The Milwaukee Bucks and Sargento Foods raised $33,500 through the “Tipoff for Homes” initiative during the 2019-20 season to support Habitat for Humanity in Milwaukee. In its first season, the initiative called for a $500 donation from Sargento Foods to Habitat for Humanity for every tip-off the Bucks won throughout the 2019-20 regular season.
Led by center Brook Lopez, the Bucks won the opening tip in 50 of their 65 games prior to the league’s hiatus on March 11, resulting in a $25,000 donation. Sargento then committed $500 for each of the 17 regular season games that were missed during the hiatus for a total donation of $33,500 to Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, which will help build homes in underserved communities in Milwaukee.
“With the pandemic, having safe, affordable housing is more important than ever,” said Sargento Foods CEO Louie Gentine. “We are honored to continue our long-standing commitment to Milwaukee Habitat, now in our 28th year. We thank the Milwaukee Bucks for sharing our passion about giving more families in our community the opportunity to have a place to call home.”
“It was a very successful first season of the Tipoff for Homes program and we’re thrilled to partner with Sargento to raise $33,500 for Habitat for Humanity” said Bucks and Fiserv Forum President Peter Feigin.
Sargento Foods became the first corporate sponsor of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity in 1992. During that time, Sargento has built 30 forever-homes for families in Washington Park and Midtown neighborhoods in Milwaukee. This year, Sargento will dedicate the 30th home to a single father and his son and will also begin their work on the 31st Sargento Habitat for Humanity MKE Home in the Midtown neighborhood. More than 800 Sargento employees have volunteered to build those homes, devoting more than 16,500 volunteer hours to the cause.
About Sargento Foods Inc.:
With 2,300 employees and net sales of more than $1 billion, Sargento Foods is a family-owned company that has been a leader in cheese for more than 65 years. Founded in 1953 in Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sargento created the world’s first successful pre-packaged sliced and shredded natural cheeses. Today, Sargento Foods is still based in Wisconsin, where they manufacture and market amazing shredded, sliced and snack natural cheese products, as well as ingredients and sauces. Company leadership lives to serve local communities and employees, whom they refer to as the Sargento Family. www.sargento.com
About Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
People in our community and all over the world partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With our help, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families. Over the past 35 years, Milwaukee Habitat has served more than 1,000 families in the Greater Milwaukee community through new construction, rehab and repair programs and provided housing solutions for more than 1,800 families in developing countries. www.milwaukeehabitat.org
