Thursday, October 29, 2026
Journeys Lutheran School | 5424 S. 111th Street, Hales Corners
Refreshments & Networking - 3:45 PM
Collaborative Grantmaking Experience - 4:30 PM
Cocktails, Hors d'oeuvres & Fellowship - 6:30 PM
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!
Since this event started in 2020, donors have generously contributed over $1.4M 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!
Join us in 2026 as we showcase best-in-class grantee partners leading in collaboration, innovation, impact, and expansion.
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Guests and their families are encouraged to discuss and choose organizations and programs to support.
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Contributions of any amount are welcomed—there is no minimum gift required.
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Siebert contributes an additional $200,000 to the total amount raised at the Collaborators’ Event. Each featured organization receives a share of those matching funds based on the amount donors directed to that organization.
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This event is ideal for families looking to foster a spirit of generosity. Families are encouraged to discuss the selected ministries, especially with younger family members who gain confidence and leadership skills through the process.
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Families can participate together via Zoom, whether near or far, allowing everyone to be part of the experience, even from different locations.
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Feel free to invite family and friends to join you as your guests for this special event!
It’s remarkable how one day can have such a big impact! We are recognizing organizations that are genuine change-makers and fostering a new, collaborative approach to giving that is a model for the future of philanthropy.
- Dr. Joan M. Prince, Former Siebert Lutheran Foundation Board of Director
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.
Center for Urban Teaching (CfUT)
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, so that 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.
Center for Urban Teaching was selected for its commitment to collaboration and its ability to multiply impact through partnerships with 50 schools, including 26 Lutheran schools. CfUT also works 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.
Christian Family Solutions
Christian Family Solutions expands access to Christ-centered mental health care for children, adults, and families across Wisconsin. The ministry makes compassionate, faith-integrated care more accessible to those in need through licensed professional counseling, school-based therapy, telehealth, and partnerships with churches, schools, and community organizations.
One in five Wisconsin adults and one in six children experience mental health challenges each year. Christian Family Solutions was selected for its collaborative approach to addressing this growing need. Its Community Counseling Care Partnership equips congregations and community partners to connect people with professional counseling, extending hope and healing while reminding each person they are deeply loved by God. Together, these partnerships now serve more than 6,700 people annually, strengthening individuals, families, churches, and communities throughout Wisconsin.
Ebenezer Stone Ministries
Ebenezer Stone Ministries serves as the hands and feet of Christ by providing food, hope, and compassionate support to thousands of individuals and families each month. What began as a neighborhood soup kitchen has grown into a collaborative community ministry that addresses both immediate needs and the barriers that keep people from thriving.
Ebenezer Stone Ministries was selected for its innovative partnerships that multiply its impact. Through a network of food suppliers, farms, churches, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations, the ministry distributes more than 500,000 pounds of food annually and supports 48 partner organizations serving about 50,000 people each month. Beyond food, an on-site community navigator connects neighbors with housing, mental health support, FoodShare, employment, and other essential resources—helping individuals and families move from crisis to stability while experiencing the love of Christ.
Lighthouse Youth Center
Lighthouse Youth Center helps at-risk youth discover hope, purpose, and a brighter future through the love of Jesus. Young people facing academic struggles, difficult home environments, and community violence find a safe place where trusted adults encourage them, challenge them to grow, and help them build the skills to succeed in school and in life.
Lighthouse Youth Center was selected for its collaborative approach to transforming lives. Families, volunteers, churches, and community partners work together to surround youth with consistent support and positive role models. Since opening in 2006, Lighthouse has grown from one location to five campuses, serving more than 6,500 young people and celebrating more than 100 baptisms. Every day, the ministry creates opportunities for youth to build confidence, strengthen their faith, and envision a future filled with hope.
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.
All Peoples' Gathering
Every week, up to 1,800 neighbors come to All Peoples’ Gathering Lutheran Church for more than food. They find community, dignity, and the love of Christ. Through five food justice ministries, the church provides meals, groceries, and practical support to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
All Peoples’ Gathering was selected for the profound impact it has on individuals and families facing food insecurity. At the heart of this work is the Isaiah 55 Ministry, a choice-based food pantry where every guest is treated with respect. Beyond food, the pastor and community minister build relationships, offer spiritual care, and connect guests with resources that can lead to greater stability and long-term independence. In 2025, 3,483 volunteer hours helped serve 18,739 people. All Peoples’ also provides school supplies, winter coats, community celebrations, and opportunities for fellowship. Its ministries are a tangible expression of Christ’s love, offering nourishment, belonging, and hope for the future.
Bread of Healing Clinic
Bread of Healing Clinic provides compassionate health care to uninsured and underinsured individuals and families throughout Milwaukee. Through medical, dental, behavioral health, social work, and pharmacy services, the clinic cares for the whole person—restoring health, dignity, and hope. Its collaborative care model brings providers together to develop personalized care plans that address both medical needs and the underlying factors that affect health.
Bread of Healing Clinic was selected for its impact on accessible quality health care for all. Beyond treating illness, the clinic connects patients with food, housing, legal resources, and educational programs that foster long-term stability. Staff also provide ongoing support between visits, helping patients manage medications and stay on track with their care. Powered by dedicated staff and volunteers, the clinic ensures Milwaukee's most vulnerable residents don't have to choose between food, rent, and life-saving medical care. With a fourth location opening soon, Bread of Healing will expand its reach and serve even more neighbors in need.
Journeys Lutheran School
Journeys Lutheran School provides individualized education for students with diverse learning needs, helping each child discover and develop their God-given gifts. Through personalized instruction, therapeutic support, and faith woven throughout the school day, Journeys creates an environment where students can thrive with confidence, purpose, and a true sense of belonging.
Journeys Lutheran School was selected for the transformative impact it has on students and families through its innovative approach to education. One example is the Crossroads Classroom, a highly specialized program that combines academics with practical life skills and self-advocacy. Students build independence by learning everyday skills like cooking, laundry, hygiene, and safety while participating in community outings that strengthen vocational and social skills. With small class sizes and individualized support, Journeys equips students with the knowledge, confidence, and life skills they need to reach their full potential and live as the people God created them to be.
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.
LUMIN Schools
LUMIN Schools provides Christ-centered, career-connected education that equips students in Milwaukee and Racine to achieve academic excellence and discover their God-given purpose, helping students connect their education to future possibilities. LUMIN operates six K4–8 campuses serving approximately 1,400 students in Milwaukee and Racine. More than 85% of students are economically disadvantaged, and nearly all participate in the Milwaukee or Racine Parental Choice Programs.
LUMIN Schools was selected for its innovative approach to education and its commitment to reimagining how students are prepared for the future. Students learn through the One in Christ curriculum and participate in weekly chapel. LUMIN provides a rigorous, Christian education alongside wraparound social and health services that address barriers to learning.
Serenity Inns
Serenity Inns provides recovery services that restore hope and transform lives for men overcoming substance use disorder. Through residential and outpatient treatment, stable housing, and a compassionate community, Serenity Inns walks alongside men facing significant barriers to help them build lasting recovery. No one is turned away because of an inability to pay.
Serenity Inns was selected for its innovative approach to recovery and unwavering commitment to creating pathways to healing. In 2024, the organization opened a state-of-the-art $3 million residential treatment center, doubling its treatment capacity and expanding access to medically monitored, trauma-informed care. The new facility enables Serenity Inns to serve more men at a critical point in their recovery journey while strengthening its continuum of care through outpatient services, transitional housing, and a low-barrier drop-in clinic—offering hope that extends well beyond treatment.
Prison Ministries
The organizations in this category serve individuals both inside correctional facilities and after release. Through faith-based support, mentoring, and reentry services, they help people move toward hope, stability, and a new beginning.
Project RETURN helps individuals returning from incarceration make a successful, lasting transition back to family and community through peer-informed support. Founded in 1980 at Cross Lutheran Church with the help of 17 congregations and 15 community-based organizations, Project RETURN continues to address the challenge of high prison recidivism rates in Milwaukee. The most significant recent development is the launch of Bridge Housing to provide free housing and wraparound care across 12 apartments for individuals navigating reentry. With 250 inquiries a month, there is a clear need for the organization’s services.
Institutional Ministries shares the hope of Christ with incarcerated individuals and their families across Wisconsin. Through chaplains and trained volunteers serving in approximately 135 jails and prisons, the ministry provides spiritual care, encouragement, and a consistent reminder that no one is beyond God's love. Through one-on-one visits, Bible studies, and thousands of devotional mailings each year, Institutional Ministries helps people grow in faith while they are incarcerated. As release approaches, the ministry also connects individuals with community resources that support a successful transition home, offering hope, guidance, and a pathway toward a new beginning.
Wisconsin Inmate Education Association (WIEA) equips men serving long-term sentences to become Christian leaders within Wisconsin's correctional system. Through Operation Transformation, students at Fox Lake Correctional Institution earn a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies while growing in faith, character, and purpose within a Christ-centered community. After graduation, they serve as Field Mentors in correctional facilities across the state, encouraging fellow inmates, modeling Christ's love, and helping foster healthier prison communities. Students devote more than six hours a day, five days a week, to intensive academic and spiritual formation—demonstrating that lives can be transformed and leadership can flourish, even behind prison walls.
Racine/Kenosha Vocational Ministry (RKVM) provides employment and training support, life skills development, and job placement services for people returning from incarceration and others who have been unsuccessful in obtaining stable employment. The program takes a comprehensive approach that integrates assessment, case management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and ongoing accountability. By addressing root causes rather than surface symptoms, RKVM helps participants overcome barriers such as substance abuse, incarceration history, and homelessness. The results are measurable. The program’s three-year recidivism rate is 12%, significantly lower than Wisconsin’s state average of 31.3%.
Wisconsin has one of the highest incarceration rates for Black men in the nation. Four faith-based organizations—Project RETURN, Institutional Ministries, Wisconsin Inmate Education Association, and Racine/Kenosha Vocational Ministry—are responding with hope. From providing spiritual care and educational opportunities inside correctional facilities to supporting successful reentry after release, these ministries walk alongside individuals on the journey toward restoration, stability, and new beginnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to give or make a minimum gift?
No. Everyone is welcome. Whether you come to learn, be inspired, or support a ministry, all are welcome.
Does 100% of my donation committed at this event go to my selected grantees?
Yes. Siebert does not charge a fee.
Can I bring a guest?
Absolutely! Simply register each guest so we can plan accordingly.
Can I give online?
Yes. All pledges that are paid by November 9, 2026, will be matched regardless of whether you attend the event.
How does the Siebert match work?
Siebert contributes an additional $200,000 to the total amount raised at the Collaborators’ Event. Each featured organization receives a share of those matching funds based on the amount donors directed to that organization.
What should I wear?
Business casual is perfect.
Is there a cost to attend?
No. There is no cost to attend.
Is this event appropriate for families?
Yes! Families are encouraged to attend together. It’s a meaningful opportunity to explore generosity and learn about ministries serving our community.
