MILWAUKEE (Aug. 31, 2017) – Cousins Subs® Make It Better Foundation has awarded $7,000 in grants to four Wisconsin-based nonprofits— Franklin Police Citizen Academy Alumni Association, Hawthorne Elementary School, Victory Garden Initiative and Volunteer Center of Brown County.

A $1,000 grant was awarded to Hawthorne Elementary School for three stand-up desks to be utilized in the school’s classrooms. Stand up desks will help students combat a sedentary lifestyle, increase engagement and creativity and decrease behavioral issues among students.

“The students are extremely excited for their new addition to the classroom,” said Mandi Buehl, parent teacher association member at Hawthorne Elementary School. “They are always looking for ways to move around, and here we have a teacher-approved method that helps them focus and stay engaged in learning.”

Victory Garden Initiative was awarded $1,000 for its Youth Education Program (YEP!). This program teaches youth to make positive changes to their food habits within their homes and communities. By funding YEP!, youth are provided with skills to make positive changes to their physical health by introducing fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables to their diet. In addition, youth are educated about mental health by engaging in activity that is proven to positively impact depression, anxiety and other mental issues. YEP! also focuses on strengthening community relationships by providing an opportunity to interact with community members and fellow students.

“With the generous support of Cousins Subs, Victory Garden Initiative’s YEP! is now able to serve more youth in Milwaukee neighborhoods than ever before,” said Beverly Tyree, program and operations director at Victory Garden Initiative. “YEP! provides youth a way to learn how to grow their own food, the power of eating healthy and the joy of being outside, all at Victory Garden Urban Farm.”

A $2,500 grant was also awarded to Franklin Police Citizen Academy Alumni Association for its Child ID Kits. This program provides parents and the Franklin Police Department with a comprehensive description of children, such as birthmarks, allergies, piercings and emergency contacts. Grant funds will help to purchase updated, digital equipment to ensure that every child is protected through individual identification profiles.

“This grant means we are able to purchase an electronic finger print machine and save on unnecessary supplies, while providing parents with state of the art technology,” said Ann Adamski, president of the Franklin Police Citizen Academy Alumni Association. “We are very excited to brand this ID kit and have the opportunity to use it more often without time constraints of getting items back to the police department.”

Volunteer Center of Brown County was awarded a $2,500 grant for its Reading Coaches for Kids—a flexible tutoring program sponsored by the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program at the Volunteer Center of Brown County. By utilizing volunteer tutors to work one-on-one with children who are not reading at their grade level, students are able to increase their reading abilities
through personalized attention, targeted instruction and extra encouragement.

“The grant from Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation will allow our Reading Coaches for Kids program to grow by allowing us to recruit new volunteers to assist students with reading in over 22 Green Bay area schools,” said Eric Sponholtz, executive director at Volunteer Center of Brown County. “It will also allow us to provide brand new books to students to continue to foster solid literacy skills. We are very grateful to Cousins Subs for providing us with funds to continue to make sure all students succeed and develop a lifelong love for reading.”

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. Since its inception, the Make It Better Foundation has awarded $250,000 to 52 organizations throughout the state of Wisconsin.
“Cousins Subs was founded on its passion to give back to the local communities it serves,” said Justin McCoy, director on Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation board. “By funding statewide nonprofit organizations that align with our Foundation’s three pillars, we’re able to fulfill our mission to Believe in Better for all that we serve.”

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.