Shawn Over the last decade, Weetacon’s charity raffle and fundraising efforts have raised approximately $45,000 for northeastern Wisconsin charities.
Weetacon attendees are some of the very best and most generous people in the world. I am honored and blessed to call you all my friends. Our yearly gathering is one of the best things in my life and it is a shining bright spot in an otherwise gloomy winter. I would like to think that our weekend-long group hug has a positive impact on your lives as well and I am thrilled that we are collectively sharing our warmth and community with people in need.
Paul’s Pantry
Paul’s Pantry collects and distributes food (dented cans, bruised produce, leftovers from restaurants, day old baked goods) to low income families in the Green Bay area. The Pantry is in desperate need of cash donations to fuel its vehicles, pay the electric bill (it is expensive to run all of those refrigerators) and buy supplemental food staples.
Donate to Paul’s Pantry online.
Kathy’s House
The Milwaukee medical community draws patients from around the state and around the country and Kathy’s House provides a warm and supportive shelter at little to no cost for families and visitors of seriously ill patients. The facility is supported almost entirely by local and guest donations. It provides no-frills accommodations in 18 private suites. Guests share kitchen and living space as well as laundry facilities, and are expected to participate in upkeep of the facility. The facility expenses and staffing breaks down to approximately $75 per night per suite, according to the staffers in May 2013. This is an On Milwaukee interview with the director of the facility.
During Esteban’s illness, Kathy’s House welcomed Wendy Bix and their family and friends into the facility for a whopping 36 night stay. This facility is near and dear to Weetacon’s heart for their tireless and quiet support in what can be the very worst point in a person’s life. Wendy Bix wrote about her time at Kathy’s House on her blog entry here.
Donate to Kathy’s House online.
Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary
One of the constant ties between many Weetacon attendees is how much we love our pets. Safe Haven
Pet Sanctuary is a no-kill shelter that rescues animals, particularly cats, with special needs, some of whom are turned away from other no-kill shelters due to low adoptability potential. Safe Haven accepts cases of abuse, neglect, FIV+, blindness, missing limbs, and other physical and psychological disabilities. Safe Haven also accepts neonatal kittens, and senior cats.
Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary rescues 883 pets per year on average, with a life saving percentage of 99%. Animals in Safe Haven’s care are only euthanized under the circumstance that they are experiencing pain and suffering, and there are no other options available.
Safe Haven goes viral about once a year as the chosen napping spot of Grandpa Terry, whocomes in and sleeps with the often-scared and feral cats to help them get accustomed to being around people. You can see a video of Grandpa Terry here and potentially stop in at Safe Haven to see him in action (or inaction) every day at Safe Haven, just across the river from Weetacon HQ.
You can donate directly to Safe Haven here.
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin offers quiet and confidential healthcare to anyone who needs it. In Green Bay, it is the only place in northeastern Wisconsin providing income-based gender affirming treatment.
In addition to offering reproductive healthcare, Planned Parenthood operates as a full health clinic and serves as a cancer-screening first line of defense for uninsured and underinsured patients. Due to the current Supreme Court ruling and a 19th century anti-abortion law still on the state’s books, PPW cannot provide access to means to terminate pregnancies but it does provide counseling, advice and advocacy for reproductive health, as well as helping patients procure funds and travel for out-of-state health care.
You can donate directly to PPW here.