Green Valley Legacy Fund Awards $29,500 to Support GVE Next Steps Program
Funding will advance entrepreneurial opportunities and programming for young adults with diverse abilities in Beaver Dam.
BEAVER DAM, Wis. — The Green Valley Legacy Fund has awarded the Next Steps Program $29,500 in funding to support the overall advancement of further entrepreneurial endeavors, professional support, and development of the GVE/Life Academy and Next Steps Programming.
The Green Valley Legacy Fund (GVLF) was established in June 2022 to manage the distribution of funds raised by Green Valley Enterprises to support community fundraising efforts. The GV Legacy Fund began with an asset transfer from the former Green Valley Enterprises Endowment Fund, prior to Opportunities, Inc. acquiring the organization. The Legacy Fund is managed through the Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation, a proud regional affiliate of the Fond du Lac Area Foundation.
“The Green Valley Legacy Fund advisory committee is extremely pleased to see the commitment and investment made by Opportunities, Inc. in the Green Valley campus benefiting their program participants and are proud to partner with them in this most recent project,” said Jay Vanden Boogart, GVLF advisory committee chair.
The Green Valley Enterprises (GVE) Next Steps Program began in Beaver Dam in September 2024 to serve young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 who are eager to expand their horizons and prepare to live independently within their communities. Part of the program goals involve establishing entrepreneurial and micro-enterprise opportunities where participants can learn skills to create crafts for entrepreneurial businesses.
To support the GVE Next Steps Program, Opportunities, Inc. has made an extensive reinvestment in facility renovations to include interior painting, window replacement, furnace and water heater upgrades, new flooring and kitchen remodel. Outside pavilion area upgrades were also completed to promote health and wellness initiatives. The total investment exceeded $100,000.
GVE, a division of Opportunities, Inc., will collaborate with local nonprofit partners such as Dodge County United Way, Dodge County ARC, Moraine Park Technical College, local school districts, and assisted living facilities to market and sell items created by Next Steps program participants. In addition, Opportunities, Inc. will work with private organizations and experienced individuals within the community to serve as mentors to assist in designing and creating custom items.
Please consider a donation to the Green Valley Legacy Fund and Green Valley Enterprises, a division of Opportunities, Inc. For further information please contact Jason Frey, 920-563-2437, ext. 101. Donations to GVLF are tax-deductible, and the endowment funds will be used to support quality of life improvements for individuals with disabilities in the Beaver Dam area.
For information about the Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation, please contact Tom Heffron, president, at 920-763-2618.
About Opportunities, Inc.
Opportunities, Inc. is a nonprofit organization serving individuals with diverse abilities throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Through employment, day services, residential support, advocacy and community-based programming, Opportunities, Inc. works to empower individuals and families with meaningful choices in work, home and daily life. With locations in Fort Atkinson, Beaver Dam, Oconomowoc, Janesville and Watertown, the organization is committed to helping the people it serves build independence, contribute to their communities and improve quality of life.
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