Grassroots Philanthropist
One person can make a difference. Heidi Brittnacher has. The 28-year-old East Side resident volunteers regularly with several local nonprofits, including the Ronald McDonald House, Make-a-Wish and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“My sister, Mollie, passed away from cancer when I was a child, so our family was on the receiving end of their services,” says Brittnacher, a program coordinator in surgical education at the Medical College of Wisconsin. “We owe so much to those organizations. Giving back as a young adult has been part of the grieving process for me.”
In addition to volunteering with formal organizations, Brittnacher has started her own, Mollie’s Angels. She and a half-dozen friends drive around the city handing out “Blessing Bags” – food, water, toiletries, handwarmers, gloves and the like – to “friends without homes” they find at intersections or underpasses. When possible, she’ll chat with them, too. “It’s a good way to humble yourself and learn to be open-minded,” she says. “People are just people.”
Last December she and a friend hosted a dinner for a large group that raised $1,000 for Milwaukee Rescue Mission, which works to end homelessness, poverty and hunger. This year they’ll host a wine-tasting event in early January called “Sip and See (How We Can Help Our City)”; all proceeds from the $20 suggested donation will again go to Milwaukee Rescue Mission.
And though Brittnacher is not getting married, she has created an Amazon wedding registry to collect for the “Blessing Bags.” Most items are under $25 and get sent to her door, to be put into the bags. Her “little sister” from Big Brothers Big Sisters has been helping with the effort.
“Working with Mollie’s Angels doesn’t require a big commitment of time,” she says. “Even as busy as we are, we can all make a difference, whether large or small.”