000 for Diversey Family Y capital project.

Foundation wraps up year with generous gifts

2011-12-22T16:32:00.002-06:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. In late November through mid-December, grants have honored military veterans, provided food baskets, supported homeless shelters and contributed to Toys for Tots.

Recent grantees in Wisconsin and Michigan communities include:

Veterans

Stars and Stripes Honor Flight, Port Washington – $25,000 to underwrite the production of the “Every Day is a Bonus – the Story of Stars and Stripes Honor Flight” documentary.

Youth

Racine Unified School District, Racine – $1,000 for the Young Scientist program.
Wood County Department of Social Services, Wisconsin Rapids – $500 for Christmas gifts for needy children and families.
Northern Lights YMCA, Iron Mountain – $1,000 for healthy youth programs.
Best Friends of Neenah Menasha, Neenah – $500 for mentoring program.
Marine Corps League, Marquette – $100 for Toys for Tots campaign.
Salvation Army of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Wauwatosa – $1,000 for Coats for Kids program.
South Shore YMCA of Metro Milwaukee, Cudahy – $5,000 for the Learn to Swim program.
Balance Inc., Saukville – $1,350 for summer recreation program for children and youth with developmental disabilities.

Food pantries

Hortonville Community Food Pantry, Dale – $1,500
St. Joseph Food Program, Menasha – $2,445
Neighbor for Neighbor Food Pantry, Tomah – $500
Hayward Community Food Shelf, Hayward – $500
Waushara Food Pantry, Waushara – $500
Palmyra Food Pantry, Palmyra – $1,000
Fort Atkinson Food Pantry, Fort Atkinson – $1,000
Interfaith Senior Programs, Waukesha – $3,000
Pewaukee Inter-Church Lay Council, Pewaukee – $2,325
La Casa de Esperanza, Waukesha – $1,250
Jefferson Area Food Pantry, Jefferson – $1,325
Feeding America, Ishpeming – $500
Council for the Spanish Speaking, Milwaukee – $2,500
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee – $3,750
Campus Life of Sheboygan County, Sheboygan – $1,500
Falls Area Food Pantry, Menomonee Falls – $1,500
Family Sharing of Ozaukee County, Grafton – $1,500
Racine County Food Bank, Racine – $5,000
Shalom Center of the Interfaith Network, Kenosha – $5,000
Office of Veterans Affairs – Dickinson County, Iron Mountain – $600

Foundation grants support food pantries, literacy

2011-11-18T11:45:00.000-06:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

Next Door Foundation, Milwaukee ― $10,000 for the family literacy initiative.
Word of Hope Ministries, Milwaukee ― $1,000 for the Touches the Community event.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Racine ― $1,000 for the Freedom Fund dinner.
Oak Creek Community Center, Oak Creek ― $1,000 for Thanksgiving meal program.
Shalom Center of the Interfaith Network, Kenosha ― $500 for the meal program.

Recent grants support library, nature sanctuary, ecology center and Boy Scouts

2011-10-18T08:56:00.001-05:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

Pewaukee Public Library Foundation ― $2,000 for purchase of a self-check machine.
Sun Prairie Emergency Food Pantry, Inc. ― $1,000 to stock the shelves.
Watertown Food Pantry, Inc. ― $1,000 to stock the shelves.
Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum, Kenosha ― $1,000 for program to control invasive species.
Urban Ecology Center, Inc., Milwaukee ― $10,000 for neighborhood environmental education project.
Boy Scouts of America – Southeast Council, Racine ― $500 for Distinguished Citizens Dinner.
Friends of Lac Lawrann Conservancy, Inc., West Bend ― $19,200 for the learning center at Lac Lawrann.

Foundation grants support food pantries, emergency shelter and youth

2011-10-03T14:35:00.004-05:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

Hunger Task Force, Milwaukee ― $7,500 for emergency food program.
Guest House of Milwaukee, Milwaukee ― $1,000 for emergency shelter and transitional housing program.
Make a Difference Wisconsin, Milwaukee ― $5,000 for financial literacy program for high school youth.
PEARLS for Teen Girls, Inc., Milwaukee ― $5,000 for 2011 program.
Social Development Foundation, Inc., Milwaukee ― $2,500, annual Milwaukee Fatherhood program.
Hebron House of Hospitality, Waukesha ― $200 for Family Fun Day.
Dickinson County Fair, Norway, Mich. ― $307 for livestock auction. Meat was donated to Salvation Army Food Pantry.
Oak Creek-Franklin Foundation for Education, Inc., Oak Creek ― $1,000 for the Walk for Education.

Foundation supports citizen advocacy, YMCA scholarships and emergency shelters

2011-09-19T15:04:00.001-05:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc. Milwaukee ― $5,000, 2011 campaign.
Casa Guadalupe Education Center, Inc. West Bend ― $1,500, annual fundraising campaign.
Kettle Moraine YMCA, West Bend ― $500, annual scholarship program.
Citizen Advocacy of Washington County, West Bend - $1,000, community partners campaign.
Feith Family Ozaukee YMCA, Port Washington ― $500, annual fundraising campaign.
Girl Scouts Manitou Council, Sheboygan ― $500, financial assistance.
Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley, Appleton ― $2,500, Adopt a Bedroom program.
Volunteer Center of East Central Wisconsin, Appleton ― $1,500, Project Heat’s On 2011 program.
Neskoro Fire Department, Neshkoro ― $500, replacement of mobile radios.
United Way of Dickinson County, Iron Mountain ― $500, sponsorship of 2011 community campaign kickoff.

Foundation’s support addresses needs of young people and people in crisis

2011-08-22T12:13:00.002-05:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

Cots, Inc., Appleton, Wis. ― $2,500 for general operating support. Cots is committed to ending homelessness.
LEAVEN, Inc., Menasha, Wis. ― $5,000 for general operating support. LEAVEN provides financial help to people in crisis for food, housing, utilities and transportation.
Habitat for Humanity, Iron Mountain, Mich., and Greater Milwaukee ― $10,000 for general operating support. Employees selected Habitat as the second quarter 2011 Safety Charity Challenge recipient.
Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, Marquette, Mich. ― $1,000 for general operating support.
City of Burlington Fire Department ― $1,000 for fire and safety equipment.
Kenosha YMCA ― $2,500 for the Kenosha YMCA Youth Center.
Racine Family YMCA ― $2,500 for the 2011 Strong Kids campaign.
Side by Side Inc., Lake Geneva, Wis. ― $1,000 to help the homeless in Lake Geneva.

Foundation’s winning bid at Wisconsin State Fair means food for hungry

2011-08-11T13:50:00.001-05:00

Wisconsin Energy Foundation had the winning bid of $7,500 on a 1,185-pound Hereford steer at the Governor’s Red, White and Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction at the Wisconsin State Fair on Aug. 10.

The steer, winner of the champion ribbon in its class at the fair, was shown by Kasey Wisnefski of Union Grove. The foundation donated the steer to Second Harvest, a nonprofit organization that feeds the hungry.

The winning bid price is shared by the livestock owner and the Wisconsin State Fair Park Youth Foundation, which funds youth scholarships, grants and livestock programs and activities.

YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Sojourner Family Peace Center among recent grant recipients

2011-07-29T15:01:00.007-05:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

American Cancer Society, Appleton -- $1,000 for general operating support.
Boys & Girls Club of Fox Valley, Appleton -- $25,000 for Be Great campaign. This is a multiyear pledge.
YMCA of the Fox Cities, Appleton -- $10,000 for Just Your Everyday Lifesaver Campaign. This is a multiyear pledge.
Alpha Mastodon Township, Crystal Falls, Mich. -- $500 for turnout gear for fire department.
City of Iron Mountain, Iron Mountain, Mich. -- $1,000 for community picnic to renovate City Park.
Dickinson Conservation District, Kingsford, Mich. -- $200 sponsorship of a page in 2012 wildlife calendar.
Malaika Early Learning Center, Milwaukee -- $1,000 for Celebrate Malaika 2011.
Word of Hope Ministries, Inc., Milwaukee -- $2,500 for general operating support.
Sojourner Family Peace Center, Milwaukee -- $2,000 for 2011 Brewers’ Wives event.

Music, maritime days and museums all part of foundation’s recent outreach

2011-07-14T07:57:00.004-05:00

The Wisconsin Energy Foundation responds to grant requests throughout the year. Recent grants include:

Garfield Avenue Festivals Inc., Milwaukee -- $1,500 for the 2011 Blues, Jazz, Gospel and Arts Festival
Repairers of the Breach, Inc., Milwaukee -- $1,000 for general operating support
Port Washington Main Street, Inc., Port Washington -- $2,500 for Port Washington Maritime Days 2011
Racine Art Museum Association, Inc., Racine -- $25,000 for the Racine Art Museum Endowment campaign
Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department, Wisconsin Rapids -- $1,000 for pager replacements and firefighter turnout gear

Foundation grants touch many

2011-07-13T15:02:00.008-05:00

From time to time, we will report examples of our outreach to provide insight into a part of our organization that complements the work of We Energies employees.

Recent beneficiaries include:

· Community Clothes Closet, Inc., Menasha, Wis., $1,000 for general
operating support

· Salvation Army, Iron Mountain, Mich., $1,000 for the food pantry

· Dickinson County (Mich.) Library, $395 for summer reading program

· Shalom Center of the Interfaith Network, Kenosha, $500 for
replenishment of the summer food pantry

· Friends of the Waukesha Public Library, Waukesha, $2,500 for the
Waukesha Reads program

· Neighborhood House, Milwaukee, $10,000 for outdoor
environmental education program for low-income at-risk youth

· Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens, Milwaukee, $2,000 for the
children’s horticultural education program

· American Red Cross – West Bend Chapter, $2,500 for Fire and
Rescue Hero Award program

· Trees for Tomorrow Natural Resources Specialty School, Eagle
River, Wis., $1,000 for the First Annual Forest Fest