Annual charity event raises funds in one-day event

(APPLETON, WI) — August 10, 2017 — Officials from the U.S. Venture Open confirm the one-day charity event raised $3,966,133 million. More than 865 golfers and 500 contributing partners raised funds to combat the root causes of poverty in the 32nd annual event. In three decades the event has raised more than $37 million with more than $18.3 million granted to nonprofits in Northeast Wisconsin.

“Each year we are humbled by the overwhelming contributions from individuals, companies, private foundations, our business partners and our team members,” said Greg Vandenberg, director of giving & community engagement for U.S. Venture, Inc. “This year is no exception and we are honored that so many share our mission.”

“Hundreds of volunteers make this effort possible and we thank our team members and non-profit partners for their commitment to this event,” said John Schmidt, President of U.S. Venture, Inc. “Their daily dedication enables U.S. Venture to pay 100% of the expenses of the Open.”

The priorities of the charitable effort are:

 

• – Prevent episodic crisis from developing a chronic need.
• – Support long-term solutions to move people out of poverty.
• – Assist those with limited capacity to maintain a stable and dignified quality of life.
• – Broaden impact and increase effectiveness via collaboration.
• – POINT regional poverty initiative which began with teaching more than 100 nonprofits continuous process improvement and coordinating services around individuals at risk or in poverty.

 

Golfers teed off from greens at Oneida Golf and Country Club, Green Bay; North Shore Golf Club, Menasha; Mid Vallee Golf Course, DePere; Fox Valley Golf Club, Kaukauna; Butte des Morts Country Club, Appleton; Wander Springs Golf Course, Greenleaf. Following the day of golfing, guests headed for Van Abel’s Supper Club in Hollandtown for a dinner, silent auction, and live auction to raise additional funds. All funds raised from the event are held within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, with grants made to collaborating nonprofit organizations focused on the root causes of poverty in Northeast Wisconsin.

The U.S. Venture Fund for Basic Needs is administered by each of the three major community foundations in the region and, according to foundation leaders, has changed the face of poverty in the region. “The focus on collaborative efforts and now continuous improvement addresses individual clients and families to make lasting differences in their lives,” said Curt Detjen, President & CEO of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. “Big improvements have been made for mental health and homelessness, yet we realize there is so much yet remaining to address,” he said.

“Tackling root causes of poverty and addressing the basic needs of our community through strong collaborative partnerships, while making smart investments to advance important work such as mental health support for our youth to job placement and literacy skills, is critical to the vibrancy of our region,” said Dennis Buehler, President & CEO of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.

According to President & CEO of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation Bill Wyman, “Programs like Hub, which focuses on wrapping services around people in need to help them get ahead, and Rise Up, which supports improving mental health and wellness for youth within our schools, are just two of the collaborative partnerships that are making a difference in our community.”

U.S. Venture Open

The U.S. Venture Open is the nation’s single largest one-day charitable event dedicated to fighting poverty. Funds from the event are held within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, with grants made to collaborating nonprofit organizations focused on the root causes of poverty in Northeast Wisconsin.

The event started in 1986 with 100 golfers and has grown to 1,100 attendees representing more than 500 donor partners from across the nation. To become a partner, visit www.USVentureOpen.com. Follow the event on Facebook, Twitter, or visit the U.S. Venture Open website.

Basic Needs Giving Partnership

$3.0 million in new Basic Needs Giving Partnership grants are already committed in 2017 involving 63 charitable organizations. Proceeds from the U.S. Venture Open pave the way for collaboration between funders and nonprofit organizations that are passionate about addressing the root causes of poverty in Northeast Wisconsin. The Basic Needs Giving Partnership was launched in 2007 when the J. J. Keller Foundation offered to match the grantmaking budget of the U.S. Venture Fund for Basic Needs. The J. J. Keller Foundation will again match up to $800,000 for grants distributed and will be joined for the 2017 granting cycle by lead partners ThedaCare, Oshkosh Corporation, Rhoades Foundation and others.

About U.S. Venture, Inc.

For more than 60 years, U.S. Venture, Inc. has been recognized as an innovative leader in the distribution of refined and renewable energy products, lubricants, and aftermarket tires and parts. Guided by its company vision, “To be the very best value-adding distributor of products that vehicles consume in North America,” they deliver unconventional, creative solutions that give their customers a competitive edge. Headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, the company’s business divisions are U.S. Oil, U.S. AutoForce®, U.S. Lubricants and U.S. Gain.

About Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade is a three-time NBA Champion (2006, 2012, and 2013) and twelve-time All-Star selection. In 2006, three years after first joining the HEAT as the No. 5 overall Draft pick, he led the team to Miami’s first-ever NBA Championship and was named MVP of the Finals. In 2012 and 2013, Dwyane won his second and third NBA Championships. Dwyane is currently a shooting guard for the Chicago Bulls after thirteen years with the Miami HEAT and three NBA Championship wins. In 2004, he created the Wade’s World Foundation, which provides support to various educational, health and family service programs, in particular those that benefit underserved communities in Milwaukee, Miami and his hometown of Chicago. In 2011, Wade was appointed to President Obama’s Fatherhood Task Force. In September 2012, he became a New York Times Best-Selling author, with the release of his first book, A FATHER FIRST: How My Life Became Bigger than Basketball.