Kohl's Department Stores in Menomonee Falls has partnered with The Hunger Task Force to create Kohl's Serving Up Supper for Kids. The one-year pilot program will feed 2,775 Milwaukee-area children each day.  

The $225,000 donation to Hunger Task Force comes from Kohl's philanthropic program, Kohl's Cares for Kids, which focuses on improving the lives of children.

"Kohl's is dedicated to supporting children's health and education programs across the country, including great local programs that help kids right here in our hometown," said Julie Gardner, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Kohl's Department Stores. "Every child deserves to grow up strong and healthy and that starts with good meals and proper nutrition. We're excited about the Kohl's Serving Up Supper for Kids program providing needed meals for kids to help encourage physical and mental development in their formative years.  We're pleased to be in a position to help fight hunger during a time when more families need extra support."

Hunger Task Force developed this program to provide a third daily meal year-round to children at 25 locations in Milwaukee Public Schools. The program will provide snacks and suppers to feed kids 13 years and older at Community Learning Centers.

"The Kohl's Serving Up Supper for Kids program will provide 721,500 meals this year alone," said Sherrie Tussler, executive director of Hunger Task Force. "Kohl's is helping us make a major impact on fighting childhood hunger in Milwaukee. With 35 percent of children in the city of Milwaukee living in poverty, we know there is room for improvement in addressing hunger - including outside of school hours. We're inspired that Kohl's is taking this stand against hunger in our community."

Since 2000, Kohl's has raised more than $140 million nationwide through the company's philanthropic programs and has raised nearly $15.6 million to support charitable initiatives in the metro-Milwaukee area, including more than $50,000 to food drives for Hunger Task Force.

In addition, in 2009, Kohl's planted gardens on its corporate office grounds growing fresh produce.  Many of the crops from the gardens, including green peppers, beans, cabbage, squash, salad greens pumpkins and tomatoes, are donated to Hunger Task Force.

Kindergarten students at Bruce-Guadalupe Community School in Milwaukee recently spent an afternoon with volunteers from Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation Inc.'s United Way Day of Caring. The afternoon was spent making crafts and putting on a parade for the elderly participants of the United Community Center's Adult Day Center.

Eight volunteers from Rockwell worked one-on-one with children to create flags, streamers, and banners that represent the students' own cultural history in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Over 2,000 motorcycle riders and fans will participate in the annual Rock River Harley Owners Group's Ridin' to a Cure fundraiser for breast cancer research.

The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, and will start at Wisconsin Harley-Davidson in Oconomowoc. The group hopes to raise more than $300,000 over the weekend, and since its inception has contributed more than $3,200,000 to research at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

"The Medical College of Wisconsin is deeply grateful to the Rock River Cancer Research Foundation for their support and partnership with the Medical College as we advance the war against breast cancer through scientific research," said T. Michael Bolger, president and CEO of the Medical College of Wisconsin. "The volunteers who make Ridin' to a Cure possible and the ride's participants who enthusiastically raise funds for cancer research all deserve our admiration and thanks."

Saturday's Pledge Ride leaves roughly every 15 minutes from the dealership's property and riders participate in a 60 mile scenic tour through the Kettle Moraine area. The ride ends at the Olympia Resort where lunch, beverages, door prizes and live entertainment await the riders.

The ride is open to riders of all makes and types of motorcycles, there are no administrative costs and all proceeds are held by the Rock River Cancer Research Foundation.

For a minimum $40 donation, ride participants receive food, beverage tickets, entertainment, a commemorative “Betty Boop” bandanna. For more information visit www.WISHD.com.

America's Second Harvest of Wisconsin, the state's largest food bank, has been renamed Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.

New signage reflecting the new name was installed today at the food bank, located at 1700 W. Fond du Lac Ave.

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin remains a part of the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization, Feeding America, located in Chicago. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is one of 200 member Feeding America food banks that works to alleviate hunger across the country.

"The name change to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin quickly and effectively communicates our mission and will have a positive impact on our future ability to engage the community in our hunger relief efforts," said Bonnie Bellehumeur, president of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, which annually provides more than 12 million pounds of food to 235,000 people.

For more information, visit www.feedingamericawi.org.

Milwaukee honors community leader

Milwaukee recently honored Reuben Harpole Jr. for more than 50 years of service to the community. The honor also coincided with Harpole's 75th birthday.

Harpole was recently honored as the official "Paramount Chief of Milwaukee" and a portion of Second Street near North Avenue was named in his honor.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was the keynote speaker at at the event and declared Sept 21 as Milwaukee's official Rueben K. Harpole Day, Alderwoman Milele Coggs, Alderman Bob Baumen, Alderman Willie Hines and state representative Lena Taylor were also present for the event.

The street naming ceremony coincided with a celebration tribute dinner at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a portion of the proceeds generated by the dinner went to the UWM Rueben Harpole Scholarship Fund.

BizTimes reporter Alysha Schertz shot footage of the street naming ceremony, see that footage in a webcast below.

Jansson to retire from Greater Milwaukee Foundation helm in 2010

Douglas Jansson, the president and chief executive officer who guided the Greater Milwaukee Foundation through unprecedented growth for the past 16 years, announced he will retire, effective Sept. 30, 2010.

"Under Doug's leadership, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation has grown to become one of the top community foundations not only in the United States, but the entire world," said foundation board chair Judy Jorgensen. "Throughout the community foundation field, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation is considered a leader in the development and support of effective programs addressing poverty, access to higher education and other key issues facing urban communities."

The foundation has grown dramatically since Jansson became president in 1993:

Foundation assets have grown from $114 million to a record high of $574 million in December 2007 before the economic downturn. During the past decade of his tenure, foundation investments have outperformed two key benchmarks, the S&P 500 and the Morningstar Balanced Mutual Index Fund.

Since 1993, the foundation has made more than $296.6 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in metropolitan Milwaukee, the United States, and across the world.

Contributions, including 71 gifts of $1 million or more, created funds that have made a significant impact in the community. For example, the Mary L. Nohl Fund has made more than $3.8 million in grants in support of local artists and arts education since its inception in 2001.

"Doug's greatest impact continues to be his incredible initiatives to engage the foundation as more than just a grant-maker to the community. Under his leadership, the foundation has become a critical resource in our community to not only help identify but to resolve all problems," said foundation board vice chair John Daniels Jr., chairman of Quarles & Brady. "Our new Community Partnerships program, which works exclusively to identify and develop potential solutions to the most pressing issues, is a terrific example of a major initiative developed by Doug."

Jansson said he will focus his efforts in the coming year in several key areas.

"I will continue to work diligently on efforts to address, with our many partners, community issues our board has given the highest priority," Jansson said. "That includes improving the educational outcomes at MPS (Milwaukee Public Schools), fostering a regional transportation system that includes KRM and an improved bus system, improving the quality of early childhood education and supporting efforts to generate more jobs in our community."

Name: Molly Fuller

Title: CEO

Nonprofit organization: Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast

Nonprofit Address: Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast Administrative Offices, P.O. Box 14999, Milwaukee, WI  53214-0999

Website: www.gswise.org

Mission of the organization: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

Annual volunteer/fundraising event: Growing Strong Breakfast, Live the Promise Breakfast

What makes your organization unique? "Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls and the leading authority on girls' healthy development. Our council serves more than 28,000 girl members in grades K-12 in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, and Waukesha counties, and parts of Dodge, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Walworth, and Washington counties."

What is one key thing needed for leadership in the nonprofit sector? “Leaders in the non-profit sector need to effectively communicate their organization's mission to the community at large and engage stakeholders to support that mission. The nonprofit sector thrives when stakeholders collaborate to bring the necessary changes to achieve their vision and create a healthier reality for their community."

Is your organization in search of board members? "A board development committee meets annually to identify the gaps in the board and conducts a search for potential board members. They present the new slate for consideration at the annual meeting every year in May."

How can business people/the community help your organization? "Adults can support every aspect of our mission through mentoring opportunities, sharing their talents on either a short- or long-term basis, or via a financial contribution to ensure that Girl Scouting is available to all girls in our community (examples include camp scholarships and financial aid). Visit our Web site for more information."

Why do you think people should volunteer or become a board member? "We offer several exciting, flexible pathways through which adults can participate in Girl Scouting. Whether you choose to work directly or indirectly with girls on a short- or long-term basis, you are helping to develop our women leaders of tomorrow."