Fundraising Contest to Help Replace the Gym Floor for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Milwaukee – (September 22, 2025) – Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing (ZG), the region’s first engagement marketing agency, is hosting its ninth annual Donut Smackdown benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM). This anticipated community competition brings together Milwaukee’s top executives, business leaders, and supporters from across the city for an unforgettable fundraising event. New this year, Super Bowl Champion and philanthropist Donald Driver will crown Zizzo Group’s 2025 Donut Smackdown Champions.
Anne Zizzo, CEO and founder of Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing and creator of the Donut Smackdown, is also building on last year’s achievement of raising nearly $65,000 by bringing on DonutNV as a co-title sponsor with Zizzo Group, along with sponsor Milwaukee Film, and Donald Driver, who has a long history with BGCGM. This year, Milwaukee’s top executives and business leaders will all have the chance to be crowned a Donut Smackdown champion by our Super Bowl champion, Donald Driver. Anne Zizzo has also increased the fundraising goal to $100,000 in 2025 to help replace the BGCGM gym floor at the Daniels Mardak Boys & Girls Club that was destroyed during the historic flooding on August 9 and 10. This gym is the main recreation space where staff hold recreational Club programming, such as basketball, volleyball, and indoor soccer. On average, 200 young people use the gym every day and it also hosts several intermural sports leagues.
Donald Driver’s reputation for community impact aligns perfectly with the event’s mission of supporting the BGCGM. Donald Driver is a true Wisconsin legend. From overcoming poverty and homelessness to becoming the Green Bay Packers’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, his story is one of resilience and triumph. A Super Bowl champion, Dancing with the Stars winner, and proud philanthropist through the Donald Driver Foundation, he continues to uplift underserved children and inspire communities everywhere. This year, Donald brings his signature energy and heart to the stage of the 2025 Donut Smackdown live event.
“We are thrilled to welcome Donut NV and Donald Driver to the Donut Smackdown this year!” said Anne Zizzo, CEO and founder of Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing, creator of the Donut Smackdown and vice chair of the BGCGM board of directors. “Donald’s philanthropic commitment to the Boys & Girls Clubs through his foundation—which provides refurbished laptops, backpacks, school supplies, and scholarships to help students achieve their full potential—exemplifies the mission and values that our fundraising event seeks to promote. Having a Green Bay Packers legend join our donut-loving lineup makes this a landmark year for us—and it’s all about supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. Donald’s energy will make our Donut Smackdown unforgettable for everyone involved, and help us raise the money to replace the gym floor for Milwaukee’s kids. Milwaukee needs Clubs kids, and Clubs kids need us.”
“I am excited to support this year’s Zizzo Group DonutNV Smackdown as the sweetest one yet, all while raising crucial funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee,” said Donald Driver, Super Bowl champion, Green Bay Packers all-time leading receiver, Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer, award-winning humanitarian, and Boys & Girls Clubs advocate. “This event combines two things I love — giving back to Milwaukee’s youth and having fun while doing it. The Clubs provide a safe haven where kids can learn, grow, and discover their potential – and that’s something I’m passionate about supporting. Together, we are offering Milwaukee business and community leaders the opportunity to sample the tasty DonutNV donuts and – investing in the future leaders of our community. DonutNV, is a national donut truck/trailer franchise known for its incredible donuts, and we have two DonutNV trailers in the Milwaukee area. I’m a partner in the growing franchise.”
Teams will compete by eating as many DonutNV mini donuts as they can and be filmed the weeks of October 6 through October 17, 2025, in 30-minute private sessions at Zizzo Group’s Walker’s Point headquarters. Teams of two to three coworkers, friends, even rivals—will race against the clock to eat as many DonutNV mini donuts as possible in just two minutes. Each team’s total number of donuts eaten will remain a secret until the final live audience event. Beginning the week of October 27, 2025, teams will start making appeals to their networks for donations to BGCGM.
The three teams to eat the most DonutNV mini donuts and the top three fundraising teams will advance to an epic donut-eating competition in front of a live audience “matinee” challenge on Thursday, November 20, from 3–5 p.m. at the historic Oriental Theatre of Milwaukee, where Donald Driver will crown the 2025 Zizzo Group DonutNV Smackdown Champions. The live event is now a matinee, and organizers are encouraging companies, colleagues and family members to cheer, enjoy concessions, and pack the competition with even more donut-eating contenders. In addition, all matinee attendees are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy for youth aged 3-18 for the BGCGM holiday gift drive.
“Zizzo Group’s Donut Smack Down is the perfect recipe for what we love about Milwaukee’s business community—people ready to roll up their sleeves, sprinkle in some fun, and rise to the occasion to make a sweet difference in young lives.” said Jeff Snell, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. “Every dollar raised through this event directly supports our mission to inspire and empower Milwaukee’s youth to reach their full potential. When our community leaders step up to the table—even the donut table—it shows our kids that they have champions in their corner who believe in their bright futures. We’re grateful to all the participants and supporters who make this delicious tradition possible and show their commitment to building great futures for Milwaukee’s young people.”
Zizzo Group developed the creative, fun-filled fundraising event to engage the larger community, which is at the core of what Zizzo Group does for its clients. Over the past eight years, Zizzo Group has raised more than $300,000 for southeast Wisconsin community programs during the Zizzo Group Donut Smackdown.
About Zizzo Group Engagement Marketing
Zizzo Group (ZG) is the region’s first engagement marketing agency. For over 30 years, ZG has helped companies create two-way, authentic, and measurable communications with their internal and external audiences. ZG counsels a wide range of business-to-business and consumer clients throughout the United States such as Summerfest, Network Health, Educator’s Credit Union, George Webb, and more. A future 50 company and a top 10 Milwaukee-area engagement marketing firm, ZG works with many leading brands. ZG has been recognized as one of Milwaukee’s “Best Places to Work” by The Milwaukee Business Journal and Milwaukee Magazine, and as having one of “Milwaukee’s Coolest Offices” by The Milwaukee Business Journal. For more information, visit zizzogroup.com.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) is the largest single-city Boys & Girls Club in the country and one of the longest youth-serving agencies in Milwaukee. With nearly 50 locations in the city of Milwaukee, BGCGM provides youth ages 4-18 with safe, fun, enriching after-school and summer programming including academic support, mentorship, organized athletics, arts, and nutritious meals. The organization’s programs strengthen academic performance, build character, encourage healthy lifestyles, and meet the basic needs of Milwaukee’s youth. More than 80 percent of BGCGM’s annual $30 million budget goes toward youth programming and operations. Learn more at bgcmilwaukee.org.
About DonutNV
DonutNV is a mobile dessert company bringing hot, fresh, made-to-order mini donuts and refreshing drinks to neighborhoods, events, and celebrations across the country. Founded with the mission of creating fun and memorable experiences, Donut NV combines crowd-pleasing treats with interactive service from its signature teal-and-pink food trailers. Whether it’s community gatherings, corporate functions, school events, or private parties, Donut NV delivers a unique twist on a classic favorite—fresh donuts made right before your eyes. With a commitment to quality, guest experience, and community connection, Donut NV makes every event a little sweeter.
