UW-Green Bay Philanthropy class announces recipient of $10,000 grant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 25, 2024
Community service agency COMSA to benefit
Green Bay, Wis.—University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Philanthropy class announced today at 3:30 p.m. in the Mary Ann Cofrin Hall Wintergarden Atrium that a $10,000 grant will be given to the nonprofit organization COMSA. COMSA is a resource center serving immigrants and refugees; it is committed to fostering the growth and success of immigrant youth in our community. Half of the funding is provided by the Learning By Giving Foundation and half from an anonymous Brown County donor.
The donation will be used to fund an after-school program for refugee youth who have outgrown public support. They are hoping to expand to serve more refugee youth in the area by providing services of academic support, career planning, job search assistance, support to combat substance abuse and addiction, as well as creating a sense of community to hopefully decrease social isolation.
This year, the class formed giving circles and began by researching two main issues that they were passionate about: youth mental health and substance abuse and addiction. After learning more about each issue, students combined them to form their goal: ‘Our mission is to empower youth by decreasing social isolation, establishing social connectedness and community for them, and strengthening resilience against addiction.’ There were many nonprofits in the area who applied and shared their ideas to combat this problem. Other finalists included Awaken and Wise Women Gathering Place, who offer timely programs for youth to help increase social connectedness and avoid substance abuse.
“I am so unbelievably lucky to have been a part of a group of this group of students,” said UW-Green Bay student Abby Schulte. “This grant will be bringing awareness to the struggles of refugee youth, as well as social isolation and substance abuse within the group. I think this is exactly the kind of organization we as a class were looking for, an organization that makes a change, teaches us something about a current issue in the area, and brings to light an issue that we may not have known as much about. I am so glad to be a part of this class and I couldn’t be more excited to see what COMSA does soon with this grant as well as in the coming years for the community!”
The UW-Green Bay class, “Philanthropy: Civic Engagement Through Giving,” is in its 11th year and has donated over $110,000 to Green Bay area organizations since 2012. Most of this funding has come from the Learning by Giving Foundation based in Boston. The class offers a hands-on approach to help college students develop commitment to, and engagement in, the community. Classmates agree on a cause, and then go through a process of vetting nonprofit organizations that address that cause and selecting a recipient. Through the experience they learn how to discuss varied opinions and develop consensus with people holding divergent points of view.
“For this class, we define ‘philanthropy’ as ‘the desire to promote the well-being of others’. Students learn that there are many ways to have an impact as well as giving money. I aim to empower them to be strategic in how they invest their money, but also their voices and their time to make a difference,” said UW-Green Bay Associate Professor Lora Warner who teaches the course, the only Learning by Giving course in Wisconsin. Prof. Warner, who is retiring from UW-Green Bay in May, will give opening remarks reflecting on the important lessons having taught the class over 12 years.
The event will be held LIVE on Facebook where students will discuss the project, the class, and what the experience has meant to them. UWGBphilanthropy Facebook page (A photo of the class is available to media upon request and on Facebook).
The second portion of the event will be the Celebrating Students Award program by the Public & Environmental Affairs Department. The Early Career Achievement award will go to alumna Maddy Diddier, Director of Programming and Parent Educator at Howe Community Resource Center. The Distinguished Alumna Award will be awarded to Vickie Patterson, Executive Director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board. Community Partner Awards will recognize the Village of Ashwaubenon, The Gateway Collective and Curative Connections as exemplary partners of students and faculty in the Public & Environmental Affairs Department. Numerous students will receive academic awards and scholarships.
About COMSA
For more information, visit https://www.comsausa.org/ or watch this YouTube video.
About UW-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a school of resilient problem solvers who dare to reach higher with the power of education that ignites growth and answers the biggest challenges. Serving 10,300 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as 67,500 continuing education learners annually, UW-Green Bay offers 200 academic degrees, programs, and certificates. With four campus locations in Northeast Wisconsin, the University’s access mission welcomes all students who want to learn, from every corner of the world. Championing bold thinking since opening its doors in 1965, it is a university on the rise – Wisconsin’s fastest growing UW. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
–44-24–
