Foundation News


Foundation and Delta Dental of Wisconsin Pledge $100,000 to Expand Mental Health Support Services in Stevens Point Area School District

October 28, 2024 – In a collaborative effort to enhance mental health resources for students, the WEA Member Benefits Foundation and Delta Dental of Wisconsin have announced a joint donation of $100,000 to support mental health programming in the Stevens Point Area Public School District. Read more >

Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health Profile

October 4, 2024 – The Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health featured a profile of WEA Member Benefits Foundation’s mental health initiative on its website, which reaches youth mental health professionals, school districts, community leaders, legislators, and government officials throughout the state. Read more >

Second Annual Golf Outing Raises Vital Funds to Expand School-Based Mental Health Program

August 13, 2024 – On Monday, August 5, WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc. held its highly anticipated second annual golf outing fundraiser, which brought together community leaders, educators, and supporters to raise funds for school-based mental health programs across Wisconsin. Read more>

Foundation Presents D.C. Everest Area School District With a $20,000 Grant

July 23, 2024 – During a Board of Education meeting on July 17, WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc., granted $20,000 to the D.C. Everest Area School District to support their mental health initiatives and programs. The initial funding will help cover mental health counseling and therapy costs for uninsured or under-insured students, provide mental health professional development sessions for district staff, and support programs of the Marathon County School Counseling Consortium. Read more>

Foundation Honors Finalists of the 2024 Student Art Contest

June 4, 2024 – WEA Member Benefits is excited to announce the winners of this year’s Student Art Contest sponsored by the WEA Member Benefits Foundation and WEA Member Benefits. Eleven finalists were selected from over 200 student submissions across Wisconsin. This year’s this was “Whimsical Wonder.” Read more>

Foundation Presents the Green Bay Area School District With a $20,000 Grant

April 30, 2024 – WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc., granted $20,000 to the Green Bay Area Public School District (GBAPS) to support their mental health initiatives and programs. The initial funding will help create a new mental health navigator position, a comprehensive mental health resource webpage, and increased service hours from community-based providers. Read more>

Ninth Annual Student Art Contest

April 1, 2024 – Whimsical Wonder is the theme of our ninth annual student art contest sponsored by WEA Member Benefits and the WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc. Young artists are encouraged to think outside the box and embrace the theme in their unique and imaginative ways. Read more>

School Mental Health Works Podcast

April 2024 – The WEA Member Benefits Foundation Executive Director, Steve Goldberg, was on the “School Mental Health Works!” podcast from the Coalition for Expanding School-Based Mental Health in Wisconsin. Read more>

Foundation Update

February 2024 – We have some great news from WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc., to share with you. Updates on some of the school districts in our school-based mental health initiative and more. Read more>

January 20, 2024 – WMTV 15 Madison recently featured a story about the WEA Member Benefits Foundation and their school-based mental funding program. Reporter Mackenzie Davis spoke with Foundation representatives, Dave Kijek and Steve Goldberg, and Janet Thomas, Associate Director of Student Services from Sun Prairie School DistrictRead more>

Foundation Expands Funding for School-Based Mental Health Resources in Wisconsin Schools

September 2023 – In a 2021 survey to educators and district administrators, the Foundation asked, “What keeps you awake at night?““Student mental health” was a common responseSchool districts need additional funding to support and strengthen school-based mental health programming. A missing piece became clear: access to funding. Read more>

Foundation raises $35,000 to support school-based mental health programs in Wisconsin

August 2023 – Earlier this month, WEA Member Benefits Foundation’s inaugural golf fundraiser to support school-based mental health programs in Wisconsin’s public schools brought together nearly 200 supporters from across the state to The Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove. Read more>

Update on Foundation support of student mental health and new emergency fund

May 2023 – WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc., has made great progress in supporting students’ mental health through the establishment of funds for direct help and for emergency assistance. Read more>

Art Contest Opportunity for Wisconsin Public School Students

April 2023 – All things Wisconsin is the theme of the eighth annual student art contest sponsored by WEA Member Benefits and the WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc. Read more>

Update on Foundation initiatives

January 2023 – All four of the school districts participating in WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc. school-based mental health pilot project have made progress in matching the challenge grants we provided earlier this year and in using those funds to expand mental health services for their students. Read more>

American Family Insurance joins list of funders for student mental health programs in Wisconsin

July 12, 2022 – The American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation and the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact have committed to supporting the student mental health pilot project, joining a growing list of corporate philanthropic organizations. Read more>

Update on challenge grants for student mental health programs

April 2022 – As part of a pilot project to test a funding model for expanding private philanthropic support for school-based mental health programs throughout Wisconsin, WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc., with major funding from its sister organization—WEA Trust—is providing challenge grants to four K–12 school districts as part of the pilot: Appleton ($40,000), Racine ($40,000), Sun Prairie ($30,000), and Watertown ($30,000). Read more>

Press release: School-Based Mental Health Programs Get a Helping Hand

March 9, 2022 – The philanthropic arm of a statewide insurance and financial services organization for educators has launched a pilot project to test a funding model for expanding private philanthropic support for school-based mental health programs throughout Wisconsin. Read more>

PRESS RELEASE: Statewide school-based mental health initiative gets big boost

October 2021 – The WEA Member Benefits Foundation, Inc. is launching a pilot project to provide financial support for school-based mental health services for K-12 students throughout Wisconsin. Read more>

September 2021 update

September 2021 – WEA Member Benefits Foundation is very pleased to announce the establishment of new partnerships to financially support school-based mental health and to help students with internet access. Read more>

PRESS RELEASE: Art Contest Opportunity for Wisconsin Public School Students

April 6, 2020 – New in 2020, the contest now has a theme: Adventure and Explore. Art submissions can include places students have traveled or dream of traveling to, an imaginary place, a person or creature that is adventurous or likes to explore, or students are able to provide their own creative interpretation of Adventure and Explore. Read more>