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Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Foundation and GE HealthCare Donate $1 Million to Milwaukee Nonprofits

Ten Milwaukee-area nonprofits are set to receive a total of $1 million in grants from a new initiative launched by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s foundation in partnership with GE HealthCare. This initiative, named "Powering Milwaukee Forward," aims to enhance access to essential services such as housing, food, and education in underserved communities across Milwaukee.

Key Takeaways

  • Total Funding: $1 million distributed among 10 nonprofits.
  • Focus Areas: Housing, education, food access, and safe environments.
  • Key Participants: Giannis Antetokounmpo, GE HealthCare, and local government officials.

The announcement was made at Avli, a Greek restaurant in Milwaukee’s Brewer’s Hill neighborhood, where notable speakers included Giannis Antetokounmpo, his wife Mariah, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

Giannis expressed his commitment to the community, stating, "I call this community home, and I want to make a difference in this community going forward."

Nonprofits Benefiting from the Initiative

The following organizations will receive grants through the Powering Milwaukee Forward initiative:

  1. Acts Housing
  2. African American Breastfeeding Network
  3. Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
  4. Children’s Wisconsin Foundation
  5. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
  6. Hunger Task Force
  7. Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
  8. Milwaukee Parks Foundation
  9. Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers
  10. YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee

The GE HealthCare Foundation contributed $200,000 specifically to support the African American Breastfeeding Network’s doula-training program and Children’s Wisconsin’s Community Connectors program. This program pairs mothers of children under five with community members for coaching and goal setting, enhancing maternal and infant health care.

Funding Breakdown

The total $1 million funding is divided as follows:

  • $200,000 for the African American Breastfeeding Network and Children’s Wisconsin Foundation.
  • $800,000 split evenly between GE HealthCare and the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation to support the other eight nonprofits.

Goals of the Initiative

The initiative aims to address critical issues in Milwaukee, focusing on:

  • Housing: Supporting Acts Housing’s homeownership program and Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity’s 2025 build season, which aims to construct 36 new homes and repair 35 existing homes.
  • Food Access: Funding Feeding America’s Nurturing Collaborative program and Hunger Task Force’s Mobile Market to combat food deserts.
  • Education: Enhancing STEM programming at the Boys and Girls Club and early childhood education at the YMCA.
  • Safe Environments: Developing a soccer field at Sixteenth Street and community engagement initiatives at Atkinson Triangle Park.

Community Impact

According to Andrew Ruehl, community affairs lead at GE HealthCare, the initiative is just the beginning. "We know that this is just the start, and I think we will continue to evaluate other organizations because we know there’s a lot of other great nonprofits in this community that work within this space."

Giannis Antetokounmpo emphasized the importance of supporting underserved neighborhoods, stating, "The City of Milwaukee has done so much for me and my family — but I know there are so many in this community who struggle to access basic needs. It’s time to support these underserved neighborhoods and help provide what they need to thrive."

Sources

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