2025 Collaborators' Event
Wednesday, November 5th, 2025
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​Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School
2520 N Wauwatosa Ave
Wauwatosa, WI 53213
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3:45 PM | Refreshments & networking
4:15 PM | Grantmaking
6 PM | Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and social time ​​​
The Collaborators’ Event brings together donors, foundations, multi-generational families, and friends from the Christian community for an engaging evening where guests learn about and commit to funding vetted nonprofits and ministries. We hope you will join us!​​
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Since this event started in 2020, donors have generously contributed over $900,000 to Lutheran and Lutheran affiliated organizations that share the Gospel, educate children and youth, and serve the needs of our neighbors. Thank you for your remarkable generosity!
Make a donation online using the link below or mail a check payable to Siebert Lutheran Foundation at P.O. Box 755, Milwaukee WI 53201.
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Pay via a Donor Advised Fund or Stock Transfer by contacting Sarah Gilday (262-424-6184).
Please fulfill your pledges by Nov. 17th, 2025
Featured Grantee Partners
The sixth Collaborators’ Event will highlight 14 outstanding grantee partners recognized for their collaboration, innovation, impact, and expansion. Here is a preview of the powerful stories you will hear at the event that showcase the transformative work these partners are leading.
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Jump to a section to learn more:
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​A City for God (Chaplains in Schools)
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Center for Urban Teaching
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Just One More Ministry
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Lutheran Counseling and Family Services of Wisconsin
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Hephatha Lutheran Church
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JobsWork MKE
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Journeys Lutheran School
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The Lutheran Home​
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Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School
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Serenity Inns
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St. Marcus
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Project RETURN
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​Redeemer Lutheran Church
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Wisconsin Lutheran High School
Collaboration
Collaboration reflects a Biblical call to be members of one body—each bringing unique gifts, working in harmony, and bearing witness to God’s love through shared service for the common good. The collaborative efforts of these grantees deepen their mission and multiply their impact, demonstrating how working together can create lasting change
A City for God (Chaplains in Schools)
A City for God, formerly Chaplains in Schools, brings the Gospel into schools and organizations lacking a church connection, focusing on campuses with many students from unchurched families. Through mentorship, prayer, and guidance, chaplains foster spiritual growth and emotional support for students and staff.
Collaboration is at the heart of this ministry, deepening its mission and multiplying its impact through strong partnerships. A City for God partners with the Joshua Urban Ministry Program (JUMP), providing African American men with seminary training while serving in urban contexts, enriching congregations with diverse future leaders. The organization also collaborates with HOPE Christian Schools, LUMIN Schools, and other faith-based groups to extend its reach. Its latest partnership with LUMIN Schools has launched a Northside Church Plant at Granville Lutheran School, demonstrating how working together as members of one body can bring hope, spiritual care, and lasting transformation to Milwaukee’s neighborhoods.
Center for Urban Teaching
The Center for Urban Teaching (CfUT) addresses the critical teacher shortage in Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin by identifying, preparing, and supporting high-performing urban teachers and leaders, ensuring every child has access to a top-notch education. As the largest known program of its kind in the U.S., CfUT’s pipeline equips educators to serve in Milwaukee’s most underserved neighborhoods, where partner schools often serve student bodies that are over 80% students of color and living in poverty.
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Collaboration is central to CfUT’s mission, deepening its impact through partnerships with 50 schools, including 26 Lutheran schools, and working alongside college partners such as Concordia University Wisconsin, Wisconsin Lutheran College, and Martin Luther College, as well as nonprofits like Convene and Teach Like a Champion. By bringing together schools, universities, and mission-aligned organizations, CfUT exemplifies the Biblical call to shared service for the common good, demonstrating how working together creates lasting change for students and communities.
Just One More Ministry
Just One More Ministry (JOMM) rescues and redistributes prepared foods, produce, dairy, meat, and pantry items from donors like Amazon, Feeding America, and local restaurants to individuals and families facing hunger and addiction in Milwaukee. Last year, JOMM rescued 3.5 million pounds of food—up from 2.8 million in 2021—providing about 34,000 meals weekly through 76 community partners and Mobile Meals Outreach at 12 city locations.
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Collaboration is central to JOMM’s mission, partnering with 46 food sources and supporting 92 church and community partners, including many Lutheran church-based food pantries and meal sites. By working closely with area restaurants, caterers, shelters, and congregations, JOMM ensures that rescued food is efficiently recovered, repackaged, and delivered to those in need. This partnership-driven model not only keeps nutritious food out of landfills but also strengthens a network of organizations working together to address hunger across Milwaukee County.
Lutheran Counseling and Family Services of Wisconsin
Lutheran Counseling and Family Services of Wisconsin (LCFSW) provides essential counseling for mental health, addiction treatment, in-school counseling at 18 schools, adoption services, and support for women facing unexpected pregnancies. In 2024, LCFSW expanded its summer counseling program to ensure continuity of care while creating a sustainable financial model to retain counselors, offering services at eight Milwaukee and Racine schools and its Wauwatosa office.
Collaboration is central to several programs including a new partnership with Project RETURN, which supports individuals reentering the community after incarceration. LCFSW also works closely with LUMIN Schools to pilot innovative services and with LCMS churches and schools to reduce stigma and improve access to mental health resources, including through its first “A Night at the Museum” resource fair held in 2024
Impact
Faith-based organizations are rooted in a commitment to the transformation of lives and neighborhoods. Their impact is more than statistics; it’s a reflection of God’s work in the world, seen through stories, healed relationships, and renewed hope. These organizations embody impact that is deep, meaningful, and lasting, making a real difference in lives they impact.
Hephatha Lutheran Church
At the corner of 18th and Locust in Milwaukee, Hephatha Lutheran Church’s Strong Baby Sanctuary stands as a beacon of hope, addressing the stark reality that Black infants in Wisconsin are three times more likely to die before their first birthday. This community-led program educates young mothers on infant care, provides supplies and healthcare referrals, and offers spiritual and social support. These services create an uplifting space where mothers feel seen and supported.
Over the past eight years, the Strong Baby Sanctuary has become a lifeline for families, rooted in a commitment to transforming lives and neighborhoods. Its impact is lasting and may be seen in healthier babies, stronger families, and a community strengthened by God’s love.
JobsWork MKE
Unlike many workforce development programs, JobsWork MKE addresses root causes and lays the groundwork for long-term change when helping people living in poverty achieve economic self-sufficiency through sustainable employment. The organization addresses racial inequities throughout Milwaukee’s central city, with members most often living and working in the highest poverty zip codes. JobsWork’s Career Development program, developed from evidence-based models in Chicago and Cleveland and tailored to Milwaukee’s landscape, offers holistic, long-term support until members reach the goal of obtaining and keeping a full-time, sustainable-wage job.
JobsWork MKE embodies deep, meaningful, and lasting impact by transforming lives and neighborhoods, providing not just jobs but hope and stability for individuals, families, and the community.
Journeys Lutheran School
Journeys Lutheran School provides Christ-centered special education for 3rd–12th grade students with unique learning and emotional challenges, many of whom live at or below the poverty line. Serving a racially diverse student body, Journeys creates a nurturing environment where each child is seen as a child of God, capable of growth and purpose. The “Crossroads Classroom” teaches students with complex needs essential life and vocational skills alongside academics, empowering them to achieve independence and stability beyond the classroom.
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The school demonstrates a profound and enduring impact by transforming the lives of students and families and equipping them to navigate life with dignity, faith, and confidence while building stronger communities.
The Lutheran Home
For nearly 120 years, the Lutheran Home has provided compassionate, Christ-centered care to the elderly with skilled nursing care, regardless of their ability to pay. With 75% of residents sponsored through Medicaid and over $5 million in charity care provided annually, the Lutheran Home cares for residents medically, emotionally, and spiritually, creating a home where God is present. Staff and volunteers build family-like relationships, ensuring seniors receive dignity and stability throughout their lives. This ministry embodies true transformation, enriching lives while strengthening families and the broader community.
By offering a continuum of care through end of life, the Lutheran Home makes a lasting impact on the lives of individuals who have outlived their resources.
Innovation
Faith-based organizations are often at the forefront of innovation—listening deeply, responding faithfully, and adapting creatively to meet the evolving needs of those they serve. Innovation is Spirit-led problem solving: discovering new ways to reach people, deliver services, and collaborate for greater impact. Through fresh approaches to outreach, service, and partnership, these organizations are advancing their missions with boldness and purpose.
Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School
Kingdom Prep Lutheran High School is a faith-based school for young men in Milwaukee, dedicated to breaking cycles of poverty and violence through Christ-centered education. Nearly all students attend through the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Kingdom Prep’s Nehemiah 2.0 program creatively incorporates hands-on workforce training to prepare students for success in college, trades, or other vocations. Its innovative approach—offering problem-based learning, paid internships, and a focus on practical life skills—exposes students to opportunities beyond their neighborhoods, helping them discover and apply their God-given talents.
Kingdom Prep embodies innovative Spirit-led problem-solving, listening deeply and adapting boldly to meet evolving needs, advancing its mission with purpose while creating real change for students and their communities.
Serenity Inns
Serenity Inns, an alcohol and drug treatment center in Milwaukee’s Walnut Hill neighborhood, offers a holistic, data-driven approach to addiction recovery Its programs address the physical, emotional, social, financial, and spiritual needs of each individual. In 2024, Serenity Inns opened a $3 million state-of-the-art treatment facility across from its original location, providing medically monitored residential care in a safe, supportive environment. The organization also renovated its original facility, implemented program changes to boost graduation rates, and launched a drop-in clinic at Redeemer Lutheran Church for immediate treatment access.
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Serenity Inns exemplifies innovation by listening deeply and adapting boldly to meet evolving community needs. It receives at least five calls daily from men seeking help. Recent program innovations make it better equipped to meet the urgent demand for addiction treatment.
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St. Marcus Lutheran School
St. Marcus Lutheran School serves 1,230 students across three campuses in Milwaukee, with 96% participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. For nearly 150 years, St. Marcus has faithfully discipled children for Christ while training them in excellence for their roles in family, church, and community. Today, it stands as a five-star, state-ranked school where scholars exceed academic, athletic, and artistic expectations, building a strong trajectory for lifelong success. St. Marcus is boldly committed to innovative approaches that advance school reform and community transformation, ensuring every family has access to high-quality education.
St. Marcus exemplifies innovation through creative parental alignment strategies and early education programs that meet the evolving needs of Milwaukee families.
Expansion
Growth rooted in mission is a powerful expression of faith in action. When a church or organization expands, it’s not just about bricks and mortar—it’s about responding faithfully to God’s call to serve more, love deeper, and steward resources wisely to benefit the community. These organizations are expanding not just in size, but in their capacity to live out their mission in impactful and lasting ways.
Project RETURN
Project RETURN empowers individuals returning to Milwaukee from incarceration, helping them make a positive, permanent return to family and community. Experienced staff, many of whom have lived through reentry themselves, walk alongside clients to navigate the challenging transition after prison with dignity and hope. Responding to God’s call to serve more deeply, Project RETURN expanded in 2024 with a new transitional housing facility in Milwaukee’s Westown neighborhood, providing stable housing paired with wrap-around services for individuals with acute needs. This growth reflects a mission-rooted commitment to addressing Wisconsin’s high incarceration rates, particularly among African American men, and to meeting the community’s urgent need for reentry support, as shown by 250 monthly service inquiries.
Project RETURN’s expansion is more than bricks and mortar; it is a faithful step to extend care, reduce recidivism, and strengthen families and neighborhoods, demonstrating the organization’s commitment to lasting, impactful growth rooted in mission.
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Redeemer Lutheran Church, located at 19th and W. Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee, is a testament to faith, resilience, and commitment to community. Under Rev. Lisa Bates-Froiland’s leadership, Redeemer recently completed a transformative renovation of its 106-year-old Gothic Revival sanctuary, pairing historic restoration with expanded capacity to serve neighbors in need. The newly renovated space includes a kitchen to support the popular Noon Run meal program and areas dedicated to mission partners like Serenity Inns and Olga Neighborhood Wellness Services, which provides immediate mental health and substance use care.
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Redeemer's expansion is a faithful response to God’s call to serve more deeply and steward resources for the good of the community. Increased membership, giving, and baptisms reflect Redeemer’s growing capacity to live out its mission, demonstrating how a diverse urban congregation can bridge divides and create lasting impact through expanded ministry in Milwaukee’s Near West Side.
Wisconsin Lutheran High School
Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WLHS) serves approximately 950 students in grades 9-12, offering 140+ courses while nurturing faith, character, and academic excellence. As one of the oldest Lutheran high schools in the U.S. and among Milwaukee’s most diverse, WLHS equips students for success, with the top 75% of seniors averaging a 23.8 ACT score. To support students transitioning into high school, WLHS runs a four-week summer program for academically at-risk freshmen, ensuring a strong start.
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In alignment with its mission and commitment to serving more students, WLHS has boldly purchased a three-acre lot adjacent to its landlocked 14.3-acre campus, allowing for critical expansion to meet current and future ministry needs. This investment ensures that generations of students can access Christ-centered, high-quality education while expanding WLHS’s impact in Milwaukee.
