Every year, the Green Bay Metro Fire Department teams up to spread holiday cheer to Brown County teens in need. The department's 'Gifts for Teens' program collects gifts and monetary donations for teenagers who have signed up for Christmas assistance through the Salvation Army.
“We started this program 10 years ago and it was just kind of a pass the hat program with the firefighters to raise donations for area teens who we found out just really weren’t supported in some of the other charitable giving drives here in town,” said engineer Chad Decker. The program started as a small fundraiser among the department, raising $700 in its first year. Since then, 'Gifts for Teens' has become a city-wide tradition, raising more than $30,000 in its biggest year in 2019.