Ed Zore, chairman and chief executive officer of Northwestern Mutual will retire in July. As a departing gift to his employees, Zore has kicked off a company-wide philanthropic campaign to give 1 million volunteer minutes back to the community.
“The tradition in our company is that parting CEO’s present a gift to the employees. Ed Zore is very passionate about the community, and has offered the gift of time to the 5,000 employees at Northwestern Mutual,” said Kimberley Goode, president of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation.
Zore has promised the employees of Northwestern Mutual four hours of paid time off that they can use to contribute to the community by volunteering in ways that match their interest, Goode said.
“The ‘Leaving a Legacy’ volunteer program aligns well with Ed’s values,” Goode said. “Ed and his wife Diane have always been very actively involved with the community and the organizations here.”
On Tuesday, June 1 Zore joined more than 200 employees, volunteers and kids to build a playground at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee’s Camp Whitcomb/Mason in Hartland. The event kicked of the Leaving a Legacy campaign that will continue throughout the year.
“Throughout my career, I’ve found it important to offer my knowledge and my time to help community organizations achieve worthwhile goals,” said Zore. “No company recognizes the value of securing future generations more than Northwestern Mutual. And now, our employees have the opportunity to increase their volunteer commitment and help others reach their full potential.”
As part of the event on Tuesday, Zore also presented 40 Metro-Milwaukee children with scholarships to attend Whitcomb Mason’s resident camp and 40 additional kids the opportunity to attend the day camp.
“Throughout this economic environment, many companies have had to make changes and one of the things we’re really proud of here is that we really weather the economic storm in a way that allowed us to stay true to our values and stay true to our commitments in the community,” Goode said. “That is a true testament the the culture of this company, and one that Ed Zore helped to create, one that teaches people to do good and give back wither in good times or challenging ones.”

The United Way of Greater Milwaukee has partnered with the Milwaukee area Labor Council to host the 21st annual Health & Hygiene Drive.
The drive collects health and hygiene products for two dozen homeless shelters in the Milwaukee area. Items contributed include toothbrushes/paste, hair care products, deodorant, laundry detergent, first aid supplies, diapers, feminine hygiene products, paper products and more.
However, donations for the drive are at an all time low.
“Our agencies haven’t seen any relief in terms of the volume of people seeking services. And one thing we keep hearing from emergency shelter programs is that not only are they helping more people than ever, but that people require shelter for longer periods of time,” said Nicole Angresano, vice president, United Way of Greater Milwaukee. “So in the past when people typically stayed in a shelter for a few days, now they are staying for a few months because they just can’t find jobs and don’t have any relatives or friends to turn to because they are in the same boat.”
As a result, shelters are lower than usual on health and hygiene supplies, which are necessary for people to go out and interview for jobs or get an apartment.
“Most of us take it for granted that we have shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste, said Annie Wacker, AFL-CIO Community Services Liason. “But for so many people, those are luxury items. We need to rally to bring in items in the next week. Our biggest challenge is that people who have given in years past just don’t have the ability this year. So we are really looking for new people to step up and help.”
Items can be dropped off now through June 10 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. at United Way’s offices at 225 W. Vine St. or Milwaukee Area Labor Council offices at 633 S. Hawley Road. Monetary donations are also accepted and can be mailed to the Labor Council, with checks payable to Labor Community@Work. For more information, please contact Annie Wacker at 414-771-9830 (w) or 414-510-8724 (c).

Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton recently donated 240 portable generators to Haiti through nonprofit organization Haiti Partners and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF).
The generators will be used to light emergency centers, clinics and classrooms that still do not have electricity four months after the earthquake.
"We are humbled to make this donation that will hopefully make a difference in the quality of everyday living in Haiti," said Laura Timm, director of corporate communications at Briggs & Stratton. "Our core value is to improve the lives of others in our community and in order to make a difference we must consider that community the world."
The donated generators, valued at $250,000, can run for 13 hours on a tank of gasoline and can produce enough electricity for a small home.
"This generous and much-needed in-kind contribution by Briggs & Stratton will make a significant difference in the lives of Haitians," said John Sanbrailo, PADF's executive director.

The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the Walmart Foundation recently selected Alverno College to receive a $100,000 CIC/Walmart College Success Award.  The funds will be used to create the Promise Scholars program.
“We’ve always believed that the mission of a women’s college must extend beyond the students on campus to the larger community,” said Mary J. Meehan, Ph.D., president of Alverno College.  “This award will support us in extending our work into the greater Milwaukee community in even more effective ways.”
The new program will expand the advising and academic support strategies available to first-generation students. The ultimate goal is to help them succeed.        
Alverno is one of 20 CIC members selected to receive $100,000; 10 CIC members received awards of $50,000 each.  All of the award winners have an undergraduate enrollment with at least 30 percent first-generation students among the most recent classes of first-year students. 

 

Nonprofit changes its name
VSA Arts of Wisconsin, a nonprofit dedicated to using dance, drama, creative writing, music, and visual art to celebrate the creative power and artistic accomplishments of children and adults with disabilities, changed its name to VSA Wisconsin.
The name change became official on June 1, and was part of a sweeping change initiated by the organization’s national office.  
Formed in 1974, 18 years before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, VSA was originally known as National Committee - Arts for the Handicapped. The organization was and continues to be a pioneer in the field of arts and disability.
VSA has played a significant role over the years in changing society's attitudes toward people with disabilities. With that change, the organization has regularly looked at its own identity to ensure it is consistent with current attitudes and language used by the disability community.
 
Breakfast at Wimbledon
Elite Sports Clubs will host its Breakfast at Wimbledon fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Southeastern Wisconsin chapter, on Saturday, June 26, at Mequon Elite Sports Club, 11616 N. Port Washington Road beginning at 10 a.m.
“Hosting a Breakfast at Wimbledon event is a wonderful way for us at Elite to not only raise funds for the local JDRF chapter, but also to showcase one of tennis’ top events to the community,” said Kay Yuspeh, owner of Elite Sports Clubs.  “We invite everyone to bring their families for breakfast, watch the match, and enjoy our newly expanded club,”
Guests will enjoy a traditional English-style breakfast while seated at center court on the club’s tennis court. Wimbledon will be show live on a large outdoor screen.
The menu for the event will be catered by the Marcus Corporation and include an entrée of strawberries and cream, crumpets, bangers (British sausage), French Toast, eggs, potatoes, tea, champagne and more. 
Following breakfast, all attendees can enjoy the Mequon Elite Sports Club for the remainder of the day, including the recently completed indoor and outdoor salt-water pools, exercise equipment and family gym.
Cost to attend is $35 for adults and $10 for children and under, guests are encouraged to wear their tennis whites and tickets can be purchased by calling 262-241-4250.

An evening with the arts in Milwuakee
MKE Live in partnership with the Southeastern Wisconsin Arts Guild will host An Evening with the Arts at Discovery World Pier Wisconsin’s Pilot house, 500 N. Harbor Drive, on Monday, June 14 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The evening will feature members of the Milwaukee Arts and Entertainment community engaging business leaders on topics like The Art of Improv, Some Refelctions on a Life in Theatre, Guerilla Music-Making and Neighborhood Arts Advocacy and much more.  “It is the first in a series of events designed to integrate the Arts and Business communities together to form a mutually-beneficial cultural alliance,” said Dan Laske, President of the Southeastern WI Arts Guild.
Cost to attend is $20 at the door or $15 if you pre-register at www.mkelive.com/calender.

Salvation Army partners with Feed the Children
The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County recently partnered with Feed The Children to distribute boxes of non-perishable food items, toiletries and Avon products to 3200 Milwaukee families.  
“It is local and national partnerships that help The Salvation Army continue doing the most good,” said Major Jesse G. Collins, Salvation Army Milwaukee County Commander. The distribution was the latest stop on Feed The Children’s “Americans Feeding Americans” Caravan, which has helped more than 75,000 families across the country in cities that are most affected by the nation’s economic downturn.
Risen Savior Lutheran Church, Woodland Courts Apartments, the 4th District Police Station, Alderman Robert Puente and more than 100 volunteers helped provide the needed household items to one of Milwaukee’s most impoverished neighborhoods, said Collins.

Tasting Tuesday at the Ale House
The Center for Communication, Hearing & Deafness will host Tasting Tuesday at the Milwaukee Ale House, 233 N. Water St., on Tuesday, June 15 from 5:30 until 9:30 p.m.
Proceeds from the annual event support critical programs and services for children and adults throughout Wisconsin who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Attendees will have the opportunity to sample hand-crafted beers and wines from around the world, while enjoying food from the Milwaukee Ale House and music from Dan Dance. A live and silent auction will also be held.
Cost to attend is $40 per person or a $350 for a ten pack. Purchase tickets online at www.cchdwi.org or by calling 414-604-2200. An online silent auction will also take place as part of the event at www.biddingforgood.com/cchd from Tuesday, June 1 until Tuesday, June 14.

YWCA to host breakfast series
The YWCA of Greater Milwaukee will kick off its Professional Women’s Breakfast series on Wednesday, June 16 at Mount Mary College, north dining room, 2900 N. Menomonee River Parkway, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The first session, Experience Speaks will feature panelists Shelia Cochran, chief operating officer, secretary/treasurer of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Patricia Pearman, director of disparity programs & U.S. partnerships, General Electric Company and Ursula Twombly, president of Continuum Architects + Planners. Cost to attend is $25; tickets can be purchased at www.ywcammilw.org Future series dates are scheduled for Aug. 18, Sept. 15 and Oct. 20.

Riding for the arts
United Performing Arts Fund’s 30th Annual Ride for the Arts will be held on Sunday, June 6, 2010.
The fundraising event supports the 2010 $9.3 million goal of UPAF’s spring campaign, but is also the nations largest one day recreational bike ride.
The Ride features five routes including 75, 65, 25, 12 or five-mile options to meet the needs of riders of all ages and abilities. The new 12-mile route debuts this year which will head west along the Menomonee Valley Parkway to Miller Park and features the Harley-Davidson Museum as a rest stop. After the Ride, participants and all UPAF donors can enjoy the Finish Line Party at the Potawatomi Stage on the Summerfest grounds with performances by UPAF Member Groups. It is a great photo opportunity to catch the Milwaukee community cycling the area streets and celebrating the local performing arts groups.
Since the inception of the event, the ride has raised more than $6.7 million to help support Milwaukee’s performing arts groups.

The Wisconsin Historical Society recently held the 5th annual Wisconsin History Makers Gala honoring Will Allen, Michael Leckrone, Robert Spitzer and Frederick Stratton Jr.

Check out this week's BizTImes Around Town

BoardStar, the resource for nonprofit governance education and recruitment services throughout Wisconsin, has named Sam Macklem, CRFE, as its new senior consultant. Macklem will recruit, train and consult Board Directors on governance issues to enhance the long-term success of nonprofit organizations.
“Everyday people’s lives are touched by a nonprofit,” said Pat Wyzbinski, founder, BoardStar. “Sam possesses the leadership skills necessary to cultivate a new community of effective nonprofit leaders in Milwaukee and Wisconsin.”
Macklem brings more than 30 years of nonprofit experience to BoardStar.
“A strong Board of Directors is key to the long-term sustainability of any nonprofit organization,” said Macklem. “I’m thrilled to join BoardStar in developing qualified and engaged Board Directors throughout Wisconsin.”

BizTimes Milwaukee has launched its 2010 Nonprofit Directory. Submissions for the directory were collected since the beginning of 2010, and the list is now available for viewing and for purchase in a print format. The directory includes vital information about 501(c)3 organizations based in or serving Milwaukee, Waukesha, Walworth, Racine, Kenosha, Washington, Ozaukee or Sheboygan counties. The directory is intended to connect the region's nonprofit organizations with the business community. Submissions can still be made online and an electronic version of the directory is available for viewing online at www.biztimes.com/nonprofit.

• Association of Fundraising Professionals

• Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee

• Donors Forum of Wisconsin

• Greater Milwaukee Foundation

• Marquette Funding Information Center

  MRA-The Management Association

• Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee

• Nonprofit Center Workshop Calendar

• Non Profit Jobs

• UWM Helen Bader Institute for Non Profit Management

• UWM School of Continuing Education nonprofit workshops

• Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee

• Monday, June 7 The 11th Annual Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation Golf Outing, Dinner and Auction for Spinal Cord Injury Research will be held at Silver Spring Country Club, N56 w21318 Silver Spring Drive in Menomonee Falls .  In 2009, the outing earned $150,000 for researchers who are hard at work trying to find a cure for paralysis. To register or for more information visit, www.brpf.org
• Tuesday, June 8 The Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management at UW-Milwaukee in partnership with the Marquette Legal Initiative for nonprofit corporations will host a Forum on the Nonprofit Sector: Nonprofits and Property Tax Exemption from 8:30 to 11:15 a.m. at the UW-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. The growing fiscal challenges facing municipalities across the country are magnifying the importance of property tax as a source of revenue and increasing the controversy over property tax exemptions for charitable organizations.  Pittsburgh has become a hotbed of activity where nonprofit property tax exemptions are being challenged, and similar tensions are surfacing in Wisconsin communities. The forum will feature  a panel of experts including:  Margaret Derus, attorney, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.; Kevin Kearns, professor of public policy, university of Pittsburgh, Timothy Radelet, general counsel, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and Peter Weissenfluh, chief assessor, City of Milwaukee Assessor's Office. The event is free and open to the public for more information or to register click here.
• Friday, June 11 The Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens will host is annual fundraising event at the gardens, 9400 Boerner Dr., Hales Corners, from 6-9 p.m. Guests can enjoy the gardens in full bloom, music from Cream City Jazz, food and drink from Bartolotta Catering, a silent auction and raffle, and live green demonstrations. Cost to attend is $75 For Information & reservations, contact Kristine at 414-525-5661 or kpetersen@fbbg.org
• Monday, July 19 St. Francis Foundation will host its Annual Golf Outing at Tuckaway Country Club. Participation in the outing will benefit the children educated at the Child Development Center of St. Joseph and the senior residents who call Villa St. Francis their home. Those interested can choose to play in the outing, provide raffle or auction items, or make cash donations. For questions or for further information call the St. Francis Foundation office at 414-645-5337, ext 270

To view additional calendar items or to submit your own events please visit the BizTimes.com calendar: