Local food pantries get financial boost from Lake Ridge Bank

November 20, 2025 (MADISON, Wis.) – In response to the extreme need arising from the lapse in SNAP benefits as well as a spike in applications for food assistance, Lake Ridge Bank has made multiple donations to local programs that work to support food security in our communities.

Recent donations include a $15,000 gift to River Food Pantry on Thursday. As a longtime partner, Lake Ridge Bank was involved in financing the nonprofit’s new building this year. The bank also provided $5,000 in support for the Goodman Community Center’s turkey dinner giveaway. Additionally, various Lake Ridge Bank locations are currently running food drives to bolster local pantries, such as WayForward (formerly MOM) and others.

“Part of being a community bank is finding ways to help our neighbors thrive,” says Lake Ridge Bank President Paul Hoffmann. “We saw a need and wanted to step up and do something about it.”

To get more information about giving to or benefitting from these pantries, visit:

• The River Food Pantry at riverfoodpantry.org
• Goodman Community Center at goodmancenter.org
• WayForward Resources at wayforwardresources.org

###

Lake Ridge Bank’s mission is to “build prosperous communities, one relationship at a time.” For more than 100 years, this has meant getting to know each of our clients to offer personalized services to meet their specific financial goals. Lake Ridge Bank offers a full line of financial products and services. We focus on offering products and services to make your banking easy. Our business banking and mortgage lenders are trusted leaders in their field with the expertise to provide the right loan at the best rate possible for our clients. As a community bank, we are dedicated to reinvesting in, and making our communities great places to live, work and raise a family. Visit lakeridge.bank to learn more about how we can help you.

The Creative Company Named a 2025 IC100 Award Winner

MADISON, Wisc. (November 19, 2025) — In recognition of The Creative Company’s drive and commitment to helping mission-based organizations, The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City awarded Madison, WI-based The Creative Company one of its  2025 Inner City 100 awards. 

This prestigious national honor recognizes the 100 fastest-growing businesses across the United States. All 2025 IC100 winners will be formally recognized and receive their awards at the 2026 ICIC Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 27–28, 2026. 

As part of this achievement, The Creative Company joins an elite group of businesses: fewer than 2% of all companies that participate in ICIC programs go on to become IC100 winners. Gallagher previously completed ICIC’s Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) program as part of the Milwaukee cohort in 2016, making this recognition a full-circle milestone nearly a decade in the making.

“Being named an IC100 award winner is a meaningful milestone for our team,” said Laura Gallagher, Founder and President of The Creative Company. “For more than 35 years, we’ve been committed to helping mission-driven organizations tell their stories, strengthen their brands, and uplift the communities they serve. This recognition underscores the power of purpose-driven work and the importance of investing in small businesses.”

Celebrating Inclusive Economic Growth
ICIC CEO Steve Grossman highlighted the significance of this year’s awardees:

“IC100 honorees are more than leaders; they are changemakers who uplift their neighborhoods while driving sustainable growth. These businesses are proof that investing in under-resourced communities generates exceptional results.”

The Creative Company is part of a network of more than 9,000 alumni businesses, only 400 of whom have been recognized as an IC100 Business—including well-known brands such as Printfresh, Angie’s List, Brooklyn Brewery, and Terracycle—that exemplify resilience, innovation, and inclusive economic impact.

A Record of Growth and Community Impact
Founded in 1989, The Creative Company provides public relations, digital marketing, branding, video production, and strategic communications services to organizations throughout Wisconsin and beyond. The firm’s client portfolio includes leaders in education, housing, economic development, healthcare, food systems, and community impact.

The Creative Company’s mission-driven approach, commitment to collaborative storytelling, and longstanding presence on Madison’s west side have contributed to both its growth and its deep involvement in the local community. The firm frequently supports nonprofit initiatives, champions small business development, and invests in next-generation talent.

About the IC100 Awards
Since 1999, the Inner City 100 (IC100) awards have celebrated the fastest-growing businesses in under-resourced communities across the U.S. To qualify, companies must be independently operated, privately held, for-profit businesses with revenues of at least $50,000 in 2019 and $500,000 in 2024, and headquartered in a designated under-resourced urban or suburban area.

These honorees serve as powerful examples of how inclusive economic growth strengthens neighborhoods and expands opportunity.

About ICIC
The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is the nation’s leading authority on accelerating small business growth in under-resourced communities. Founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, ICIC advances inclusive economic prosperity through research and programs designed to create jobs, income, and wealth for local residents.

About The Creative Company
The Creative Company is a woman-owned public relations and marketing firm based in Madison, Wisconsin. Since 1989, the company has helped mission-driven organizations shape narratives, elevate brands, and create meaningful impact in the communities they serve. Guided by a belief that stories can transform people and places, The Creative Company blends strategy, creativity, and purpose to help clients grow with clarity and confidence.

Visit www.thecreativecompany.com to learn more or reach out to Laura Gallagher, President and Founder at laura@thecreativecompany.com.

New Steeple Set at Historic Holy Redeemer Catholic Church

Rebuilt steeple reclaims its place in Madison’s skyline

Madison, WI — Vogel Bros. Building Co. has reached a significant milestone in the restoration of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church with the successful placement of the church’s newly rebuilt steeple on November 17. Located at 120 W Johnson St. in downtown Madison, Holy Redeemer is the city’s oldest Catholic church, originally constructed between 1865 and 1869.

The original steeple suffered severe damage in May 2024 when the church was struck by lightning, resulting in a fire that compromised the structure. Vogel Bros., serving as the general contractor, has been leading the effort to rebuild and restore the steeple in partnership with a team of specialized subcontractors.

The new steeple, a 48-foot-tall, 16,000-pound structure topped with a 10-foot cross, was built on site before being lifted into place with a crane. Its installation marks a major step forward in the multi-phase restoration project.

“Our team and partners have been working diligently to bring this historic landmark back to its full presence in the Madison skyline,” said Matt Schultz, Vice President of Vogel Bros. Building Co.

“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the craftsmanship and coordination of everyone involved.”
Restoration work on the church will continue into next year. The full project is expected to be
completed in early 2026.

Vogel Bros. Building Co. (www.vogelbldg.com) is a fifth-generation construction services company
with offices in Madison, WI and Lakeland, FL. As an award-winning company, Vogel Bros. has earned
recognition for completing large-scale complex projects, encouraging innovation, embracing new
technologies, and making a difference in our communities. We owe our success and longevity to the
values established by the Vogel family that have been shared through the generations and are
embodied in our employees. Vogel Bros. mission is to continually improve our services to enhance the
lives of the people in the communities we serve.

StartingBlock Wins $75,000 from SBA to Advance Entrepreneurship in Wisconsin

StartingBlock Madison has been selected as a 2025 recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, receiving $75,000 to expand our support for entrepreneurs across south central Wisconsin.

National Recognition for Regional Impact

This marks our second SBA Growth Accelerator award, following our 2023 win. Being selected from a competitive national field – just 76 organizations were chosen – validates both the quality of our programming and the strength of the ecosystem partnerships we’ve built together.

As I reflect on this recognition, I can’t help but think about what it represents: federal acknowledgment that south central Wisconsin is building something special. We are thrilled that our federal partners understand and value the work that StartingBlock is doing in the Madison ecosystem. We are looking forward to partnering with regional government, industry and university partners to further entrepreneurship in south central Wisconsin.

Building on Proven Success

This award comes as we build on strong performance metrics from our 2024-2025 WEDC Entrepreneurial Partnership Grant, where we served 85 entrepreneurs.

The $75,000 will enable us to enhance support for entrepreneurs across key regional sectors – advanced manufacturing, agricultural technology, clean energy, health technology, and information technology – while serving businesses at every stage from concept validation through scaling.

An Invitation to Partner

This momentum creates exciting opportunities for collaboration. As we expand our programming and pursue additional funding opportunities we’re seeking partners who share our vision of establishing south central Wisconsin as a nationally recognized innovation hub.

Whether you’re interested in providing mentorship, exploring pilot projects with emerging companies, connecting students to real-world entrepreneurship, or simply learning more about what we’re building together, I’d welcome the conversation.

Let’s Connect

Visit startingblockmadison.org to learn more about our programming and partnership opportunities.

2025 AmFam Champ raises more than $2 million for charity

MADISON, Wis. (Nov. 18, 2025) – The 2025 PGA Tour Champions American Family Insurance Championship was held at a new location, TPC Wisconsin and featured a new team format. However, the tournament’s primary purpose – raising money for deserving nonprofits – remained the same. The 2025 event raised $2,035,000, it was announced today, to bring the total raised to $21.78 million since the inaugural event in 2016.

Approximately half of the 2025 proceeds will be distributed to the American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, and 161 primarily local charities will share the rest in varying amounts. A lifetime total of 1,171 grants have been distributed to charitable organizations.

The total proceeds raised, and charitable organizations supported, were revealed at an annual event today held at American Family Insurance corporate headquarters in Madison. The event featured tournament host/player and 2023 AmFam Champ winner Steve Stricker, his wife Nicki, American Family Insurance Chair and CEO Bill Westrate, President Telisa Yancy and representatives from community nonprofit grant recipients.

“We’re grateful to our fans, sponsors and volunteers for coming along with us to our new home at TPC Wisconsin and continuing to support this PGA TOUR Champions event that benefits our communities in so many ways,” said Steve and Nicki Stricker. “We’re happy about the positive feedback we’ve received about the new location and new format, and the best part is knowing with this year’s proceeds we’ve raised more than $21 million for charity.”

The ninth American Family Insurance Championship attracted thousands of fans and nearly 1,000 volunteers from 17 states, who took part in the three days of tournament play. Volunteers provided 18,500 hours to the event. The total local economic impact of the tournament from 2016-2025 is estimated to exceed $125 million.

“At American Family, our values include showing up in our communities and having an impact in meaningful ways, and we’re proud the AmFam Champ has been an important part of that commitment,” said Bill Westrate, American Family chair and CEO. “More than ten years ago, this tournament started out as just an idea and today has contributed nearly $22 million in the form of grants to organizations that build healthy children and families and strong, thriving communities. We join them in their efforts and support these nonprofits that create brighter futures.”

In addition to the American Family Children’s Hospital, here are just three of the recipient organizations and the various needs they’re addressing in our communities:

Madison Parks Foundation Inc.

The Madison Parks Foundation partners with the Madison Parks Division to help fund the K.N.O.W. (Kids Need Opportunities at Warner) program, serving 200+ underserved youth ages 11-21 weekly at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center. Their mission is to provide comprehensive support through sports-based youth development, mentorship and life skills programming for Madison’s northside communities.  The program operates six days weekly and includes basketball referee certification training that creates future employment opportunities, Family Fun Nights that engage entire families, and school-based programming that reaches an additional 200+ students. Through this innovative public-private partnership model, KNOW transforms individual lives while strengthening entire neighborhoods by providing safe spaces, skill development, and pathways to economic empowerment.

The Road Home Dane County

The Road Home Dane County provides opportunities for homeless families to achieve self-determined goals and affordable, stable housing. The Road Home Dane County operates 13 housing programs that serve an average of 250 families annually, including more than 550 children. Beyond simply providing a place to live, their programs are grounded in a holistic, strengths-based approach that surrounds families with the support, tools and relationships they need to thrive. This model emphasizes family-driven goal setting and trust-building as families move from the crisis of homelessness toward stability and long-term independence.

Vera Court Neighborhood Center, Inc.

Vera Court Neighborhood Center, Inc. is a nonprofit agency located in Madison, with two neighborhood centers, Vera Court Neighborhood Center on the northside, and Bridge Lake Point Waunona Neighborhood Center on the southeast side. Their agency’s mission is to stabilize and empower underserved communities by providing inclusive and innovative programming that supports youth, adults and families in achieving their full potential. The centers provide youth development programs, adult education, senior engagement, nutrition security and bilingual support. They are committed to stabilizing and empowering communities by fostering connection, building skills and providing the resources needed for long-term success.

“Since day one, the American Family Insurance Championship has delivered a best-in-class experience for our players, partners and fans,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Miller Brady. “That unwavering commitment to showcasing the tremendous city of Madison each year has also benefitted the greater Dane County area through incredible charitable efforts, ensuring the tournament’s impact is felt year-round. The dedication from American Family Insurance, Nicki and Steve Stricker, and the entire tournament team has set a foundation in place for long-term success. We are excited for a bright future ahead as we build on a great 2025 event which saw an exciting new team format, a great host in TPC Wisconsin, and amazing fan attendance.”

Next year’s event at TPC Wisconsin will be held June 1-7, 2026, with special events during the week and tournament play June 5-7. Stricker will host the tournament for the tenth time and play for the ninth time.

Those interested in volunteering for the 2026 event can learn more about the AmFam Champ volunteer program and register.