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50 nonprofits selected to participate in 9th annual Give BIG Green Bay

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GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Packers and Greater Green Bay Community Foundation are again teaming up to host Give BIG Green Bay — a 24-hour, community-wide day of giving.

“The program, which was launched in 2018 by the Packers and the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, has three main goals,” said Aaron Popkey, director of public affairs for the Packers. “We want to build awareness for nonprofits in our community and how they contribute to our quality of life, we want to create an exciting and unifying program that engages the community with their support and we want to encourage people to participate and strengthen that crucial nonprofit sector.”

The 50 organizations selected to participate in Give BIG Green Bay 2026 showcase the strength and diversity of organizations serving Brown County.

They represent 11 areas of impact and vary in size and experience — ranging from established and far-reaching organizations to emerging nonprofits making a notable impact.

This year’s participating nonprofits will be:

Animal welfare
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Happily Ever After

Arts and culture

AVB Community Band
National Railroad Museum
The Weidner
Urban Cultural Arts & Event Center

Community improvement
Definitely De Pere
The Mauthe Center
Volunteer Center of Brown County

Education

Achieve Brown County
Encompass Early Education and Care
GBAPS Education Foundation
Literacy Green Bay
Northeast Wisconsin Latinx Rising
NWTC Educational Foundation
Ukwakhwa (Our Foods)

Environment and conservation
Brown County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League
Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust

Health and wellness
Center for Suicide Awareness
CP
Families of Children with Cancer
Foundations Health and Wholeness

Options for Independent Living
HANDS (Hmong Autism Neurodiverse Disability Support)
Unity Hospice

Human services
COMSA: A Resource Center Serving Immigrants and Refugees

Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin – Green Bay Connection
Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin
Foster the Village
Friends of PALS, Youth and Families
HER Alliance

Innovative Care Services
JOSHUA (Justice Organization Sharing Hope United for Action)
Safe Families for Children
The Mediation Center of Greater Green Bay
Wise Women Gathering Place

Hunger and housing
Community Pantry of Pulaski
Denmark Community Cupboard
Freedom House Ministries
Golden House
NeighborWorks Green Bay
New Community Shelter
Rooted In

Military and public service
Coalition for Youth/Adult Diversion Programs
Desert Veterans of Wisconsin

Recreation and sports
Green Bay Bicycle Collective
GRIT 920

Youth development
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Green Bay
Girls on the Run of Northeast Wisconsin
Hands on Deck

“Give BIG Green Bay amplifies the critical work of our nonprofits by sharing their powerful stories and celebrating the power of local giving,” said Dennis Buehler, President and CEO of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation. “We’re proud that this day stands out among other giving days. Over the last eight years, nonprofits participating in Give BIG Green Bay raised on average two to three times more than those participating in the five largest giving day events across the country.”

Starting at noon on Feb. 25 until noon on Feb. 26, anyone, anywhere can visit giveBIGgreenbay.org to learn about the participating nonprofits and donate, at any level, to causes they care about.

For the nonprofits that participate, donations received during Give BIG Green Bay mean they can continue and expand the impactful work they’re already doing in the community.

“It’s a great opportunity to get more exposure because we need more exposure for what we’re doing…” said Betsy Borns, director of Safe Families for Children, a first-year participant in Give BIG Green Bay. “Our mission is to stabilize struggling families and keep kids out of the foster care system… With more money, we can serve more people… and have a bigger footprint here in Green Bay. There’s so many more people we can serve, so we’re excited for that opportunity.”

“Whenever we receive these kinds of funds, it helps stabilize our staffing and helps us get families connected to their permanent home…” said Jen Schmohe, executive director at Freedom House Ministries. “We’re hoping to utilize this money for operating and then also to leverage it to help connect people to apartments, help with apartment fees and remove barriers to getting people into their own homes.”

The Green Bay Packers Foundation is again providing a $250,000 grant to create a matching pool of funds to encourage generosity and assure that every dollar donated will go further to make a difference in the community.

With the support of other generous donors, a total of $545,000 in matching funds and incentives will be available.

“The Packers are proud to once again partner with the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation for Give BIG Green Bay to help benefit dozens of Brown County nonprofits and those they serve,” said Packers President and CEO Ed Policy. “This partnership allows us to support and raise funds and awareness for these incredibly important initiatives in our community. We encourage fans here in greater Green Bay, as well as those who support the local Packers community from afar, to learn more about these organizations and donate at any level they can.”

Across all eight years the event has been held, more than 55,000 gifts have been made totaling more than $17 million to benefit 154 unique nonprofits.
In 2025, a record $3.5 million was raised from more than 5,800 donors.
To learn more about each participating nonprofit and get ready to give, visit giveBIGgreenbay.org.

Green Bay Packers, Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, Give BIG Green Bay, community-wide day of giving, local news

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