MADISON and MARSHFIELD, Wis. — Marshfield Clinic today announced an $84,000 contribution to Boys & Girls Clubs of Wisconsin to create healthy and safe spaces for kids across central and northern Wisconsin. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Wisconsin will distribute the funds to local club sites within the Marshfield Clinic service area supporting programs to keep kids healthy after school and on weekends.
With this investment, Marshfield Clinic demonstrates a long-standing commitment to addressing youth mental health, fitness programs, food security, trauma informed care, violence reduction, substance abuse prevention and other social drivers of health across Wisconsin. The organization’s scale, reach and deep community roots help demonstrate the meaningful role health systems have in providing safe and healthy spaces for kids.
“Marshfield Clinic Region is proud to invest in youth supported by Boys & Girls Clubs,” said Jay Shrader, Vice President, Community Impact, Marshfield Clinic. “This contribution underscores our leadership in approaching health holistically – beyond clinical care – and our commitment to strengthening rural and underserved communities. When health systems and Clubs come together, we can accelerate improvements in areas that matter most.”
Wisconsin Boys & Girls Clubs lead the country in youth served per population, and two-thirds of members live outside of Madison and Milwaukee. Clubs also provide over two million meals and snacks at no cost every year, because it’s hard to learn, grow, and be healthy when you’re hungry. Every dollar invested in the state’s Boys & Girls Clubs returns $10.40 in earnings and cost-savings to local communities, making the impact of the Marshfield Clinic contribution more than $873,000 across Wisconsin.
“We are honored to be able to partner with Marshfield Clinic to enrich the lives of club kids and create healthy communities,” said Andy Gussert, State Director for Boys & Girls Clubs. “We value their focus on improving the everyday conditions that allow kids to grow, live, work, and thrive. Our combined collaboration to address the social determinants of health will have an immense impact over time.”
Local Clubs Supported Through This Investment
Funding distributed by Boys & Girls Clubs of Wisconsin will support the following local organizations served by Marshfield Clinic:
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Portage County
- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley
- Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area
- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Wisconsin Rapids Area
- Boys & Girls Club of the Northwoods
- Boys & Girls Club of Barron County
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves more than 2 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 58 hospitals, 289 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. More than 400 residents and fellows are trained each year through graduate medical education with Sanford Health fully funding and supporting 29 of the 40 available programs. Sanford Health also includes Lewis Drug, a pharmacy and retail chain with 60 locations in three states and nearly 190 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
About Wisconsin Clubs
Wisconsin Boys & Girls Clubs serve over 138,500 youth across 189 sites in 77 communities, more than any organization outside of our public school system, and more than any other state per population. They also serve over two million meals and snacks every year at no cost, because it’s hard to learn and grow when you’re hungry. Their mission is to ensure all young people, especially those who need us most, can reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible adults.
