TWO RIVERS – An endowment fund established 25 years ago that now benefits “organizations in Manitowoc County with an emphasis on kids” distributed $50,000 across six organizations in 2024.
The Helen Gajdys Reis and Lester Reis Endowment Fund gave the following:
Mary Reis, endowment fund board member, said in a news release: “It is gratifying to know that so many will be impacted by these donations, which are the result of generous contributions from the people of the Manitowoc area and even farther away.
“The Board of Directors, namely Howie Zimmerman, Gloria Theis, Andy Steimle, Kathy Hanke, and George and Mary Reis, are the key to the success of the fund.”
Pastor Matt Sauer, executive director of the Manitowoc Warming Shelter located inside First Presbyterian Church, said: “This gift from the Reis Foundation ensures the shelter can operate for the full season this year. We are so grateful that they want to invest in our neighbors and build a better community.”
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Helen Gajdys Reis and Lester Reis Endowment Fund board member George Reis (left) presents the Manitowoc Warming Shelter with a $10,000 donation.
Sauer added the shelter currently serves 12 individuals but is turning away up to eight nearly every night. As a result, the shelter is striving to build an expanded facility that can house at least 24 individuals. A floor plan has been created with an estimated cost of $1.2 million. Anyone wishing to give to the effort can do so online at manitowocwarmingshelter.org or send a contribution to Manitowoc Warming Shelter, c/o First Presybertian Church, 502 N. Eighth St., Manitowoc, WI 54220.
Kevin Cullen of Wisconsin Maritime Museum said the $10,000 donation to the museum “will truly elevate our capacity to deliver unforgettable experiences for many youth who will visit.”
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Callie Braun, resource development manager for the Boys & Girls Club, added: “We are very appreciative of the [$10,000] donation and it means even more because of the matching gift challenge. The funds will be used to support current-year programming as well as summer programming for 2025.”
People can give to the endowment fund by sending contributions to Reis Endowment, P.O. Box 388, Two Rivers, WI 54241. The fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and contributions are fully deductible. Contact GVR Investment Management, Inc., at 920-553-4442 for more details.
Contact Brandon Reid at breid@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Manitowoc endowment fund gives $50,000 in 25th year to 6 nonprofits