For Christy Policy, investing in the future of a community starts with its children.
As leader of Ladies of Lambeau and wife of Packers President, CEO and Chairman of the Board Ed Policy, Christy Policy has guided the group's work toward supporting the health and welfare of children in Brown County. That commitment was at the center of the organization's 14th annual event, which focused on newborns and families facing financial hardship.
"I can't think of anything more important than the welfare of our children," said Policy. "That is why this event continues to focus on kids. When we improve the life of a child, we change the trajectory of an entire family."
That unshakeable belief has guided the group's community initiatives under Policy's leadership. Following last year's effort to support older children and teens in the Brown County foster care system, Ladies of Lambeau turned its attention to a different population this fall, with an equally important need — newborns and the families welcoming them into the world.
On Tuesday, Oct. 27, women connected to the Green Bay Packers organization gathered at Johnsonville Tailgate Village for the 14th annual Ladies of Lambeau event. Packers employees, board members and the wives and partners of employees, players, coaches and board members spent the evening assembling 200 "Welcome Baby Kits" for families facing financial hardship. Each kit provides essential supplies for a newborn's first four weeks of life, helping to ease some of the financial and emotional stress that can accompany the transition into parenthood.
The packages address many of the critical needs of babies and their mothers during the vulnerable postpartum period, often referred to as the fourth trimester.
Every tote bag includes everyday essentials such as diapers, wipes, rash cream, bottles, pacifiers, bibs, thermometers, grooming kits and swaddle blankets. Volunteers also painted onesies and wrote personal notes to new mothers and their babies, adding a personal touch to the initiative.
The effort reflects a commitment Policy has carried through years of community involvement. Before leading Ladies of Lambeau, she served as chair of the advisory board for Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center, an organization that provides support and advocacy for children who are suspected victims of abuse, neglect or other maltreatment. Through that work, Policy gained a closer understanding of the challenges facing vulnerable children and the organizations working to support them.
"Once you know, you can't look away," said Policy.
This year's focus on newborns and post-natal support for mothers also carries personal significance for Policy, a mother of two boys. She remembers feeling overwhelmed as a first-time parent, even with various support mechanisms available to her.
"I realized how lucky we all are," said Policy. "When my oldest son was born, I had resources, support, stability, and still, I had no idea what I was doing."
That experience led her to consider mothers navigating those first weeks without the same safety net, particularly families struggling to afford basic necessities. The cost of diapers, clothing and other supplies can add another layer of stress to an already significant transition.
"It can be a relentless cycle that completely undermines the space, structure and vigilance needed to build a solid foundation for a child's development and for healthy and successful parenting," said Policy.
That understanding continues to shape how Ladies of Lambeau approaches its work. Rather than assuming what kind of help a community needs, the group looks to local organizations to better understand where gaps in support exist and how it can help address them.
The 'Ladies of Lambeau' came together for the 14th annual event at the Johnsonville Tailgate Village to assemble "Welcome Baby Kits" and paint newborn onesies for expecting mothers facing financial hardship on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.
That collaborative approach became central to the development of the baby kits. Ladies of Lambeau worked with community partners, including Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin's Welcome Baby program, CASA of Brown County and VIDA, to help shape the initiative. Each organization brought its own knowledge and firsthand experience working with families, helping to identify the resources that would be most meaningful to include in the baby kits.
The partners' contributions extended beyond helping identify needs. VIDA provided informational cards for the kits, while UW-Green Bay shared educational resources about choline and maternal and infant nutrition, and Ovation Foods contributed their dietary products to include in the packages.
The Ladies of Lambeau event also brought attention to the experiences of young mothers such as Elsa Hernandez, who was connected to the effort through Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin. Hernandez shared her experience navigating the challenges of young motherhood and the community support she received, offering a firsthand perspective on the difference those resources can make during a family's earliest days.
The evening was accompanied by the Ladies of Lambeau Rub-a-Dub Baby Drive, which invited members of the Packers organization to donate baby wash and lotion to be distributed with the baby kits.
For Policy, the significance of the initiative reaches beyond the 200 totes assembled that evening. The supplies offer immediate, practical assistance, but the larger hope is that meeting children's basic needs can create better opportunities for them and their families over time.
"When kids have their basic needs met, they are healthier, more resilient, more successful in school and ultimately, more likely to thrive throughout their lives," said Policy. "This isn't just about helping babies. It's about strengthening families. It's about strengthening our community. And frankly, it's about strengthening our future."
That broader impact is also how Policy thinks about success. She hopes the event raises awareness of the partner organizations and the unmet needs they work to address, while building relationships that persist well beyond a single evening. The Packers' role as a community-based organization, with a purpose rooted in strengthening the place it calls home, makes that continued connection especially important.
"It's hard to define impact. It's not just about the numbers," said Policy.
One sign of that impact is the way VIDA is building on the initiative and carrying the work forward through its own programming. Tuesday's gathering helped give the effort a starting point, bringing partners and resources together around a shared need. For Policy, seeing an organization take that momentum and continue supporting newborns and new mothers is a meaningful measure of success.
"This tells us we are doing the right thing, beyond what any number or statistic could report," said Policy.
The focus may change from year to year, from children in foster care to newborns and their families, but the underlying commitment remains the same. Ladies of Lambeau brings people together to contribute not only resources, but also their time, creativity and care, with the goal of helping children get the support they need to thrive.
To learn more about the organizations involved and to support their work in the greater Green Bay community, please see the links below:
Family Services Welcome Baby Program
CASA
VIDA
