Northwestern Mutual Donates $150,000 to Brewers Community Foundation

Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, is stepping up to the plate this baseball season with a $150,000 gift to Brewers Community Foundation to address the need for youth mentors in the Milwaukee community. The foundation grant will fund the Mentoring the Ultimate Match campaign to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee and sponsor the 50/50 Raffle according to a release from Northwestern Mutual on Sunday.

According to the National Mentoring Partnership, more at-risk young adults with mentors (76 percent) aspire to enroll in college than those without mentors (56 percent). Local organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters aim to address this need by pairing positive role models with at-risk youth in the community.

“Positive role models can strengthen children, families and communities throughout our city, so we want to ensure that area children have the support they need,” said Eric Christophersen, president, Northwestern Mutual Foundation. “We are proud of the many Northwestern Mutual employees who volunteer with organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and proud to continue this partnership.”

The Brewers Community Foundation partnership includes a $75,000 grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters in addition to funding for the Mentoring the Ultimate Match campaign, which will take place throughout the 2016 season. Campaign elements include a scoreboard video message at each game, information for attendees on becoming a mentor and 500 tickets to Big Brothers Big Sisters for matches to attend a game.

Northwestern Mutual will also serve as the Presenting Sponsor of the 50/50 Raffle that occurs during the sixth inning of every game. Last year’s 50/50 Raffle raised a total of $800,000 for local charities. Proceeds will directly benefit nonprofits throughout greater Milwaukee that provide programming in the areas of health, education, recreation and basic needs.

This is the sixth year Northwestern Mutual and Brewers Community Foundation have partnered to help local children and families. This partnership is the second year it has benefited Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, with last year’s Stolen Bases Happy Faces campaign also focused on the mentoring organization.

“I am pleased that Brewers Community Foundation continues to partner with Northwestern Mutual,” said Cecelia Gore, executive director, Brewers Community Foundation. “Our partnership clearly emphasizes the critical nature of supporting youth in our community through mentorship and other meaningful strategies that improve the quality of their lives.”

To date, Northwestern Mutual has donated a total of $350,000 through its partnership with Brewers Community Foundation.

This grant is part of the foundation’s destinations portfolio that focuses on making Milwaukee a great place to live, work and play. Northwestern Mutual works with a variety of community partners to improve education and provide support to children and families within local Milwaukee neighborhoods, and accelerate the search for cures for childhood cancer nationally.