Wiscraft is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization and its mission to provide meaningful employment opportunities for people who are blind or severely visually impaired is supported by income derived from our business units as well as donations.

Donations come from individuals, corporations and foundations.  One-hundred percent (100%) of the donations received are used to support the Wiscraft mission.  Because of the generosity of individuals and organizations throughout Wisconsin, in 2010-11 Wiscraft was able to add 11 employees to our payroll; invest more than $225,000 in new equipment and training; replace the roofs at both facilities; and opened the all-new Communications Center.

Dozens of generous philanthropists, supporters, corporations and foundations contributed more than $300,000 to Wiscraft since the fund raising initiative started.  Included in our generous list of contributors are the Helen Bader Foundation, Briggs & Stratton Corporation, The Forest County Potawatomi Foundation and the Harley Davidson Foundation.

A one-year $25,000 grant from the Helen Bader Foundation helped fund the full-service Communication Center.

“As a community, it’s vital that we create new pathways to quality jobs, especially for those who have faced significant employment hurdles,” said Daniel Bader, President of the Helen Bader Foundation.  “Wiscraft is providing valuable training that meets client needs, and this new program uses an entrepreneurial operational model that can help sustain it in the long term.”

Briggs & Stratton are supporters of Wiscraft in a variety of ways.  Long-term customers of the manufacturing arm of Wiscraft; in 2010 they extended Briggs support with an operating fund donation.

Harley-Davidson Motor Corporation has also been a long-time customer of Wiscraft and has donated valuable equipment to our manufacturing business unit.  Harley Davidson Foundation also contributed significantly to help start the Communications Center.

The Forest County Potawatomi Foundation is a significant contributor to a number of worthwhile organizations throughout Wisconsin.  Many Native Americans suffer from diabetes.  Diabetic Retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in America today.  We are grateful to the Potawatomi Nation for their generous support of Wiscraft’s mission.

The 2010 Honor Roll of donors includes:

• Thomas Arenberg
• Helen Bader Foundation
• Badger Meter Foundation
• Gene Blank
• Rick Bredan
• Rob Buettner
• Briggs & Stratton Corporation
• Patrick & Anna M. Cudahy Foundation
• Daniel Donarski
• Shawn Duffy
• Jim Ellsworth
• Forest County Potawatomi Community Foundation
• Gardner Foundation
• Harley-Davidson Foundation
• Jay-Kay Foundation
• Glenn Kennedy
• Cindy Kerlin
• Jim Kerlin
• Scott Leonard
• Milwaukee – Community Development Block Grant
• Melvin Miller
• Park Bank Foundation
• Peter Rieck
• Eric Schumann
• Mary Spiegelberg
• Herbert Stark
• Mark Taber
• Wisconsin Department of Administration
• Leroy Zimdars

In 2011 Wiscraft will embark on an ambitious fund raising initiative to expand its employment opportunities for people who are blind or severely visually impaired.  The Wiscraft Visionaries Campaign will raise funds to ultimately add more than 40 new employees, upgrade and remodeling our annex facility, and increase the number of Customer Service Representatives trained in our all-new Communications Center.

Visionaries are those individuals, corporations, foundations and organizations who contribute $5,000 or more to the Wiscraft mission.

Visionaries will be recognized prominently within our facility.  In addition, naming rights will honor those donors with an eye to endowing specific projects.  At present, we have several areas of need the Visionaries Campaign will help fulfill.  These include:

Capital Improvements

• Windows (Replacement of 1,500 Windows)
• Lighting
• Security System
• Fire Protection System

Operating Expense

• Marketing Initiative – More people need to learn of Wiscraft’s existence and services
• Training – Last year Wiscraft devoted more than 2,000 hours to training new and current employees.  With enough funding, training opportunities to develop marketable skills for people who are blind and visually impaired can expand dramatically.

If you are interested in becoming a Visionary, or would like to suggest someone who might be a Visionary, please contact our Fund Development Leader, Nick Czaplewski at nczaplewski@beyond-vision.org or Executive Director Jim Kerlin at jkerlin@beyondvision.com