By Ariele Vaccaro
Cory Nettles, founder and director of Generation Growth Capital, speaks to a full house in the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Peck Center.
To mark the beginning of its 2015 fundraising campaign, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County held a kick-off party at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
The Tuesday evening event featured stories of recipients of the services that United Way funds, live music, food, drinks, and a vow to raise $60 million in the coming year.
The amount would surpass last year’s proceeds between both the Waukesha and Greater Milwaukee branches by about a couple million dollars.
In February of this year, the two branches merged. Together, they will deliver funding to over one-hundred organizations focused on health, income, and education in four counties across southeastern Wisconsin.
The United Way’s board members hosted the event, each taking turns introducing a new United Way beneficiary.
The chairmen that spoke included Cory Nettles, founder and director of Generation Growth Capital, Cathy Jacobson, CEO of Froedtert Health, Suzanne Kelley, president of the Waukesha Business Alliance, and Alex Molinaroli, CEO of Johnson Controls. President and CEO of United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Mary Lou Young also hosted the event.
Each chairman spent some time remembering the past year.
Nettles addressed United Way’s interest in helping low income families.
The subjects of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County’s 2015 stories reveal this year’s Community Campaign Goal.
“I was happy that the United Way was committed to addressing those disparities in our communities and helping families get to a place of financial stability which gave them security, which is what we all ultimately want at the end of the day for all of our families,” said Nettles.
Jacobson recalled United Way’s work toward ending teen pregnancy, and revealed the organization’s new efforts to help infant mortality.
“We’re going to take that one on next,” said Jacobson.
Through a number of videos produced by Madison filmmaker and director Chris Thompson, United Way did its best to show that its funding reaches every corner of southeastern Wisconsin and touches people of all economic, racial, and educational backgrounds.
One beneficiary, a disabled toddler named Teagan, found schooling that met her needs.
Flossie, an elderly woman, stayed involved and maintained energy by utilizing Tai Chi and swimming courses for seniors funded by the United Way.
A father of two named Kyle found transitional housing through programming supported by the United Way.
Saz’s catered the evening in the Zoo’s Peck Center. Live music played by MillerCoors Brewing Company employees resonated in the hall as attendees took photos with the subjects of the United Way’s 2015 stories.