Wisconsin Team Over Delivers on Holiday Wish Tree Requests

CommUNITY brings our Wisconsin Team together each holiday season to provide everyday essentials for those served by the Milwaukee Women’s Center (MWC) – women, men and children affected by domestic violence, addiction, mental health issues, homelessness and poverty. It’s a richly rewarding endeavor in which 100 percent of the Wisconsin Team participates, with their own time and money, annually.

Who

Milwaukee Women’s Center / Wish-List Tree / Milwaukee, WI

When

Annually during the holidays

Event Highlights

CommUNITY brings our Wisconsin Team together each holiday season to provide everyday essentials for those served by the Milwaukee Women’s Center (MWC) – women, men and children affected by domestic violence, addiction, mental health issues, homelessness and poverty. It’s a richly rewarding endeavor in which 100 percent of the Wisconsin Team participates, with their own time and money, annually.

While there are many worthy causes to support with a holiday giving program, our Team intentionally chose an organization close to home for the chance to see first-hand the direct and substantive impact of their contributions.

After the holiday tree goes up in the Wisconsin office, helpful elves decorate it with gift tags, each indicating an item from wish list provided by the MWC. Employees grab tags of their choosing, buy and wrap the specified items and return them to the office. A few employees make monetary donations, which are used to purchase additional items from the wish list. Once all the items are bought and wrapped, Ehlers’ elves deliver the gifts to the MWC ahead of its holiday party.

The wish list reveals the limited means of those the MWC serves. It generally includes toys, bedding, winter coats and boots, and baby necessities like strollers, bathtubs and diapers. As is their nature, our employees consistently over deliver on expectations, providing beyond what the MWC requests.

MWC’s Jeri Kavanaugh expressed heartfelt appreciation for the donations. “Please know that these items are truly needed and appreciated by the community members we are fortunate to serve. Many times women come to the shelter with nothing but what they can carry, so your donation is truly appreciated!”

“Most of us don’t think about what others struggle with every day,” said Municipal Advisor Brian Roemer, who spearheads the annual holiday wish tree. “To be able to share our resources – our time and money – with others is awesome. This is a great organization doing important work.”

The Wisconsin Team hopes to do more with the Milwaukee Women’s Center as more post-COVID opportunities arise.