MILWAUKEE (Sept. 13, 2016) – The Cousins Subs® Make It Better Foundation has awarded nearly $4,000 in grants to three southeastern Wisconsin nonprofits—IndependenceFirst, Children’s Community Center and Know Thyself.

A $1,000 grant was awarded to IndependenceFirst for its Youth Leadership Program, which is designed to help ease the transition from adolescence to post-secondary education and employment for young individuals with disabilities. This grant will allow IndependenceFirst to continue to improve upon independent living, leadership and social skills and career mentoring for those with various disabilities.

“We are very excited and proud to be chosen as a recipient of the Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation grant,” said Kathy Altman, independent living services program director at IndependenceFirst. “This grant will allow us to continue to help young people with disabilities develop the skills they need to live independently and set goals.”

Children’s Community Center (CCC) in Menomonee Falls, Wis., received a $1,373 grant to purchase new equipment for its therapy room. This space is used by private speech, physical and occupational therapists, as well as the local school districts to provide further assistance to children with special needs. By revamping the therapy room, CCC will have the opportunity to better help children with special needs reach their developmental goals.

“The Make It Better Foundation grant means a great deal to the families and staff of CCC,” said Dana Bilello, staff coordinator of Children’s Community Center. “This money will be used to help all of our children reach their full potential whether it is physical, occupational or speech related.”

Know Thyself in Port Washington, Wis. was awarded a $1,500 grant for the expansion of its Life Skills Curriculum, which addresses the social and emotional needs of disadvantaged, urban middle and high school students. This program will teach children how to positively cope with stress and anxiety. By creating a learning environment free of worry and distraction, students can focus on what's important in order to succeed.

“The Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation grant will give us the precise support we need to enter into a contract for services at a new school this fall, increasing our number of sites from 11 to 12,” said Laura Vuchetich, executive director for Know Thyself. “Since about 90% of the students at our sites are economically disadvantaged and Milwaukee public schools are so financially strained, we strive to provide our services free of charge. This grant will allow us to continue to do that and still meet the needs of the students.”

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 been giving back to the communities we call home since 1972,” said Justin McCoy, director on Cousins Subs Make It Better Foundation board. “We’re proud to assist these three nonprofit organizations on their quest to make it better for those who need our support most in the areas of youth education and wellness.”

Interested nonprofit and community organizations can visit www.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.