The Middleton Endowment (ME) Committee awarded 6 $1,000 grants in 2024 to the following organizations:
The Middleton Endowment (ME) Committee awarded 15 $1,000 grants in 2023 to the following organizations:
- Middleton Community Orchestra ($2,000)
- Madison Reading Project
- Central Midwest Ballet
- Luke's Closet
- National Mustard Museum
- Middleton Senior Center
- American Parkinson Disease Association
- Worker Justice Wisconsin
- Junior Achievement Wisconsin
- Forward Performing Arts
- Gilda's Club
- Tri 4 Schools
- The Plate Initiative
- Middleton Parks & Recreation
The Middleton Endowment (ME) Committee awarded three grants worth $2,500 to Bridge Volunteering, Tri 4 Schools and the Madison Reading Project as part of its 2021 spring cycle.
The recipients were recognized at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Get Moving Middleton virtual breakfast meeting on Thursday, June 3.
Madison Reading Project was awarded $1,000 as part of its Books & Activity Kits for Kids project. The effort began in 2019 as a way to provide more books to children in lower-income areas of Middleton and is supported by Mayor Gurdip Brar. More than 3,000 books were delivered to children in 2020 after schools were closed in March due to the pandemic.
Bridge Volunteering was awarded $500 for supplies and to pay for an event to support the 25-plus children with special needs who participate in the program along with volunteers. Close to 75 Middleton children have benefited from the organization since it was formed in 2019.
Tri 4 Schools was awarded $1,000 for personal protective equipment and other supplies, which will be used to hold the Middleton Triathlon in August. The Middleton Triathlon began in 2010. It is open to children ages 3-14. Approximately 40 percent of all Tri 4 Schools participants are from the Middleton area. Grants, sponsorships, and donations allow Tri 4 Schools to return most entry fees to schools to purchase physical education equipment Middleton-Cross Plains Area Schools have received approximately $100,000.
“We were thrilled once again to award grants to three great organizations,’’ ME chair Paul Kinne said. “It is so rewarding to be able to fund these quality projects. ME continues to make a difference in the community. I encourage everyone to consider a donation as part of our annual appeal in the fall or whenever it is convenient for you. Your contributions will help us make a greater impact and provide more and larger grants to deserving organizations.”
ME was formed in 2007 and has awarded more than $75,000 in grants to approximately 55 organizations. The ME Advisory Committee usually considers grant applications twice each year. ME typically awards grants in the $250 to $1,000 range.
ME is a giving partner and component fund of Madison Community Foundation. Since its inception, ME has raised over $275,000 for its endowment fund. ME was formerly known as the Middleton Community Endowment until 2015. The organization’s motto is “Good Neighbors Doing Good Works.’’
The Middleton Endowment (ME) Committee awarded grants of $1,000 apiece to Clark Street Community School, the Friends of the Middleton Public Library and the Red Line Club as part of its 2020 fall cycle. The recipients will be recognized at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Get Moving Middleton virtual breakfast meeting on Thursday, December 3.
CSCS, the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District’s project-based charter school for high school students, is providing a self-care tool kit for each of their 100-plus students to use during virtual learning. A student group will decide what is included in the kits, but will likely include a stress ball, journal and cards with ideas for self-care.
The Middleton Public Library is creating a Winter StoryWalk for residents and will use the funds to purchase copies of The Snowy Days in English and Spanish to be given to families that participate in the walk. The Snowy Days was published in 1962 by Ezra Jack Keats and is the story of a young Black boy named Peter who explores the snowy world around him. It was the first book featuring an African-American protagonist and Keats won the 1963 Caldecott Award for his collage style artwork.
Each story walk pane will display one or two pages of the book and offer a suggestion for an educational activity for participants to do.
The Red Line Club is trying to raise $15,000 to cover the cost to build two sheets of ice. The sheets of ice can be used by hockey players of all ages, and anyone else who wants to skate. The project is being led by seniors on the Middleton High School boys hockey team. The Red Line Club believes the project will provide physical and emotional help for players and others in the community during the pandemic.
“We were thrilled once again to award grants to so many great organizations,’’ ME chair Paul Kinne said. “It is so rewarding to be able to fund so many quality projects. ME continues to make a difference in the community. I encourage everyone to participate in our annual appeal as we work to grow our endowment fund. Your contributions will help us make a greater impact and provide more and larger grants to deserving organizations.”
ME was formed in 2007 and has awarded more than $63,000 in grants to approximately 50 organizations. The ME Advisory Committee usually considers grant applications twice each year. ME typically awards grants in the $250 to $1,000 range.
ME is an affiliate fund of Madison Community Foundation. Since its inception, ME has raised $225,000 for its endowment fund. ME was formerly known as the Middleton Community Endowment until 2015. The organization’s motto is “Good Neighbors Doing Good Works.’’
Besides Kinne, other members of the advisory committee include Shayna Borakove, Dan Chart, Curt Fuszard, Perry Hibner, Patrick Knecht, Adrianne Machina, and Kari Oakes.
The Middleton Endowment Committee (ME) awarded grants to Junior Achievement, the Madison Reading Project, the Middleton Recreation Department, Reach-A-Child, and Tri-4 Schools as part of its 2019 spring cycle.
The grants were announced at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Get Moving Middleton breakfast meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday, June 6.
In addition, 2019 Middleton High School graduate Meghna Datta received the Cecile Druzba Memorial Scholarship Award from Middleton Endowment. The award was announced at Scholarship Night on Wednesday, May 15 at the Performing Arts Center. Druzba was a former ME board member who also worked for the Middleton Chamber of Commerce. She died in a car accident earlier this year.
Junior Achievement received $750 for its Youth Empowerment Program, which impacts 300 students and teaches the importance of saving and sharing, and how money works. The program also includes an entrepreneurial focus and how sales tax is collected and used to fund city planning.
The Madison Reading Project was awarded $875, and plans to use the funds to buy books and fund a literacy program aimed at lower-income Middleton children up to 12 years old, with a special focus on bilingual children.
The Middleton Recreation Department was awarded $1,000, and will host a Summer Day Camp for 25 students in grades 1-4. The camp is held four days a week and is a cooperative effort with the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District and also employs high school students.
Reach-A-Child was awarded $750 for a bilingual book program. The funds will also continue to purchase children’s books and backpacks for first responders to give to children in crisis. Reach-A-Child delivered more than 23,000 books through first responders in Wisconsin in 2018.
Tri-4 Schools was awarded $1,000 has an 8-week after-school training program that is focused on creating physically active children with mindfulness activities. The program is being held at Kromrey Middle School for the first time after previously being done at a number of MCPASD elementary schools.
The Middleton Recreation Department and Tri-4 Schools have each previously been awarded grants by Middleton Endowment.
“We were thrilled once again to award grants to so many great organizations,’’ ME chair Adrianne Machina said. “It is so rewarding to be able to fund so many quality projects. ME continues to make a difference in the community. I encourage everyone to participate in our annual appeal as we work to grow our endowment fund to $250,000. Your contributions will help us make a greater impact and provide more and larger grants to deserving organizations.”
ME was formed in 2007 and has awarded approximately $60,000 in grants to more than 50 organizations. The ME Advisory Committee usually considers grant applications twice each year. ME typically awards grants in the $250 to $1,000 range.
ME is an affiliate fund of Madison Community Foundation. Since its inception, ME has raised $225,000 for its endowment fund. ME was formally known as the Middleton Community Endowment until 2015. The organization’s motto is “Good Neighbors Doing Good Works.’’
Besides Machina, other members of the advisory committee include vice chair Shayna Borakove, Nicole Broyles, Dan Chart, Curt Fuszard, Perry Hibner, Ryan Mauer, Mark Opitz, Deb Saeger and Scott Schwendinger.
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John Daly accepts a grant award from ME on behalf of The Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. |
The Middleton Endowment Committee (ME) awarded grants of $700 each to the Alzheimer’s Association of South Central Wisconisn, Gio’s Garden, Middleton Youth Center, Middleton Police Department, and Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy as part of its 2018 fall cycle.
The grants were announced at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Get Moving Middleton breakfast meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday, Dec. 6.
Alzheimer’s Association plans to use the funds for The Music & Memory Matinee on June 12, 2019. The afternoon concert also involves the Friends of the Middleton Performing Arts Center. The Larry Busch Band will play songs ranging from big band to early rock.
Gio’s Garden, which is a therapeutic respite program for children with special needs who are 6 and younger, plans to host five parent support groups from January to June, providing parents and caregivers the resources to network with one another to increase their personal well-being.
Middleton Youth Center, in collaboration with UW Community Arts, has developed a new project called Whooopensocker. The creative arts residency program led by UW-Madison professor Erica Halverson aims to engage middle school students in the creating and sharing of ideas through writing, improvisation and devised performance. The hour-long sessions will go for 12 weeks and culminate with a vaudeville-style performance of student stories.
Middleton Police Department plans to use the funds for a new “dual purpose” K-9. The K-9 will be involved with community relations, office and citizen safety, tracking, evidence location and narcotics detection. Officer Howard Statz will lead the new K-9 program.</p?
The Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, along with Northside Elementary and Attic Angel Place, will host an intergenerational art project in February 2019. The funds will help with bus transportation for students and teachers to Attic Angels Place, art materials, postage, publicity and display materials. FOPBC did a similar project in 2014 with Sauk Trail Elementary.
Gio’s Garden, Middleton Youth Center and Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy have each previously been awarded grants by Middleton Endowment.
“We were thrilled once again to award grants to so many great organizations,’’ ME chair Adrianne Machina said. “It is so rewarding to be able to fund so many quality projects. ME continues to make a difference in the community. I encourage everyone to participate in our annual appeal as we work to grow our endowment fund to $250,000. Your contributions will help us make a greater impact and provide more and larger grants to deserving organizations.”
ME was formed in 2007and has awarded more than $55,000 in grants to nearly 50 organizations. The ME Advisory Committee usually considers grant applications twice each year. ME typically awards grants in the $250 to $1,000 range.
ME is a regional giving partner of Madison Community Foundation. Since its inception, ME has raised $225,000 for its endowment fund. ME was formally known as the Middleton Community Endowment until 2015. The organization’s motto is “Good Neighbors Doing Good Works.’’
Besides Machina, other members of the advisory committee include vice chair Shayna Borakove, Nicole Broyles, Dan Chart, Curt Fuszard, Perry Hibner, Ryan Mauer, Mark Opitz, Deb Saeger and Scott Schwendinger.
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Senior Nicholas Lindberg receives the 2018 Middleton Endowment Scholarship from board member Perry Hibner. |
Middleton High School (MHS) senior Nicholas Lindberg was named the recipient of the Middleton Endowment (ME) scholarship.
The scholarship was one of nearly 80 presented during the annual Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) Scholarship Night at the Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, May 16. Nearly $77,000 in scholarships were awarded.
MCPASD Director of Communications and ME board member Perry Hibner presented Lindberg with a $500 scholarship. A committee of MHS staff members selected Lindberg based on criteria provided by ME’s board of directors.
Lindberg played for years in the MHS boys hockey program and also played golf and ran cross country at MHS.
He had extensive civic and community involvement, including serving on a mission trip to Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, serving meals to the homeless, coaching youth hockey, and participating in Feed My Sheep’s annual food packaging event.
The mission trip in the summer of 2017 had a profound impact on Lindberg. The reservation is one of the poorest in the United States with high levels of alcoholism and suicide.
“One boy was filled with energy and joy despite the challenges,’’ Lindberg said. “He taught me attitude is a choice. He chooses to be happy every day and he is grateful for what he does have.’’
Lindberg plans to attend the University of Tampa and major in international studies. After graduation, he would like to get involved in humanitarian work.
ME has been awarding one scholarship to a graduating senior annually since 2016.
“Nicholas embodies the good neighbor values of the Middleton community,” says Adrianne Machina, Middleton Endowment 2018 Chair. “We’re happy to participate in this scholarship program that recognizes these young leaders and hopefully encourages them to embrace a lifetime journey of generosity and civicmindedness.”
The organization is also hosting a Summer Sponsorship drive. All donors who make contribution of $25 or more between now and September 15 will automatically be listed as a Middleton Endowment Sponsor in its Year-End Annual Appeal marketing materials.
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Middleton Endowment and Madison Community Foundation leadership picutred with ME grant recipients |
The Middleton Endowment Committee (ME) awarded grants to Gio’s Garden, Heathy Community Kitchen and Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center as part of its 2017 spring cycle.
The grants were announced at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Get Moving Middleton breakfast meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday, June 1. All three organizations were awarded the full amount that they requested. It is the third time in Middleton Endowment’s history that every grant awarded was for the full amount.
Gio’s Garden was awarded $1,000 for an expansion of its Date Night program. The program was implemented in February 2016 so that parents of children with special needs could spend a night out. Fourteen families used Date Night for 163 hours of sibling care last year. The grant will help Gio’s Garden expand the number of families who can use the service.
Healthy Community Kitchen was awarded $1,000 for its Healthy Meals program. Meals are provided for free to individuals living 300 percent below the federal poverty level. Last year, more than 3,400 meals were served to community members. The grant will help Healthy Community Kitchen expand its transportation services and also grow more food in its gardens.
Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center was awarded $1,000, which will be used to provide children and families with free trauma assessments after an interview. Last year, 225 children and caregivers were referred to the Safe Step program.
“We were thrilled once again to award the full amount requested to all three organizations,’’ ME chair Curt Fuszard said. “It is so rewarding to be able to fund so many quality projects. ME continues to make a difference in the community. I encourage everyone to participate in our annual appeal as we work to grow our endowment fund. Your contributions will help us make a greater impact and provide more and larger grants to deserving organizations.”
ME was formed a decade ago and has awarded more than $48,000 in grants to more than 40 organizations. The ME Advisory Committee usually considers grant applications twice each year. ME typically awards grants in the $250 to $1,000 range. ME is also working with the City of Middleton on a possible community project and special gift as part of its 10-year anniversary, Fuszard said.
ME is an affiliate fund of Madison Community Foundation. Since its inception in 2009, ME has raised more than $150,000 for its endowment fund. ME was formally known as the Middleton Community Endowment until 2015. The organization’s motto is “Good Neighbors Doing Good Works.’’
Besides Fuszard, other members of the advisory committee include vice chair-secretary Adrianne Machina, Shayna Borakove, Nicole Broyles, Dan Chart, Perry Hibner, Tom Johnson, Josh Marron, Ryan Mauer, Deb Saeger and past chair Dan Loichinger.
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MHS Senior Taylor Ducke accepts her scholarship from ME board member Perry Hibner. |
The 2017 Middleton Endowment Committee (ME) scholarship was awarded to Middleton High School senior Taylor Ducke at the District’s Scholarship Night on Wednesday, May 17 at the Performing Arts Center.
Ducke was presented the scholarship by ME board member Perry Hibner, who also serves as the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District’s communications director.
The ME scholarship recipient was determined by the MHS scholarship committee, which is made up of counselors, administrators and teachers. The criteria established to determine the winner including a student who has been active in service learning and community involvement.
Ducke plans to attend UW-Madison and major in human biology.
She is a member of the yoga, current events and book clubs at MHS. She has also been active in the Key Club. Ducke has served as a Link Crew mentor for incoming freshmen. She is a member of National Honor Society. She has volunteered on mission trips and as a greeter at Gilda’s Club. She also played four years of lacrosse and golf.
“We are honored that Taylor was awarded the ME scholarship for 2017,’’ Hibner said. “Her dedication and service to others make her an ideal candidate. We are excited to see what the future holds for her.’’
ME is an affiliate fund of Madison Community Foundation. Since its inception in 2009, ME has raised more than $150,000 for its endowment fund.
ME was formally known as the Middleton Community Endowment until 2015. The organization’s motto is “Good Neighbors Doing Good Works.’’
ME also awards grants twice a year. The next round of grant recipients will be announced at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Get Moving Middleton breakfast meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday, June 1.
Besides Hibner, other members of the advisory committee include chair Curtis Fuszard, vice chair Adrianne Machina, Shayna Borakove, Nicole Broyles, Dan Chart, Tom Johnson, Josh Marron, Ryan Mauer and Deb Saeger.
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Middleton Outreach Ministry's 2016 grant supports facility upgrades. |
The Middleton Endowment Committee awarded grants to Gilda’s Club, Glacier Creek Middle School, Middleton High School, Middleton Outreach Ministry and the 21st Century eSchool as part of its 2016 fall cycle. The grants were announced at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Get Moving Middleton breakfast meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday, Dec. 1. All five organizations were awarded the full amount that they requested. It is the second time in Middleton Endowment’s history that every grant awarded was for the full amount.
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Gilda’s Club, a cancer support group with more than 2,800 members, was awarded $1,000 to double the number of Grief and Loss support groups it offers each month. The Griefbusters program will also include a six-week curriculum to meet the needs of children who have lost a parent or grandparent to cancer. Both groups are facilitated by a mental health professional and are offered at no cost.
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Glacier Creek, a middle school for students in grades 5-8 in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, received $720 to purchase eight break-out boxes. The boxes promote problem-solving, team development and time management skills all while students are learning content in a fun and engaging atmosphere. The boxes will be used in fifth grade although there are plans to use them across all grade levels. The grant was written by counselor Stacy Eslick.
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Middleton High School, which has nearly 2,100 students and is part of MCPASD, was awarded $700 to purchase two stand-up desks for students to use in physics classrooms. The grant was written by physics teacher Angie Humphrey.
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Middleton Outreach Ministry, which provides food, clothing, housing assistance, emergency financial assistance and special services for seniors free of charge, received $750 to pay for supplies for a utility room and purchase additional shelving at their facility. The projects will be completed by prospective Eagle Scouts from two area Boy Scout troops.
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The 21st Century eSchool, an online school for MCPASD students, was awarded $900 to purchase supplies to build a bird blind by the Confluence Pond site. The idea has already been approved by the City of Middleton. The design was developed and the blind will be built by students in grades 4-7 who have called themselves the Elmpact Team.
“We were thrilled once again with the quality of grants we reviewed this cycle,’’ Middleton Endowment (ME) Board Member Dan Loichinger said. “It is so rewarding to be able to fund so many quality projects. ME continues to make a difference in the community. I encourage everyone to participate in our annual appeal as we work to grow our endowment fund. Your contributions will help us make a greater impact and provide more and larger grants to deserving organizations.”
In 2016, ME awarded grants totaling $7,070. Spring 2016 grant recipients were Junior Achievement, Tri 4 Schools, and Clark Street Community School. Since 2009, ME has awarded more than $45,000 in grants to more than 40 organizations.