Monday, January 21, 2013
When tragedy hits, people want to help. But often, what arrives at the scene gets in the way because there's too much or it's not needed. Find out better ways to get involved in times of trouble.
Tragedies that break the heart often also come with a desire to help. Superstorm Sandy. The Newtown shooting. But what help to offer? Especially, when you’re far away. Stories of families that lost everything in the storm led to thousands of people sending what they thought was needed to the East Coast. But at some point, donation centers became overwhelmed with the amount sent. Nashua, N.H., firefighters held a clothing drive after Sandy hit. Within two weeks of the storm, the Nashua Telegraph reported the firefighters were overwhelmed with clothing donations—but still needed gift cards and cash. After the Newtown shooting, the same thing happened. According to CNN, Newtown First Selectman Patricia Llodra said“Our hearts are warmed by …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
After a devastating fire, the community is rallying to help get the farm's owner back on her feet. Here's how you can help.
A lone plastic cooler stands outside Ingrid Knippelmeyer’s home Thursday — just two days after her family business literally went up in flames. You see, Knippelmeyer runs the Blue Spring Farm on Town Line Road in Menomonee Falls, and the stable, barn, and a home on the property were all destroyed in a massive fire Tuesday. It took firefighters from 17 area departments nearly 10 hours to extinguish the blaze. Neither humans nor horses were injured in the fire. Now, that unassuming white cooler outside their home not only represents a livelihood lost, but it also represents the hope that springs from the ashes when a community comes together. Knippelmeyer’s lifeblood depended upon the training facilities at Blue Spring, but those are gone. …
Monday, August 20, 2012
A new report by The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranks Wisconsin 44th out of 50 states in charitable giving. The Milwaukee area fares little better, with a donation rate of 3.9 percent it clocks in at 42nd out of the country's 50 largest metro areas.
Wisconsin ranks near the bottom in charitable giving across the country, and the Milwaukee area is no different, according to a special report by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The report, America Gives, analyzed IRS data to determine the rate of charitable giving across states and metro areas, and compared that with the states’ political leanings and the prevalence of religion. America Gives was released today. Wisconsin was 44th out of the 50 states, and Milwaukee 42nd of the 50 largest metro areas. Statewide contributions in 2008 were about $2 billion, with a median donation of $1,747, about 3.4 percent of the median discretionary income of $51,392. Total Milwaukee contributions in 2008 were $842.9 million. The median contribution here…
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Its something we all take for granted: shoes. Sussex Outreach Services is holding a back-to-school fundraiser for local kids starting the school year.
Sussex Outreach Services is hosting a collection for something most of us take for granted: shoes. With area students heading back to school in September, the local pantry is asking Sussex residents to consider making a $25 donation for their annual “New Shoes for Back to School” program. Village President Greg Goetz advised people to donate during the latest Village Board meeting, saying SOS and the community is in great need of the help. “SOS did a collection to give school shoes to needy kids in previous years, and it was a complete success,” Goetz said. “I think there was about $2,500 that was raised to help buy food and shoes for needy kids. These children are definitely in need of shoes so they can attend school.” And according to …
43.132973
-88.216957
Sussex-Area Outreach Services
N63w23626 Silver Spring Dr, Sussex, WI
/articles/back-to-school-sussex-outreach-seeks-shoes-for-kids-in-need
1068663
/locations/7541169
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Dolores & Chester Becker have lived in Sussex for 22 years, and their volunteer work at the food pantry raises the bar for local residents.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Tom Andrews
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
If you’ve ever set foot inside the Sussex Food Pantry over the past 13 years, chances are you’ve probably encountered Dolores Becker. Dolores and her husband Chester have lived in Sussex for 22 years, and they're bringing new meaning to the word "volunteer." Dolores, 82, works in the clothing and house wares donation section while Chester, 81, who decided to start volunteering his time last year, works in the food donation area, stocking the shelves. For this couple, it’s more than just another chance to do something together. It’s a passion to simply help those less fortunate. “I wanted to do something,” Dolores explained. “We’re retired and I didn’t want to spend all of my life just at home doing nothing. I went to work at the Sussex …
43.132973
-88.216957
Sussex-Area Outreach Services
N63w23626 Silver Spring Dr, Sussex, WI
/articles/sussex-couple-s-passion-for-the-needy-shines-at-food-pantry
1068663
/locations/7451697
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The food pantry is in dire need of donations, so the Lions are stepping up to make it even easier to help families in need.
The Sussex and Lannon Lions Clubs are joining forces with Sussex-Area Outreach Services to remind people that Lions Daze this weekend is more than just a carnival, and it’s never been easier to help out while having fun. Jennifer Waltz, the director of SOS, says that the food pantry that feeds and clothes hundreds of area families is running low on supplies. One hundred percent of the proceeds from Lions Daze is donated to charity, so at the heart of the carnival lies the spirit of giving. “I just want to get it out there that the food pantry is beginning to run low on food,” Waltz said. “We are out of peanut butter, and other needed food items are: canned meat, rice sides, cans of fruit and juice. We also need baby formula, diapers and …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The middle-schoolers designed, built and donated a bench to the Hamilton Education Foundation for its annual auction.
- SCHOOLS
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
After getting a grant from the Hamilton Education Foundation (HEF) to form the Bulldog Club, members of the Templeton Middle School extracurricular mentoring program are passing it back. Once again this spring, Bulldog Club members designed, built and donated a bench to HEF for its annual auction-dinner fundraiser. The foundation awarded the initial grant to start the Bulldog Club in 2006 to provide students with positive role models, encourage appropriate social skills, build on student interests and strengths and engage students hands-on activities at the end of the school day. One of the students’ favorite projects has been to create a beautiful bench for the auction so that the students also give to their school and community.
43.123913
-88.192547
Templeton Middle School
N59w22490 Silver Spring Dr, Sussex, WI
/articles/photo-templeton-s-bulldog-club-giving-back
1068614
/locations/7025931
Friday, April 20, 2012
Menomonee Falls 16-year-old Nicolas Bast has been a driving force behind WTMJ's annual Teddy Bear Patrol drive. He's been one of the top producers of "bear revenue" in the program's history.
Nicolas Bast's incredible efforts to collect Teddy Bears has caught national attention, and he has been chosen for Huffington Post's "Greatest Person of the Day" for April 23. Nicolas shares the honor with hundreds of other individuals across the country who are doing great things in their community. Forget your Wall Street-inspired perception of bear and bull markets for this story. For five years 16-year-old Nicolas Bast has reaped soul-satisfying dividends as a big-time trader in the "bear" market for 620 WTMJ’s annual Teddy Bear Patrol collection. WTMJ has sponsored the Teddy Bear collection in southeastern Wisconsin since 1993. The bears are given to local law enforcement and fire agencies, who then hand the bears to kids in the thick…
Friday, February 17, 2012
The sports bar is showing its love for athletics by donating to the Hamilton club.
While the Packers didn't win big at the Superbowl, one Sussex organization took home a hefty donation on the biggest day in football from a local business. The Hamilton Athletic Booster Club received a surprise donation of $2,000 from Rumors Sports Bar & Grill, the money being a product of a Superbowl raffle. The winner of Rumors' drawing scored a massive 50-inch flat screen television. Andrea Reese, co-owner of Rumors, said she heard about the booster club while speaking with a restaurant patron, and donating the proceeds of the raffle was a "no-brainer." "We chose the Hamilton Athletic Booster Club because it is local and we want to support our community as much as possible," Reese said. "Since we're a sports bar, it only makes sense to …
43.13288
-88.20949
Rumors Sports Bar & Grill
W232n6368 Waukesha Ave, Sussex, WI
/articles/athletic-booster-club-receives-surprise-donation-from-local-business
2021020
/locations/6401815
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Better Business Bureau says charity hasn't renewed expired license since 2006.
According to a press release from the Better Business Bureau: You may have seen the ads in local community newspapers or heard the radio ads, including a catchy jingle that says, “Be a star, donate your car.” The charity behind the advertisements is Heritage For The Blind, a Brooklyn, New York-based organization, that, according to its website, works to help the blind and visually impaired and offers free information about vision loss and eye disorders. It has no office in Wisconsin, but is heavily advertising here, currently asking people to donate their “vehicles, boats and RV’s” and is actually offering a “free 3-day vacation” for doing so. According to the vacation offer’s details, “Donors will enjoy a 2-night hotel stay in the city …
Kathy
8:33 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
My sister does fund raising for local families. She takes in anything and everything and distributes locally to the people that fall through the cracks of other efforts. Her home is a diaster but it is a labor of love for her and thankfully this year she has more help. Community for a Better Tomorrow more ›