The Green Bay Packers announced this week that Packers Give Back has awarded a $250,000 impact grant to St. John's Ministries to be used toward their capital projects.
St. John's Ministries' mission is to honor the dignity, restore hope and create lasting change for those who are experiencing homeless or housing instability in the greater Green Bay area.
"The Packers are proud to award the Packers Give Back Impact Grant to St. John's Ministries for their transformative projects," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "St. John's serves many of our most vulnerable and at-risk neighbors by providing not only a warm meal and a safe place to sleep, but resources and ongoing assistance for those facing homelessness. We are honored to support their mission to create lasting change in our community."
St. John's Ministries has been helping those experiencing homelessness or housing instability since 2005. As they continue to accommodate the growing needs of the homeless population, St. John's Ministries has adapted their buildings and stretched their uses, but they've reached a point where they must make significant structural changes and programming enhancements to grow into their next 15 years.
To address this need, St. John's Ministries is renovating its Men's Homeless Shelter, purchasing a new building for the Micah Center, renovating a location dedicated to women with a daytime resource center (Wellspring) and a Women's Shelter, and acquiring and renovating a building for socially inclusive housing. These capital projects will allow St. John's Ministries to address the needs of the homeless and cost-burdened households experiencing isolation, marginalization, lower life satisfactions – all contributing to shortened life expectancies.
The projects will enhance St. John's Ministries' ability to serve the homeless population and those facing housing instability by creating socially inclusive housing and providing space for mental health services and gender specific programming.
"The Green Bay Packers have been longtime supporters of St. John's Ministries and we are grateful for their commitment to making the community stronger," said St. John's Ministries Executive Director Dr. Alexia Wood. "The Packers Give Back Impact Grant is going to transform the lives of those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. We are grateful and inspired to know the Packers are in support of our vision for the future."
The Packers Give Back Grant is part of Green Bay Packers Give Back. Combined with other Green Bay Packers charity endeavors, the grant program helps contribute to a comprehensive Packers charity impact that was in excess of $9 million in the past year.
