CEDARBURG — What started as just a couple of friends passing a hat around to raise money has turned into one of the most well-known charities in Ozaukee County that has given out millions of dollars.
Mel's Charities started in 1999 in a Cedarburg bowling alley. Tom 'Mel' Stanton and his friends passed a hat around to raise money for the Special Olympics in honor of a friend who passed away. She was as single mom with a child who had developmental disabilities. They pulled together $350. Fast forward 26 years later, Mel's Charities has given out nearly $3 million to various organizations around Ozaukee County and helped thousands of people.
"Changed my life, you know. It used to always be about me, and then all of a sudden, you start realizing, why don’t you help someone else?" Tom 'Mel' Stanton said.
When I asked Tom what he wanted to go by, he said Mel. It was a nickname given to him in high school, and it has stuck ever since.
The organization has three pillars it focuses on: supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, memorial scholarships, and community involvement.
"Just having fun and impacting lives, that’s all we want to do day in and day out. Never take ourselves too seriously, and this thing has gotten so much bigger than me. It’s really the whole community that has got behind this," Stanton said.
Mel's Charities is a primarily volunteer-run organization. Many of the programs it offers for people with developmental disabilities are free for the participants. They host two art events every month at various local businesses in the county. Mel's Charities also hosts community dances, social outings, and more. One of the most popular art events is PIGments for a Cause. On Feb. 5, the group went to Painted Creek in Cedarburg. They painted hearts for Valentine's Day. Over the past 26 years, Stanton has become friends with many of the participants.
"Mel is an amazing friend, a long-time friend, someone I really look up to," Jacob West, who looks forward to these art activities every month, said.
West, 31, and Stanton have been friends ever since West was a kid.
"Mel brings out the best in us," West said.
Stanton is too humble and would probably say that it's the community that brings out the best in him. Regardless, none of this would be possible without the help of local businesses and organizations.
"Everybody knows of Mel and what he does, and the amount that he gives. He’s really huge. He’s huge in this community," Kristin Bork, the owner of Painted Creek, said.
Beyond the programs for people with developmental disabilities, Mel's also focuses on supporting the community when it experiences tragedy. The charity raises money to establish grants and scholarships for people who have passed. Mel's Charities has set up more than 20 scholarships.
Finally, the organization wants to help the community in the best way possible. Stanton said that they want to focus on being good stewards of Ozaukee County and using the money it has raised to address issues across the area.
"If we can impact one person's life every day, it doesn't have to be as fancy as being on T.V., just a hug or a text or something. If we can positively do that each and every day, that's a good day at Mel's Charities," he said.
Looking forward, the charity is about to embark on a journey it never thought possible. In 2026, it hopes to open the doors to Mel's Village. It will take up about 40 acres of a 100-acre development called Northern Gateway. Mel's Village will be an integrated living community for people with and without disabilities. The goal is to provide housing and living assistance for people with disabilities. Across the development, there will also be a large sports complex with dozens of fields and courts. Alongside it will be restaurants, a beer garden, training rooms, splash pads, a green space, and a concert area. The businesses will offer jobs to people with disabilities.
"It’s going to sustain Mel’s mission long past me too, and that’s what really trips my trigger," Stanton said.
This is just the beginning for Mel's Charities. It's been 26 years since they first passed a hat around, and they'll continue to do more of the same in the future.
Watch Donating millions and helping thousands, Mel's Charities has become a cornerstone of Ozaukee County
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