BizTimes Media’s 2021 NonProfit Excellence Awards
In-Kind Donation of the Year Category
Breakfast with the Best
On Friday, November 5, 2021 Biz Times Media hosted a celebratory breakfast event in Milwaukee. Success of philanthropists and nonprofits across the region were celebrated. Additionally, the event hosted two panel discussions on “workforce development that works.”
Both panels were comprised of nonprofit staff and their for-profit partners in the community. These partners eloquently illustrated how they engage high school students in the workforce. These initiatives have seen soaring success rates! Further, they help keep students enrolled through graduation and set them up for career success with real-world work experience.
Awards finalists and honorees
BizTimes Media recognized for-profit entities for their philanthropy, and nonprofit organizations for their positive impact in and around Milwaukee. For-profit categories included Corporate Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, In-kind Supporter, Next Generation Leadership and Lifetime Achievement. Similarly, the nonprofit categories included Executive of the Year, Nonprofit Organization of the Year (large & small) and Social Enterprise.
Undoubtedly, the finalists and winners in these categories are some of the Milwaukee region’s most generous and socially-minded individuals and organizations. For example, the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Keith Mardak and Mary Vendenberg, former Hal Leonard Corp. executives. Their efforts to provide Milwaukee youth access to music, arts, and after school programs has been unending. Next, the Corporate Citizen of the Year was awarded to the Yabuki Family Foundation. They gifted 20million dollars to support mental and behavioral health at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin facilities.
In-Kind Supporter
Great Lakes Roofing Corporation was recognized for contributions of roofing and food/supplies to Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin during our August 2021 Helping Hands project.
Collaboration between our staff and the communities where we live and work garnered over 3400 pounds of food/supplies. These donations were for the Free Grocery Store operated at Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin. In addition, we put a new roof on the tiny village’s Community Center.
See more about this Helping Hands project.
Non-financial contributions given to a single or multiple organizations by a professional or company qualified for the In-Kind Supporter Award.
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin in the Spotlight
On the whole, Great Lakes Roofing Corporation’s employees believe in VOW’s mission and are proud to showcase this nonprofit. Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin changed the narrative around supporting military veterans struggling with (or at-risk of) homelessness. Their village of tiny homes brings dignity, self-sufficiency, and hope to the multifaceted struggle of homelessness.
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin has found success since 2013. We hope this additional publicity helps generate renewed financial support for their mission.
Lastly, VOW operates a little-known Free Grocery Store across the street from their facility at 1624 Yout St. in Racine, WI. Share this resource; it is available to support any military veteran and their families.
