20 local non-profits share a miracle (on Canal Street)

By - Aug 12th, 2010 12:34 pm

Image from paysbig.com

(Press release from Ryan Amundsen at Potawatomi Bingo Casino)

In what seems an unlikely pairing, non-profit organizations specializing in these areas were selected, along with 27 other local children’s charities, as participants in Potawatomi Bingo Casino’s 2010 Miracle on Canal Street program.

With more than 150 charity representatives on hand, the Casino held a random drawing today to select the organizations that will receive vitally needed funding from Miracle on Canal Street – its annual signature community program. Funded primarily by its Miracle bingo game – sold during every bingo session in the Casino’s Nest of Life Bingo Hall – the program has raised more than $9 million for over 300 local children’s charities since its inception in 1994.

“The overwhelming joy charities express in being chosen is so fulfilling,” said Melanie Martin, Bingo Director at Potawatomi Bingo Casino. “And the support shown by charities for those lucky enough to participate, even those that aren’t chosen themselves, just shows how selfless those that work and volunteer for these organizations are.”

A total of 30 charities are a part of this year’s Miracle on Canal Street program. Twenty charities were chosen at random and announced today. Ten signature charities were chosen prior to the event by the Casino’s Miracle media partners and announced at today’s event. This year’s signature charities have a special theme – “many children, many needs.” These agencies were chosen because they address multiple needs of the children they serve on a daily basis.

“In a time when budgets are tight and non-profits are having a difficult time meeting the needs of those we serve, we couldn’t be more grateful to Potawatomi Bingo Casino for lending a helping hand through its Miracle on Canal Street program,” said Bonnie Andrews, Volunteer Center Program Manager of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee, Inc. – one of the lucky organizations selected to participate during today’s event.

Following the announcement of the thirty 2010 Miracle on Canal Street charities, Potawatomi Bingo Casino surprised those in attendance with an additional $10,000 in grant money. The Casino awarded “mini-miracles” of $1,000 to 10 of the remaining charities that were not chosen to participate in the 2010 program.

The 2010 Miracle on Canal Street charities include:

  • Adaptive Community Approach Program Inc. – Waukesha County
  • Advocates of Ozaukee – Ozaukee County
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ozaukee County, Inc. – Ozaukee County
  • Helping Hands, Healing Hooves – Ozaukee County
  • St. Vincent de Paul Society – Milwaukee County
  • Starting Point of Ozaukee – Ozaukee County
  • The Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse of Washington County – Washington County
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee – Milwaukee County
  • Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin – Milwaukee County
  • Danceworks, Inc. – Milwaukee County
  • Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin – Milwaukee County
  • Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast – Milwaukee County
  • Hope House – Milwaukee County
  • Hope Network, Inc. – Waukesha County
  • Journey House – Milwaukee County
  • Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc. – Milwaukee County
  • LifeStriders, Inc. – Waukesha County
  • Milwaukee Christian Center – Milwaukee County
  • Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra – Milwaukee County
  • Neighborhood House of Milwaukee – Milwaukee County
  • Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee, Inc. – Milwaukee County
  • Penfield Children’s Center – Milwaukee County
  • Sojourner Family Peace Center – Milwaukee County
  • Spotted Eagle, Inc. – Milwaukee County
  • United Community Center – Milwaukee County
  • Unity in Motion, Inc. – Milwaukee County
  • Urban Ecology Center – Milwaukee County
  • Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center – Milwaukee County
  • Wild Space Dance Company – Milwaukee County

Each charity will receive an equal share of funds raised by the Miracle bingo gameplayed through Thursday, Dec. 9.

In 2009, more than $1 million was raised, with over $50,000 going to each participating charity.  Money for the program is raised though special Miracle bingo games and other initiatives. Potawatomi Bingo Casino keeps each year’s Miracle total a secret until the program concludes with the 2010 Miracle on Canal Street Awards Program scheduled for Friday, Dec. 10.

Categories: Arts & Culture

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us