MILWAUKEE (Feb 22, 2017) – Cousins Subs® Make It Better Foundation has awarded $3,500 in grants to two Wisconsin-based nonprofits—The River Food Pantry and Best Buddies Wisconsin.

A $1,500 grant was awarded to The River Food Pantry for its Madison Urban Nutritional Children’s Hotspot (MUNCH). The program brings nutritional lunches directly into north side neighborhoods for children and teens in the Madison Metropolitan School District when school is not in session. Grant funds will help to feed approximately 800 children and teens each day who live in areas of Madison with high poverty and minimal resources.

“The generous $1,500 grant from Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation will enable us to continue bridging the nutritional gap many children face, and make a positive step forward in our community,” said Julie McCoubrey, lunch program manager of MUNCH. “Thanks to generous donations, The River Food Pantry is able to provide not only nutritional assistance at the pantry, but also food for children and teens directly at their neighborhoods when other food services are unavailable.”

Best Buddies Wisconsin was awarded $2,000 for its Milwaukee School Friendship program. This program pairs students with and without intellectual and development disabilities (IDD) with a friend and works to develop the practical, emotional and social skills required to face the challenges of young adulthood. Skills learned throughout this program will also assist with establishing independence to help with future employment opportunities.

“Best Buddies Wisconsin could not fulfill their mission without support from organizations like the Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation,” said Courtney Rogaczewski, state director of Best Buddies Wisconsin. “This donation will directly impact the Best Buddies chapters in greater Milwaukee and their ability to change the social fabric of their schools to support diversity and inclusion.”

Each grant is funded through the Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization established in 2013. The Make It Better Foundation aims to improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities Cousins Subs serves and addresses three areas of interest that are vital to any community: health and wellness, hunger and youth education.

“Cousins Subs has a long-standing investment in the communities it serves,” said Justin McCoy, director on Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation board. “We’re honored to support the programs at The River Food Pantry and Best Buddies Wisconsin as they are essential to the betterment of our local communities.”
Interested nonprofit and community organizations can visit cousinssubs.com/foundation to find out more information on eligibility and how to apply.

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ABOUT COUSINS SUBS

Wisconsin-based Cousins Subs®, a family-owned, fast casual sub shop established in 1972 by Bill Specht and his cousin, is driven by the mission to Believe in Better – both in the quality of food it serves and in the communities it supports. Cousins Subs and its franchisees operate more than 100 sub sandwich shops throughout Wisconsin and Arizona, providing guests with quality deli fresh and made to order grilled subs using only the freshest ingredients on its signature bread baked daily. For more information, visit www.cousinssubs.com. You can also find Cousins Subs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.