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Subzero temperatures leave hungry people out in the cold | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Rick Brown
January 30, 2014
(Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
This is part of an ongoing series of articles that put a face on the poor in Milwaukee, 50 years after President Lyndon Johnson declared a “war on poverty.”
Subzero temperatures left food assistance out of reach for some low-income Milwaukeeans earlier this week, as food pantries and meal programs closed in the face of the coldest temperatures in almost two decades.
Food bank and advocacy organization Hunger Task Force (HTF), which supplies free food to more than 60 pantries, meal programs and homeless shelters, closed Tuesday, as did many of its member organizations, according to Executive Director Sherrie Tussler.
“Access to emergency food became very limited for low-income people during that time,” Tussler said.
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With a wind chill index of 20 degrees or more below zero, it was inevitable that many HTF-affiliated programs, 90 percent of which are volunteer-based, would have to close, she added.
“You can’t have people standing in lines around the block in frostbite weather,” Tussler said.
Conditions also hindered HTF’s food deliveries, which regularly number 20 to 25 a day, according to Tussler.
(by Eric Oliver)
The weather came at a bad time for food programs, according to Deb France, administrative assistant at Cross Lutheran Church, 1821 N. 16th St., which runs a weekly “Bread of Healing” pantry and meal program.
“It’s cyclical,” France said. “We always see an uptick by the end of the month, when food stamps and other assistance begin to run out.”
The closings led to an increase in calls for food aid to IMPACT 2-1-1, a 24-hour hotline that refers clients to food programs and other assistance. Though no hard numbers were available, Program Director Bob Waite said 2-1-1 had received “a lot of extra calls” from people who had gone to pantries only to find them closed.
IMPACT tried to refer clients to programs, but residency requirements and mobility left many without access to food.
“Most food programs only serve people in a specific zip code or neighborhood, and most people that are in need of food can’t travel,” Waite said.
The mass closings were unusual but understandable, Waite said, adding that he had “never seen a situation quite like this.”
Not all food pantries closed in the face of the cold. Some, such as House of Peace, 1702 W. Walnut St., remained open for regular hours on Monday and Tuesday despite the weather.
“We’ve been pretty busy,” said Executive Director Gerri Sheets-Howard.
Numerous visitors braved the cold to visit the organization on Monday and Tuesday for food and clothes, and some people came by to make donations as well. House of Peace also handled some referrals from 2-1-1, taking on clients from closed pantries, according to Sheets-Howard.
Though not as many visitors arrived as usual, “quite a few” people still came in for help, she noted, some with pressing needs.
“We helped a mother yesterday who didn’t have blankets for her 10 children,” Sheets-Howard said.
The two-day disruption had largely abated by Wednesday as most programs reopened, according to Waite. Additionally, though Hunger Task Force had to close twice because of weather conditions, the organization’s food stocks remained “ample,” Tussler said.
For referrals to food pantries and meal programs, contact IMPACT by dialing 2-1-1. Clients can also text their ZIP codes to TXT-211 (898-211) for assistance.

author: Rick Brown


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
January 30, 2014

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: January 30, 2014

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Adam Carr


text:
Pipeline to Promise | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Running Rebels
January 31, 2014
The Pipeline to Promise (P2P) is a collaborative movement between community organizations, businesses, governmental agencies and community leaders that addresses the needs of Milwaukee’s young adults.  The mission of the project is to provide job/skills, training, employment opportunities, scholarships, life skills training and access to community resources and housing.  The overall goal of the partnership is to reduce poverty and joblessness, while assisting individuals with reaching their full potential.
P2P has assisted over 250 adults & youth to obtain employment, awarded over $75,000 in scholarship Awards granted, developed partnership with City of Milwaukee that created jobs for over 15 unemployed/under-employed workers.  With 17+ business partners and 9 entrepreneurial businesses the pipeline is ready to help you become more employable and/or gain skills to flourish in your business.
Join the Pipeline to Promise at our monthly meeting, held on the last Saturday of each month.  For more information about P2P call (414)264-8222 or visit us on the web at www.pipelinetopromise.com and LIKE US on FACEBOOK – Pipeline to Promise.
“An effort to bring older and younger generations together for a common goal; not for person gain, but for the betterment of the entire community.”
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created: January 31, 2014

author: Running Rebels


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MPS’ Hamilton senior Kevon Looney named a McDonald’s All American | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
February 2, 2014
It is a great honor to be selected to the McDonald’s All American Game,” Looney said. “It is something I have dreamed about my whole life.  To represent my city and state is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget.”
“We are honored that Kevon Looney is a part of the MPS family, not only because he is a stellar athlete but because he is also an exceptional student,” MPS Superintendent Gregory Thornton said.
Hamilton Principal Rosana Mateo calls the senior “a role model for all students at Hamilton High School. He is an exceptional athlete and an honor student who excels academically.”
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MPS’ Hamilton senior honor student and basketball standout Kevon Looney (at right) was just named a McDonald’s All American, the 2nd MPS student and the 6th Wisconsin student to ever achieve the honor (Photo by MPS)
Looney, who is set to attend and play for UCLA in the fall, will play for the east team at the McDonald’s All American Games April 2 in Chicago. Hamilton Coach Randy Williams calls him one of the best players he’s ever coached.
MPS’ Hamilton honor student and basketball standout Kevon Looney signs with UCLA.
Washington High School graduate Calvin Rayford, the only other MPS All American in the 37-year history of the program, received the honor in 1991 and went on to play at the University of Kansas. Today, he’s a substitute teacher in MPS.
Other Wisconsin winners include Joe Wolf, Kohler High School, 1983; Sam Okey, Cassville High School; 1995; Mistie Williams, Janesville Parker High School, 2002; Brian Butch, Appleton West High School, 2003; and Samantha Logic, Racine Case High School, 2011.

created: February 2, 2014

author: Milwaukee Public Schools


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 2, 2014


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Parents and children ‘browse’ for the best education possible | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Karen Slattery
February 4, 2014
Parents and children came to Milwaukee Public Schools’ All-School Enrollment Fair to learn about school choices. (Photo by Mark Doremus)
Taneika Suggs spent part of her day Saturday shopping.
She was looking for the school that will provide the best fit for her 6-year-old son, who will be in first grade next fall.
Suggs was among hundreds of parents and children looking for information at Milwaukee Public Schools’ All-School Enrollment Fair held at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts, 2300 W. Highland Ave.
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The fair was the first of its kind in the school district in recent years, according to MPS spokesperson Tony Tagliavia.
Representatives of more than 100 of the district’s schools set up the booths, outfitted with brochures, logos, pictures, science experiments, pens and sometimes candy, to illustrate the merits of their respective programs.
Programs covered pre-kindergarten through high school. Neighborhood schools, specialty schools and charter schools within the district were represented, according to Tagliavia.
Parents and students got a chance to meet teachers such as Sarah Stoychoff, a first-year teacher at Rufus King International School, 1801 W. Olive St., a high school that prepares students for college. She said there is value to open enrollment.
“Each high school offers something different, so depending on what you need you can change,” according to Stoychoff.
MPS students were also there to point out the highlights of various schools to prospective peers.
James Mason, 17, an aspiring mechanical engineer, is a junior at the School of Career and Technical Education, 5075 N. Sherman Blvd. He spent the morning in front of his school’s booth, giving spectators a look at the robot he built.
Mason said, “I want to inspire others to do what I do, do what they love, which is for me, building robots.”
Meanwhile, Taneika Suggs made a series of stops at elementary school booths, asking about what her son would learn, the schools’ recreational opportunities and after-school programs. She also inquired about each school’s distance from her home. Suggs said, “This year I had a lot of problems with transportation, hassles that I don’t want to deal with next year.”
Parents also cited safety, school uniform requirements and whether the school offered year-round educational programs as factors they will use in making their decisions.
Antrea Taylor gave MPS high marks for its Enrollment Fair.
“You can browse, you can look, you can go back again, you can ask as many questions as you like,” said Taylor.
Taylor brought her three children, one an infant, to the fair. She said they braved the snowy weather because “I am determined for their education.”
Taylor said she is looking for a middle school for her son, Derrick, a sixth grader. He said he’s hoping for a school “with good teachers and good friends.”
The official start date for registration was Monday, Feb. 3, but parents could register early at the fair. Early registration, however, does not guarantee a place in the school selected, according to Tagliavia. All applications received before the closing date, Feb. 28, will be given equal consideration.
Not everyone made a final decision before the fair ended.
By the time she was ready to leave, Suggs said she was leaning toward the Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language, 2430 W. Wisconsin Ave., for her boy, an only child. It’s close to home so transportation shouldn’t be a problem.
And, Suggs said, she likes the idea of her son learning a second language.

created: February 4, 2014

author: Karen Slattery


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 4, 2014


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 3, 2014

created: February 3, 2014


text:
Cold weather takes a toll on animals | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Karen Slattery
February 5, 2014
Claire, on the shoulder of MADACC’s Laura Nigbur, suffered cold-related injuries in January. (Photo by Karen Slattery)
Claire is 19 months old and a survivor.  She made it through the frigid cold spell in Milwaukee last month, but just barely. A good Samaritan spotted her outdoors on Jan. 23 and called the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC).
The shelter dispatched an animal control officer to bring her to safety at the Commission’s 3839 W. Burnham St. building. There, she receives medical treatment because her ears were frozen. Claire is one of about 12,000 animals who find temporary housing in the county’s shelter each year, which is open to those who are abandoned, stray, neglected and mistreated.
The extreme cold in January did not lead to a greater influx of animals, according to MADACC spokesperson Laura Nigbur.  But she said more of those coming to the shelter needed medical attention.
Problems at this time of year, Nigbur said, range from hypothermia to frostbite to frozen or swollen footpads to burns.  The burns occur, she said, when stray animals go looking for heat. Jody Clemens, a practice manager at the Advanced Animal Hospital at 3374 W. Loomis Rd. in Greenfield, described the signs of frostbite.
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Animals, like humans, struggle to stay warm in the winter cold snaps. (Photo by Karen Slattery)
“The animal’s skin turns gray and then red as it warms up,” Clemens said.  In severe cases, the tissue turns black and dies. She added that there are no home remedies for the problem. Claire arrived at the shelter exhibiting frostbite symptoms, according to Nigbur.  And her case is severe.  She has lost the tip of one ear and is in the process of losing the tip of the other. Clemens cautioned pet owners to be on the lookout for signs of exposure that can include behaviors not normally exhibited by pets.  Biting or licking extremities is one signal, while head shaking, and area redness and soreness are others.  A sick cat will often hide, she said.
Pets react to cold the same way humans do, but breeds differ in the amount of cold they can tolerate.  “Some dogs are bred for cold weather,” Clemens said.  A huskie might be able to stand 10 minutes or more of frigid temperatures while a chihuahua might last only two minutes.
“The rule of thumb,” said Mallory Kerley, a spokesperson for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, “is that if it is too cold for you, it is probably too cold for your pet.”
Kerly said that the ASPCA advocates that companion animals such as cats and dogs live indoors year round.  She said, “It doesn’t matter if the temperature is 20 below or 20 above, animals should be inside and protected from the elements.”
Claire is one of the lucky ones this winter.  Nigbur said animal control officers were unable to rescue all of the animals that needed help during the January cold. “A couple… were left outside too long so our control officers found them deceased,” said Nigbur.
When abuse or neglect is suspected, the agency will work with the police.  Penalties vary, according to Nigbur, depending on severity of injury and the owner’s intent. Nigbur pointed out that purchasing a license and having a computer chip implanted in a pet can help MADACC reunite lost animals with their owners. Meanwhile, no one has stepped forward to claim Claire, who is healing quite nicely, according to Nigbur.  She described the cat as curious, playful and often purring while she is held, all signs of a “well-socialized” animal. So, as is the case for most of the animals temporarily housed at the shelter, Claire, the brown-tiger colored cat, will soon be looking for a new home.
A warm one.

created: February 5, 2014


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Penfield launches a new online resource with the help of Kohl’s | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Penfield Children’s Center
February 5, 2014
Thanks to a generous grant from Kohl’s Cares in support of the Kohl’s Building Blocks Program, Penfield has officially launched PenfieldBuildingBlocks.org, an online tool that provides helpful how-to articles, tips and videos for families. Tapping into the expertise of family counselors, healthcare providers and educational professionals, PenfieldBuildingBlocks.org is a valuable online resource that allows Penfield to serve families far beyond it’s agency walls.
As a leader in child development, Penfield has the experts in house to provide professional advice on a variety of topics – from healthy meal ideas to how to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Featuring subjects like “Nutrition,” “Positive Parenting” and “Home and Family,” PenfieldBuildingBlocks.org provides interesting and current articles in a convenient easy to navigate website.
Stop by the site and read articles like: Promoting Cognitive Development Through Play, written by Beth Vick, Director of Special Education at Penfield.
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author: Penfield Children’s Center


text:
Services for seniors | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
February 5, 2014
Programs and agencies that help older adults will be gathered to offer their services at Super Senior Friday.
The annual free event will be staged Friday, February 7 from 9 am to Noon at the Clinton Rose Center at 3045 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.  The day is sponsored by the Senior Companion Program of the Social Development Commission.
Super Senior Friday will feature more than 20 agencies who work with seniors.  SDC programs like Energy Assistance and free tax preparation will also be on hand to help older adults.  Workshops on topics including Maximizing Memory, Solving the Insurance Puzzle, and a Social Security Update will be offered at no charge.  Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele will deliver opening remarks to seniors gathered.
To use the free tax service, residents will need to bring Social Security or ITIN cards, all 2013 income statements (including Social Security, pension and wage or other income statements), plus a completed signed rent certificate or 2013 property tax bill if they want to apply for Homestead Credit.  Energy Assistance applicants must bring proof of income for everyone in the household, Social Security numbers of all household members, and a copy of the heating and electric bills. If heat is included in the rent, bring a rent statement from the landlord that heat is included.
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The Senior Companion Program at SDC is funded in part by the Corporation for National and Community Service and the State of Wisconsin.

author: Social Development Commission


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MPD outreach team helps care for, count the homeless | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brendan O’Brien
February 6, 2014
Milwaukee police officer James Knapinski walks out of a rain tunnel near the Milwaukee River on the city’s near north side as he searches for the homeless. (Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
This is part of an ongoing series of articles that put a face on the poor in Milwaukee, 50 years after President Lyndon Johnson declared a “war on poverty.”
A grumpy brown cat crouched as low as it could against the icy floor of the rain tunnel as it greeted the unwanted guest into its dank abode near the Milwaukee River on the city’s near north side.
The fat cat twirled around and crawled away as James Knapinski, a hunched-over Milwaukee police officer, made his way up into the man-made cave.
A ray from Knapinski’s flashlight lit up the tunnel, as a killer icicle loosened its grip on the steel and crashed down next to him.
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It was all in a day’s work for the nine-year veteran of the force as he chuckled, turned around and returned to the mouth of the tunnel.
Knapinski was not searching for thugs or thieves, but for some of Milwaukee’s 1,500 homeless individuals, many of whom he has encountered as a member of the department’s Homeless Outreach Team.
Knapinski and the other six members of the team check up on the homeless and help them find the resources they need to get off the street.  He said that he has helped push many people “in the right direction.”
Brian Schoenfeldt (left) and Omar McGee play chess at the St. Benedict the Moor warming center, 1015 N. 9th St. (Photo by Brendan O’Brien)
But on this freezing January night, Knapinski was part of Milwaukee’s “You Count” effort, in which the city counts the number of homeless people.
Knapinski was one of the officers assigned to help volunteers from agencies that work with homeless individuals find them in tight corners of viaducts, in huts made of fallen branches and discarded wood near the Milwaukee River and in deep rain tunnels.
During the 12-hour canvassing period, volunteers also visited shelters, meal sites and libraries, where homeless people gather in weather cold enough to kill people.
During the count, volunteers surveyed people to gather demographic information, such as their age and gender, and ask them questions about their plight, such as why they are homeless.
The count helps local agencies “measure our progress for ending homelessness and identify some of the unmet needs of the homeless,” said Phil Connelly, an outreach coordinator at the Milwaukee Continuum of Care, which coordinated the effort.
The count is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Federal agencies use the data gathered to determine the amount of funding that will go to local organizations that serve the homeless.
“It’s really important for us to get a really accurate count, especially now in these economic times,” said Connelly, noting that a similar count is held in July.
During the count, organizations throughout the city such as St. Benedict the Moor, 1015 N. 9th St., set up warming centers.  Volunteers also handed out backpacks full of personal items and food to the homeless people they found.
The number of homeless individuals has remained relatively unchanged over the past couple of years, with 1,428 counted in July 2013.
“I think it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens today” in terms of the numbers, said Roy Bishop, a volunteer who works with the homeless veteran population.  “I am hopeful.”
Bishop said he sees the positive outcomes of the work that is being done throughout the city to reduce homelessness, especially with veterans. The key, he said, is to couple mental and substance abuse treatment programs with safe places to live.
“I see it every day. I see people come off the street and go into one of our treatment programs and three months, six months, a year later they’re living in their own independent place and they have a job,” he said.
Another key, according to Knapinski, is to treat people who are homeless with dignity.
“Everyone’s has a story,” said Knapinski, one of the original members of the department’s homeless team when it was established four years ago.
Before being put on the team, Knapinski began keeping an informal record of information about homeless individuals he came across, such as their picture, name, age and any medical condition they had.
“It ends up becoming helpful” for ambulance workers and firefighters who use the information when they respond to a call to help a homeless individual, he said.
Michael, a towering, bearded 30-year-old homeless veteran, who begs for money on the city’s North Side and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, said he appreciates the count and the work of officers like Knapinski.
Michael told the survey volunteers that Knapinski saved his life on the coldest night of the year, grabbing him off the street and taking him to a shelter instead of letting him freeze to death.
After he was interviewed and given a much-needed backpack filled and supplies, Michael remarked, “The only thing you have to worry about when you are homeless is surviving.”

created: February 6, 2014

author: Brendan O’Brien


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 6, 2014


text:
Center for Self-Sufficiency receives Greater Milwaukee Foundation grant | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
February 11, 2014
The Center for Self-Sufficiency (the Center) today announced that it has received a $25,000 grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s (GMF) Marie and John P. Botsch Fund to expand its services in the areas of workforce development and offender reentry, specifically as it relates to securing employment for former offenders. The Center will use this grant to identify and recruit potential employers and to promote job and career advancement services provided by the Milwaukee Reentry Network, a partnership of government and community-based organizations providing services to offenders in Milwaukee.
The GMF funds also will be used to build upon the work the Center is doing to implement the “Strategies Targeting Characteristics Common to Female Ex-Offenders” grant which it received in July2013 from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).  Funding from the DOL grant will provide ex-offenders with resources to enable them to find employment and become productive members of society, with the end goal of strengthening the community and improving the quality of life of Milwaukee neighborhoods through relevant and measurable economic development strategies.
The GMF funds will help leverage the DOL grant and have been allocated to recruit and screen potential employers and employees, provide former offenders with job and career advancement resources, and secure jobs for them in the Greater Milwaukee area.
“We are thrilled that the Greater Milwaukee Foundation recognizes the merits of this critical workforce development initiative.  Finding employment for ex-offenders that re-enter our community is vital to the stabilization of Milwaukee’s families and our neighborhoods,” said Angela Turner, President and CEO of the Center.
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Based in Milwaukee, Wis., and founded in 1997, the Center for Self‐Sufficiency (CFSS) is a nonprofit organization that promotes and facilitates the design, delivery, and growth of high‐impact programs and partnerships that increase the self‐sufficiency of individuals, families, organizations and communities. Under the leadership of President and CEO Angela Turner, CFSS partners with federal agencies, states, local governments and school districts, as well as community and faith‐based organizations to develop effective service delivery models nationally in the areas of healthy relationships/marriage, teen pregnancy prevention, offender reentry, mentoring children of prisoners, green jobs and organizational capacity building.

created: February 11, 2014

author: Greater Milwaukee Foundation


text:
Legislator seeks driver’s licenses, in-state tuition for undocumented residents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
February 11, 2014
MATC sophomore Mario Gomez (left) said that the in-state tuition equality bill would help students achieve their dreams, as State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa looks on. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa recently introduced two bills that, if passed, would enable undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver’s license and pay in-state tuition for college. Another would establish a state holiday honoring the late civil rights leader Cesar E. Chavez.
Eleventh Assembly District Rep. Mandela Barnes, chair of the Black and Latino Caucus, said at a press conference that the measures are about achieving equality. “These (bills) are about civil rights, human rights and ending discrimination,” Barnes said.
The driver’s license bill also would help improve safety, according to Zamarripa, a Democrat. “We’ll have more insured and educated drivers on the road,” she said.
If the bill is passed, undocumented drivers would be able to apply for and receive a REAL ID non-compliant driver’s license after fulfilling requirements determined by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT). The federal Real ID Act, signed into law in May 2005, requires states to verify that an applicant is in the country legally. It was originally created to strengthen security, and establishes standards for issuing state driver’s licenses and ID cards, and for official purposes such as boarding federally regulated flights, according to WDOT.
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Advocates from Voces De La Frontera held signs supporting the driver’s license measure. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
But, in 2011, Wisconsin acts 23 and 32 allowed WDOT to process applications for driver’s licenses and ID cards that do not comply with the REAL ID Act, as long as they are marked as non-compliant. The current WDOT process for any type of driver’s license requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence in the country, but if the proposed bill is passed that requirement would be eliminated for non-compliant cards. Such cards could not be used for federal purposes such as boarding a plane.
The cards look identical to state driver’s licenses, except that compliant REAL ID cards have a star verification mark on the upper-right corner. The non-compliant version has no star.
Knowing the new ID would be different from a standard driver’s license causes some apprehension for potential users. Uvaldo Lopez, of Milwaukee, said he is excited about the prospect of undocumented immigrants being able to attain valid licenses, but wonders if carrying a non-compliant REAL ID could result in law enforcement targeting.
Zamarripa said that she’s spoken with Police Chief Edward Flynn before about related issues and feels confident that targeting would not occur.  “He’s told me personally that he wants our immigrant communities to cooperate with law enforcement and does not believe in city cops calling ICE,” Zamarripa said.
Any Wisconsin resident could choose to obtain a non-compliant REAL ID, added Mike VanDenHeuvel, legislative aide to Zamarripa.
The driver’s license bill has received some bipartisan support, with Republican State Rep. Garey Bies of Sister Bay signing on to the measure.
The tuition-equity bill would allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition under three conditions. They must have graduated from high school or received a declaration of equivalency in Wisconsin, reside in the state for at least three years after attending their first day of high school, and sign an affidavit saying they have filed or will file for permanent residency in the United States as soon as they are eligible to do so.
Currently, undocumented students who attend the University of Wisconsin or technical college must pay out-of-state tuition, which raises the price significantly. At UW-Milwaukee (UWM) the in-state tuition for 12-18 credits is $4,650, compared to $9,514 for non-residents.
Mario Gomez, a sophomore at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), said he would like to transfer to UWM, but if the bill doesn’t pass, he would likely be priced out. He said it frustrates him that undocumented students are treated like newcomers despite living in Milwaukee almost their entire lives. Gomez pleaded for the same opportunities afforded other students in Wisconsin.
“We want to reach our dream jobs, but without access we can’t. We can’t afford to pay out of pocket,” Gomez said.
All three bills have been introduced previously but failed. The in-state tuition bill, previously known as Bill A75, passed the legislature in 2009 before Gov. Scott Walker’s 2011 budget bill eliminated the practice.
Republican State Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, who represents a district that includes Oak Creek, Franklin and South Milwaukee, thinks the bills will fail. Rodriguez does not support them because they were introduced late in the legislative term. She added that Zamarripa should reach out to everyone in the legislature.
“There’s a lot to be discussed in terms of these bills,” she said.
Walker has endorsed only the bill that would require state agencies to designate March 31 as “Cesar E. Chavez Day.” State employees wishing to observe the holiday would need to give up another state holiday, according to Zamarripa.
Walker could not be reached for comment on the other two bills, nor could Republican representatives Don Pridemore, a vocal opponent of expanding immigrants’ rights, or majority leader Rep. Bill Kramer.

author: Edgar Mendez


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 10, 2014

created: February 10, 2014


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Expectant mothers receive free dental care at South Side clinic | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
February 12, 2014
Seton Dental Clinic’s full-time staff dentist Charles Kosowski works on patient Diamond Carter’s teeth. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
North Side resident Diamond Carter was happy to be going to the dentist last week even on a bitterly cold day with no ride to the South Side dental clinic. Carter is in the process of receiving a full dental cleaning and restoration. She is determined to do all she can to take care of her health and that of her first baby, due to arrive in about a month.
The 23-year-old woman was referred to Columbia St. Mary’s St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Dental Clinic by her prenatal health care providers at Columbia St. Mary’s Prospect Medical Commons.
“I know I needed to come to the dentist and they were offering it,” Carter said. “Anything they offer that will help me and my baby in the long run, I was going to take.”
Carter is one of approximately 200 low-income pregnant women who are receiving free dental care through a Medical College of Wisconsin Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program grant for the first phase of a research study about oral health and birth outcomes. The two-year $200,000 research grant was awarded to Columbia St. Mary’s for care at its dental clinic, at 1730 S. 13th St. The free prenatal dental care research program began in January 2013.
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Patients wait to see a dentist in the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Dental Clinic. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Although a later phase of the research may investigate the impact of maternal oral care on the overall health of mothers and babies, this first phase was designed to determine how such a free prenatal dental care program would work, according to Clinic Manager Elizabeth Nelson. How do you deliver prenatal dental care to women? Can such a program be financially sustainable? How do expectant mothers value the program? Will they come? These are some of the questions the research sought to answer, Nelson said.
The study involves “individualized tracking using a pre- and post-test of the women’s knowledge about the importance of oral health care,” Nelson added.
“Now we’ve figured out how to do it and we’re doing it well and we’re finding that it’s really positive for everybody involved,” she added.
In the first year, the Seton Dental Clinic has taken referrals from the obstetrics and gynecology clinic at Prospect Medical Commons, 2311 N. Prospect Ave.; Columbia St. Mary’s Family Health Center, 1121 E. North Ave.; and the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, 1032 S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr.  Altogether about 660 women have been referred, according to Despina Mehail, Seton’s oral health advocate.
Bill Solberg is community services director at Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Seton has already met the 150-patient requirement for the research project and it has the capacity to treat more patients, according to Nelson. So it is going to begin accepting referrals from several smaller health care programs that treat pregnant women including the City of Milwaukee Health Department’s Empowering Families of Milwaukee, Guadalupe Early Head Start and Columbia St. Mary’s Blanket of Love Program, a partnership with Ebenezer Church of God in Christ, 3132 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
The research partners involved in this grant, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital and three referring clinics, may decide to apply for a second grant for the next phase of research but whether they do or not, Nelson said Columbia St. Mary’s will try to continue free prenatal dental care for as many women as it can treat.
Lack of adequate dental care is among the most serious health care problems for low-income urban residents, according to Bill Solberg, Columbia St. Mary’s director of community services.
Although BadgerCare (Medicaid) covers dental care, in theory, the reality is that very few dentists in Wisconsin and elsewhere can or will provide services for the low rate that BadgerCare will pay them.
The Seton Clinic has its roots in the Madre Angela Dental Clinic, which was founded in 1999 by a partnership of health care providers to address the high volume of patients going to hospital emergency rooms with oral pain, Nelson explained. “The initial intent for this clinic was for urgent care,” she said.
For a variety of reasons, the other partners fell away over time and in 2009 Columbia St. Mary’s built the new, state-the-art Seton Clinic. The Seton Clinic has 11 operatories, or dental exam/treatment rooms, a full-time staff dentist and five or six part-time volunteer dentists, Solberg said. Urgent care services are still available to anyone who needs them, though they do not include restorative care and usually consist of tooth extractions, he added.
Columbia St. Mary’s provides dental care services to low-income residents whether or not they have insurance.
Since she started treatment in October, Carter has had her teeth cleaned and one cavity filled. She will return two more times to have her remaining eight cavities treated in the coming weeks. And on very cold days when she doesn’t have transportation, the program can provide her with taxi fare.
“I know everything’s going to be wonderful after it’s all done,” Carter said.

created: February 12, 2014

author: Andrea Waxman


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 12, 2014


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Energy Assistance to southside neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
February 14, 2014
Residents of Milwaukee’s Clarke Square Neighborhood were able to access a valuable program thanks to a partnership between the Southside Organizing Committee and the Social Development Commission (SDC).
Energy Assistance Program staff from SDC spent last Saturday at the Southside Organizing Committee’s offices on S. Layton.  There they helped 90 residents who were seeking to apply for the program.
The visit by program staff was part of efforts to take the Energy Assistance service out to the community and be more accessible.  Staff from Energy Assistance make regular visits to the Southside Organizing Committee facility during the week but the special weekend session was scheduled to make it easier to assist working families.
Energy Assistance is an effort by Milwaukee County, Community Advocates and SDC to provide financial help to income-eligible households for fuel costs, emergency furnace repairs and replacement, and utility service restoration.  The program is provided at locations across Milwaukee County. To find the nearest program site, call Project Impact 211 or visit www.cr-sdc.org/DefaultFilePile/Programs/Energy/2014EnergyAssistanceFlyerEnglish.pdf.
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created: February 14, 2014


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In murder’s wake, neighbors speak out: Gun violence prevention summit at Neighborhood House | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee
February 14, 2014
In a city with a violent crime rate now in America’s top ten (Forbes Magazine), Milwaukeeans are all too familiar with gun violence. Teens and others in Milwaukee’s Concordia neighborhood, where a young man was shot and killed in broad daylight earlier this month, will gather with law enforcement to share concerns and advocate for an end to the shootings. Learn about local gang dynamics, how heroin is changing the drug trade, and how gun violence – and the silence around it – impacts young people.
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee teens will lead the community forum on  from  Safe & Sound Neighborhoods is co-sponsoring the event.
For more information, call Neighborhood House Teen Program Supervisor James Austin at 414.933.6161 Ext.137,   jaustin@nh-milw.org
SATURDAY FEB. 22nd, 2014   9am -1pm
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: Neighborhood House of Milwaukee, 2819 W. Richardson Pl.
(one block south of W. State St. and N. 27th)
FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
: Guest Speaker Police Officer Hue Kong of District 3; also free continental breakfast, give-aways, prizes, & live performances by Neighborhood House teens reflecting on the impact of gun violence in their lives.

author: Neighborhood House of Milwaukee


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Gospel singers raise their voices to help build new health clinic | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Karen Slattery
February 17, 2014
Right now, next to the Lisbon Avenue Community Health Center at 3522 W. Lisbon Ave., sits a huge, empty, fenced-off hole in the ground.
Next year at this time, you can expect to see a brand new, three-story, 42,000-square-foot medical center in its place.
The new center, like the original facility, will serve Medicaid and uninsured patients from across the city who need health care.
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The federally qualified health center, operated by Progressive Community Health Centers, is partially funded by the federal government. Progressive also runs Hillside Community Health Center, at 1452 N. 7th St.
Gospel singer Dorothy Ivory rehearses for a concert to raise money for Progressive Community Health Centers. (Photo by Karen Slattery)
While federal funding has stayed the same since 2000, the patient population has grown by nearly 50 percent, according to Progressive spokesperson Sarah Bailey.
Bailey said that a new building “was always on the horizon,” because the existing facility just isn’t big enough.
The price tag for the construction is $10.5 million.  A federal grant under the Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”) will pay for part of the cost.
Other funds come from area foundations and partnerships, including Froedtert Health.
Part of the campaign includes the upcoming Milwaukee Gospel Jubilee, an evening of music that features five area gospel groups.  The concert will be at the Pabst Theatre on Feb. 21, at 8 p.m.
“Given the area we serve and our demographic—75 percent of our patients are African Americans—this gospel theme just took hold,” said Bailey.
The tickets sell for $25 apiece and all of the proceeds benefit the clinic, “which is great,” she added.
Bailey said that the benefit also will help get the word out about the services the clinic offers.  “Many people don’t even know that the community health center exists,” she said, “and that there are places that help people who don’t have health insurance.”
The new center will expand to include mental health and radiology services.  The center currently offers family and internal medicine, obstetrical and gynecological services, women’s health services and dental care.
The clinic is accepting new patients for all services but dental care.
That’s expected to change when the new building opens and the clinic has the space to hire additional dentists needed to help with the backlog.

created: February 17, 2014


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 16, 2014

created: February 16, 2014


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Public Allies Milwaukee announces second annual evolving leader’s conference | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Public Allies Milwaukee
February 17, 2014
Public Allies Milwaukee announces the second annual Evolving Leader’s Conference, to be held on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the School of Continuing Education from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 pm.
The Evolving Leaders Conference provides invaluable opportunities for networking and professional and leadership development and will focus on Public Allies’ five core values: collaboration, continuous learning, diversity and inclusion, focus on assets, and integrity. The conference is tailored towards those who work or volunteer in the nonprofit sector.
Conference attendees can attend workshops on the following topics:
The conference will also provide lectures or activities on diversifying the nonprofit sector, asset based community development, hidden assets in Milwaukee and self-care tips.
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Complete conference schedule and registration information can be found at evolvingleadersmke.com

author: Public Allies Milwaukee


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Milwaukee Women Small Business Owner’s Expo | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
In the Pinc
February 19, 2014
Join us on Saturday, March 22, 2014 from 12 noon – 4:00 p.m. at the Grace Center located at 1209 N. Broadway for In the Pinc’s Milwaukee Women Small Business Owner’s Expo!
Celebrate with us as we CELEBRATE WOMEN WHO OWN AND RUN THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESSES!
We’ll have mini-workshops, demos, opportunities to network with small business owners, connect with new potential buyers, and shop with vendors.
Purchase your tickets at: http://inthepinc.net/milwaukeewomensexpo.html
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Questions? Please email: ree@inthepinc.net

created: February 19, 2014

author: In the Pinc


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City of Milwaukee Health Department releases fetal infant mortality review report | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
February 24, 2014
Improving women’s health and quality of care across the lifespan, improving comprehensive reproductive health services, and working to eliminate racism and improve the social, economic, educational and environmental determinants of health are key parts of the broad efforts needed to help reduce infant mortality rates in Milwaukee, according to a comprehensive report released today by the City of Milwaukee Health Department.
In its sixth analysis since 1993, The Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Report summarizes what is known about the factors that contribute to Milwaukee’s high number of stillbirths and infant deaths in an effort to better inform and target collaborative approaches to prevention.
“As this comprehensive report reinforces, no one single program or effort will reduce our infant mortality rates alone,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “In releasing this report, we hope to provide the community with the information needed to better inform and target programs and initiatives on all levels that can prevent stillbirths and infant deaths in our city.”
Among the findings in the report:
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“This detailed information is essential to the work to reduce Milwaukee’s infant mortality rates,” said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. “If we as an entire community are serious about improving infant mortality rates and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality, we must simultaneously improve access to quality health care, improve healthy behaviors, and build stronger neighborhoods that create the conditions in which all city residents can be healthy themselves before giving birth and raising healthy families.”

created: February 24, 2014

author: City of Milwaukee


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Deadline looms to enroll in health insurance or face tax | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Brendan O’Brien
February 24, 2014
Lisa Anderson, a health care specialist at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, helps Ronald Graef, 59, get insurance on Healthcare.gov, the website for the Affordable Care Act marketplace. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Ronald Graef was at his wit’s end.
After creating two or three separate accounts, completing five applications and spending hours on the phone with customer service to enroll in a much-needed health insurance plan on Healthcare.gov, the website for the Affordable Care Act, he knew he needed help.
“I’m a real patient guy, but this was crazy,” the self-employed real estate investor said about the issues he faced on the website. “I felt like a complete moron.”
Graef finally decided to attend an enrollment event at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, 1711 S. 11th St., where an application counselor put him on the right track within about an hour.
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Time well spent, said Graef, who expects to save about $500 each month in his health insurance premium, based on the plan he signed up for on the Healthcare.gov marketplace.
The healthy bachelor, who lives frugally (he has no cable television), plans to save most of the extra money for retirement and any unforeseen repairs to his car.
“That’s the only reason I kept pursuing it,” Graef said.
Application counselor Selena Roberts (left) and Shendola Duke (right) work at an Affordable Care Act sign-up event at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center. (Photo by Sue Vliet)
Graef also beat the March 31 deadline, when the ACA open-enrollment period ends. Individuals who remain uninsured after the March 31 deadline face a tax of 1 percent of their annual income or $95, whichever is greater.
As the deadline looms, officials at the Milwaukee Enrollment Network, a consortium of more than 100 organizations, are pushing to get thousands of uninsured Milwaukeeans informed about the tax implications and insurance options they may have.
“Our effort within the last week or two is to do a real full court press” to make people aware of the deadline and their options, said Milwaukee Enrollment Network spokesperson Clare Reardon. “Without growing awareness, we are going to be really challenged to get a lot of folks covered by the 31st.”
The consortium is working blindly because enrollment data is not available until weeks after the fact, according to Reardon.
“I think we will have a really good feel by this summer on how this has all shaken out,” Reardon said.
The time between creating an account on the website to getting insurance cards in the mail can vary greatly, causing frustration and anxiety for enrollees, said Shendola Duke, an application counselor at the Ignace Indian Health Center.
Months ago, most individuals Duke helped had a sense of urgency. Now, many are procrastinators, she said.
“Now they are panicking,” said Selena Roberts, one of Duke’s colleagues as the two waited for more individuals to trickle into the event.
The identity verification process involving a credit agency can lead to frustration for some individuals, especially for those who have never had credit, according to Roberts. “I have to tell them that it’s to protect them, to make sure that someone else is not saying they are them,” Roberts said.
In a broad sense, according to Roberts and Duke, much of the uncertainty individuals have with the enrollment process is derived from distrust in government. For example, counselors get a lot of pushback when they ask for middle names or email addresses.
“It sounds like Big Brother” is a refrain Roberts and Duke hear on a regular basis.
Premiums also remain a major obstacle for many individuals enrolling in an insurance plan through the ACA, according to Black Coalition of Wisconsin spokeswoman Clarene Mitchell.
“Even once they go and complete their enrollment and they get a plan, and even if they get a reasonable premium amount, it’s still an adjustment to make those payments,” she said.
According to Mitchell, the flow of traffic into the organization’s office and at its ACA events has remained constant. The one difference over time has been that individuals are much more prepared with necessary paperwork than they were a few months ago, Mitchell said.
At the Milwaukee Health Department, 13 certified application counselors have helped more than 1,000 individuals initiate their application on Healthcare.gov while the city has fielded more than 500 phone calls regarding the ACA, according to Sarah DeRoo, spokesperson for the agency.
City application counselors also have spent a lot of time directing individuals to BadgerCare, the state’s Medicaid program, DeRoo said.
Changes to BadgerCare also kick in for adults on April 1, when income eligibility decreases from 200 to 100 percent of the federal poverty level for adults with children. Also beginning April 1, childless adults who make less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for BadgerCare benefits.
“We do get people that are curious for what they are eligible for,” she said. “We really were not sure what to expect. This is brand new for everyone in the community.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 23, 2014

created: February 23, 2014


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Neighborhood House Executive Director Richard Cox announces retirement | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee
February 24, 2014
Neighborhood House, which serves thousands of children, adults and families on Milwaukee’s west side, has announced the retirement of Executive Director Richard Cox at the end of April 2014. Cox has served as the Executive Director of Neighborhood House since February 2008. Prior to his service at Neighborhood House, Cox spent 26 years in service to Milwaukee County, first in the Sheriff’s Office progressing through the ranks from Deputy Sheriff to Facility Administrator, and then as Superinten- dent at the County Jail from 1993-2001. Known as a progressive and creative administrator of diverse and complex operations, Cox also held executive positions with the Milwaukee Brewers and Benedict Center.
“Neighborhood House is an amazing place,” said Richard Cox. “Like many of us who wage a fight against poverty, violence and other urban issues, Neighborhood House has faced its share of challenges, especially in the past few years. No matter the test or adversity, I always felt we were all in it together as a Staff and Board of Directors. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish and the successful futures we have helped build.”
Joel Brennan, President of Neighborhood House Board of Directors, said, “Richard has been a steadying presence and a tireless advocate for the Neighborhood House mission to build a strong community by strengthening individuals, families, and the neighborhood. He will be missed, but his successor will have a strong foundation to work from because of Rich- ard’s career at Neighborhood House.”
Cox will formally retire on April 25th, 2014. The Board of Directors at Neighborhood House has launched a search for a new Executive Director; an appointment is expected later this spring.
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ACTS Housing to work with City of Milwaukee to provide home ownership counseling | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
ACTS Housing
February 25, 2014
ACTS Housing will provide home ownership counseling services to tenants of foreclosed properties through the city’s Tenant Transition to Ownership Project (T3OP). ACTS Housing was recently awarded a one-year contract with the City of Milwaukee for up to $50,000 to provide these services.
“ACTS Housing is thrilled to be a vital part of the push to revitalize the homes and neighborhoods in Milwaukee,” said Carl Quindel, executive director of ACTS Housing.
ACTS Housing will provide guidance for the individuals to help them repair credit, learn basic home maintenance skills, establish a household budget, and understand the responsibilities of homeownership.
This new role partnering with the city will build on ACTS Housing’s experience and portfolio of work.
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“ACTS has over two decades of experience in providing homeownership opportunities that both strengthen communities and change lives, and the organization is confident that it will be able to replicate that success as part of the city’s Tenant Transition to Ownership Project,” said Quindel.
Individuals interested in entering the program must be able to pay the $500 per month rent to the City of Milwaukee, as well as most utilities. Tenants will also enter into “good neighbor” agreements that will encourage neighborhood health and community participation. After successfully completing the program tenants will be eligible to own the property for only $1.
ACTS Housing has hired Coretta Herring as its new Housing Counselor to provide the counseling services for homeowners through this grant. Herring is a community advocate professional with more than 10 years of credit counseling. She has experience with developing a homebuyer pipeline, participating as a resident leader in the Making Connections Milwaukee (MCM) initiative and leading an Asset Builders Council.

created: February 25, 2014

author: ACTS Housing


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Local leaders seek signed pledges from community members to get involved | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
February 25, 2014
Students from Christ-St. Peter Lutheran School were among the first to receive pledge cards. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
Alderman Bob Donovan, who represents a district on the South Side, is encouraging residents to commit to fighting violence and other crime in the city by making a pledge.
The “I Pledge Milwaukee” initiative, part of an eight-point plan to increase public safety, was recently introduced by Donovan and other state and local leaders.
The pledge initiative is loosely based on a similar program in Philadelphia, according to Donovan. The goal is to encourage residents to pledge action, time, money or other commitments to their neighborhoods. Their contributions might be through clean-ups, keeping an eye out for crime, volunteering at a local non-profit or other community engagement.
Alderman Bob Donovan said the “I Pledge Milwaukee” campaign recognizes that the power of the city lies in its people. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
“Do what you can; start where you’re at,” Donovan said.
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Students from Christ-St. Peter Lutheran School, 2229 W. Greenfield Ave. in Muskego Way, were among the first to sign a version of the pledge designed for students, which does not include personal information such as phone number or email address.
Other strategies to improve public safety include adding 250 more police officers, expanding the use of “shotspotter” technology and strengthening community prosecution units.
The initiative is still in the planning phase, but pledge forms soliciting a name, address, email and phone number, along with a specific pledge, will be distributed throughout the city. Donovan said one idea is to link up citizens who have common ideals.
“I want to bring together people who are working on similar commitments, like those who pledge to be block watch captains,” Donovan said.
Bonnie Constantine and her husband Darwin, who’ve lived on the South Side for 30 years, said the initiative is long overdue.
“It gives us a way to do something other than just complain about problems in the neighborhood,” Bonnie said.
Emilio Lopez, retired former associate executive director of the Milwaukee Christian Center, knows that getting people to participate is an uphill challenge. Lopez, who’s part of the committee planning the initiative, said some people are afraid and others just don’t want to bother with it.
Still, Lopez said that increasing the number of people who volunteer in their community by 5 or 10 percent would greatly improve public safety.
“What we’re trying to do is to create an avenue for residents to get involved; we can’t battle crime unless the community buys in,” Lopez said.
Natasha Vega, who lives in Clarke Square, said she cares about crime, but won’t sign a pledge card. Vega said she doesn’t feel comfortable sharing her personal information, not knowing exactly how that information will be used.
“I’m not giving my address and phone number; why does anybody need that?” asked Vega.
Donovan said a website for the initiative will likely be created and data collected from pledges will eventually be compiled, though figuring what to do with that information is still being worked out.
“A steering committee is being put in place to address those issues, but we’re looking for input from anyone who’s interested,” Donovan said.
As of now, the Milwaukee Police Department is not a partner in the pledge initiative, though that could change in the future, according to Donovan.
John Hefter, who lives in Layton Park, was not worried about sharing his information. Though he said he generally feels safe in his community, he said it could be improved if more people get involved. Hefter pledged to attend more community meetings and meet more people in his neighborhood.
“If we know who our neighbors are, then together we can confront crime and other issues in our neighborhood,” he added.


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 24, 2014


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Daphne Jones and Lena Taylor to be guests on WNOV’s “Heart & Soul” | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
February 26, 2014
WNOV Radio personality Wanda Williams’ next interview guests will be entrepreneur Daphne Malone, president and CEO of Malone’s Fine Sausage and Wisconsin State Senator Lena Taylor. Tune in to “Heart and Soul” on WNOV 860 AM Radio/Internet on Saturday March 1, 2014, at 8:00 a.m.

created: February 26, 2014


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New loan fund to provide growth capital for black entrepreneurs | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Rick Brown
February 26, 2014
Entrepreneurs such as Raymond Wilder of KRS Hair Studio will be the focus of a new revolving loan fund. (Photo by Rick Brown)
For small businesses such as Clean Tec, a loan can make the difference between adding employees or losing accounts.
In 2013, the black-owned cleaning enterprise acquired a new account, but owner Charles Carter feared he might not have the operating funds or employees necessary to service the new client. A business loan from the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) allowed him to keep the account and hire two new employees.
“It was huge,” Carter said. “If I hadn’t received that loan, I simply wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
Entrepreneurs such as Carter will be the target of an upcoming revolving loan fund run by the African American Chamber of Commerce (AACOC) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).
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The program will begin accepting applications in the near future, according to Dr. Eve Hall, AACOC president and CEO.
Offering loans from $5,000 to $25,000, the $200,000 fund will target a broad range of new and continuing entrepreneurs.
“Access to capital continues to be an issue for small businesses, whether African American or otherwise,” Hall said. “This fund allows us to support them.”
KRS Hair Studio is continually expanding and developing. (Photo by Rick Brown)
Anyone will be able to apply to the new loan program, which WEDC hopes will help foster black entrepreneurship, according to Mark Maley, WEDC public information manager.
“Minority businesses sometimes have a tough time getting loans, and we wanted to work with the chamber to make sure that this money gets to businesses that need it,” Maley said.
Such businesses may include those that lack the collateral or credit necessary for traditional bank loans. The AACOC will have “more latitude” than traditional lenders in working with financially high-risk entrepreneurs to support their businesses, according to Hall.
“If they’re high-risk but otherwise very good candidates and need support, we can be that one step to help them become ‘loan ready’ for a traditional bank,” Hall said.
The program will support entrepreneurs in five areas: operating capital, machinery and equipment, staff financing, building renovations and bonding assistance, according to Hall.
WEDC provided $100,000 in seed money for the AACOC’s program, which the AACOC matched with funds from the Milwaukee Economic Development Corporation, Associated Bank and Wisconsin Business Development.
The fund is part of a continuing initiative by WEDC “to make capital accessible to underserved communities” through grants to agencies serving businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans, according to Seyoum Mengesha, minority business development manager.
The organization has previously provided seed money for other minority chamber programs, helping establish revolving loan funds at the American Indian Chamber of Commerce in 2004 and the Hmong Chamber of Commerce in 2007. The organization is currently working with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as well, Mengesha said.
The AACOC’s fund is a helpful “addition to the landscape” of aid for entrepreneurs, said Wendy Baumann, president and chief visionary officer of WWBIC, a statewide nonprofit that provided $4.8 million in loans to business owners in 2013, according to an impact statement.
Baumann said that access to capital is an ongoing struggle for African American and other entrepreneurs, especially those in start-up and early-phase businesses.
Carter agreed. Since he started Clean Tec, 2821 N. 4th St., in 2010 with help from friends and family, Carter has grown the business from two accounts to 15 with services ranging from office cleaning to snow removal. The company’s employees have gained more experience, and its marketing has grown more strategic, Carter said.
But a lack of funding to purchase equipment and hire employees still limits its scale.
“I’ve missed out on accounts in the past due to not having sufficient funds,” Carter said. “We want to go for some of the bigger accounts, but we can’t until we get the funding.”
Such growth is critical to all entrepreneurs, according to Raymond Wilder, owner of KRS Hair Studio, 832 E. Locust St. A black-owned family business, KRS offers natural hair and skin care, waxing and other services.
Though Wilder started his spa with his own money in 2005, he and his wife, Kimberly, turned to a loan from WWBIC to help expand their business in 2013. The Wilders are now putting the money toward equipment, awnings and signage to “freshen up and pump up the business.”
In addition to buying a new microdermabrasion machine for skin care and other equipment, Wilder will soon install three new hair stations in KRS, which he estimates will bring in approximately $20,000 in revenue a year.
The loan wasn’t critical to the survival of KRS, Wilder said, but it played an important role in the spa’s continuing strategy of expansion.
“We’ve changed the face of our business three times, and it’s essential to growth,” Wilder said. “Customers want and need to see new things.”
Hall hopes to attract a wide variety of entrepreneurs to the AACOC’s fund, which she said will benefit all communities in Milwaukee.
“Strong businesses contribute to our tax base,” Hall said. “Everyone wins when we have them, and especially businesses of color, which tend to hire other minorities.”


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 26, 2014


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Mayor highlights “I Have A Dream” program in annual address | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Andrea Waxman
February 27, 2014
(From left) “I Have A Dream” sixth-graders Allontay Haynes and Daishanell Thomas and seventh-graders Olivia Roberson and Juanita Lipsey smile for well wishers. MPS Superintendent Gregory Thornton greets audience members in the background. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Four middle-school students took a break from classes one morning this week at the invitation of Mayor Tom Barrett, joining municipal leaders, dignitaries and residents at the mayor’s State of the City address at Journey House.
During his speech, Barrett introduced sixth-graders Allontay Haynes and Daishanell Thomas and seventh-graders Olivia Roberson and Juanita Lipsey, all members of “I Have A Dream” Milwaukee. He pointed to the college preparatory program for students from low-income communities as an example of educational justice at work in Milwaukee.
“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity — it is an act of justice,” Barrett said, quoting the late South African leader Nelson Mandela.
The four students represented 52 sixth- and seventh-graders who joined “I Have A Dream” when it was launched here in 2008. At that time, they were in first and second grade at Clarke Street School, 2816 W. Clarke St.
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A large audience of municipal leaders and residents listen as Mayor Tom Barrett reports on the state of the city. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Juanita Lipsey hopes to follow in her mother’s footsteps, to college and the Marines. “My dream is to get good grades so I can grow up and be a leader in my community,” she said.
Classmate Olivia Roberson likes math, reading and being with her friends at Clarke Street School. As a member of Ton Ko-Thi Children’s Performing Ensemble, her schedule is packed, she said. Her goal is to own multiple businesses and counsel young people who have mental and other problems.
Barrett thanked the students “for believing in themselves, that they can conquer anything and achieve their dreams.“ He also thanked the adults who are encouraging and supporting them.
The “I Have A Dream” program’s mission is to motivate and empower the students to reach their educational and career goals by providing a long-term program of academic, social and emotional support and tuition assistance for higher education, according to Program Director David Comer.
“This year was our first year executing a full after-school program where we provide tutoring, mentoring, homework help, extracurricular activities and a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program,” explained Comer. Students participate from the time school ends at 2:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. on school days and on some Saturdays. Staff and volunteers also help teachers work with students in Clarke Street classrooms.
Every Tuesday after school since second grade, the now-seventh-graders have taken a bus provided by the Brady Corporation to the company headquarters at 6555 W. Good Hope Road. There, employee volunteers spend two hours tutoring the students, with whom they have developed close relationships.
The routine provides consistency, which Comer said is valuable to students who may not have as much stability outside of school.
Monthly field trips give students exposure to a larger world and allow them to envision more options for themselves. In middle school, students must earn the privilege of going on field trips, Comer said. Recently, a group visited Chicago’s Adler Planetarium.
Sixth-grader Allontay Haynes said he loves field trips and gym and is proud of his perfect attendance. “I come every single day,” he noted. Classmate Daishanell Thomas is interested in recording people’s voices and taking their photos. She might want to create a newspaper on a computer, she said.
“I Have A Dream” was founded in 1981 by New York businessman Eugene Lang. After learning about the high dropout rate at the Harlem middle school from which he graduated, Lang promised college tuition to every sixth-grader there who graduated from high school. In 1986, the national “I Have A Dream” Foundation was established to coordinate and expand the network of “I Have A Dream” sites, now numbering 32 in 13 states, Washington, D.C., and New Zealand.
Currently more than 3,500 Dreamers are on the path to college and 11,000 have completed the program.
Local partners and supporters include the Brady Corporation, the Kelben Foundation, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Unity in Motion and Discovery World.

created: February 27, 2014


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
February 27, 2014


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College Possible Milwaukee Receives $700,000 Grant from the Burke Foundation | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
College Possible
March 2, 2014
College Possible Milwaukee has received a three-year $700,000 grant from the Burke Foundation, a Milwaukee-based foundation that invests in opportunities to improve urban education and youth leadership and development. The grant will support College Possible Milwaukee’s expansion into several high schools in the next three years in order to serve even more Milwaukee students through its college access and success programs.
“College Possible is thrilled to be joining the Burke Foundation’s portfolio of grantees. This support will significantly increase the number of Milwaukee students attending college and earning degrees,” explains Edie Turnbull, College Possible Milwaukee Executive Director.
Launched in 2008, College Possible Milwaukee currently serves over 2,500 students including 600 high school students at 10 partner high schools in Milwaukee and more than 800 college students at colleges nationwide. The program provides guidance to students throughout their junior and senior years of high school and continues to support them until their graduation from college. This spring is the first year College Possible will have college graduates from Milwaukee area high schools.
The Burke Foundation has historically supported innovative programs that improve urban education, youth and leadership development by focusing on the well-being of youth and future leaders and addressing long-term viability in the changing community.
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“The Burke Foundation is especially inspired by the outstanding outcomes the College Possible team has been able to achieve including increasing ACT scores, college acceptance rates, and college persistence rates for low-income students in Milwaukee,” says Deanna Singh, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation.
College Possible recently received recognition at a White House gathering in January. The summit, jointly-led by the First Lady’s office and officials from the National Economic Council, the Domestic Policy Council and the Department of Education, addressed stark class disparities among college students and graduates.
College Possible also received attention in November when Harvard University released historic results from a study using randomized controls, considered to be the gold standard of evaluation. The findings show that College Possible’s approach to unlocking the potential of low-income students is effective and that students served are significantly more likely to enroll in a four-year college.
Lead researcher Dr. Chris Avery explains, “While there are many organizations working to promote college access for low-income students, to my knowledge, College Possible is the only program that has demonstrated its success in increasing applications and enrollment at four-year colleges in a randomized trial.” Dr. Avery’s analysis estimates that the College Possible program increases enrollment in four-year colleges by 15 percentage points, and this result is statistically significant.

author: College Possible


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Evolving Leaders Conference 2014 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Public Allies Milwaukee
March 2, 2014
The Evolving Leadership Conference, on Saturday March 22nd, will provide opportunities for invaluable networking and offers professional development as it relates to leadership. You will also learn about many of Milwaukee’s ‘hidden’ assets!
OUR WORKSHOPS
*Diversity and Inclusion: Navigating Intergenerational Communication
*Collaboration: Coalition Building
*Continuous Learning: Networking and Small Talk for Introverts
*Continuous Learning: Pinpointing Your Passion for your Five Year Plan
*Integrity: How to create an Environment for Accountability
*Integrity: Good Skin in the Game (Brand Management)
AND MORE!
*Diversifying the Nonprofit Sector
*Asset Based Community Development
*And Self Care Tips
REGISTER EARLY at EvolvingLeadersmke.com
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General Public
$25 in January
$35 in February
$45 in March
Public Allies Alumni
$20 in January
$30 in February
$40 in March
Public Allies is changing the face and practice of leadership in communities across the country by demonstrating our conviction that everyone can lead, and that lasting social change results when citizens of all backgrounds step up, take responsibility, and work together. Public Allies’ mission is to advance new leadership to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation.


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Founding member of Penfield Children’s Center dies | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Penfield Children’s Center
March 2, 2014
Priscilla Penfield Chester, daughter of world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield and founding member of Milwaukee’s Penfield Children’s Center, died on February 19. Penfield helps infants and young children, with and without disabilities, reach their full potential through education, therapy services and family programs.
“Priscilla was a tremendous advocate for children with special needs,” said Christine Holmes, President and CEO of Penfield Children’s Center. “Her vision as a founding member of Penfield Children’s Center, to provide holistic early education and care to children in their formative years, has had a profound impact in the lives of thousands of children in Milwaukee County.”
Here is a link to the obituary.
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New On-line Tax Filing Option | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
March 2, 2014
There is a new no-cost choice for tax filers who want to file their own tax returns this season.  The option offered by the Milwaukee Asset Building Coalition (MABC) and the Social Development Commission (SDC) is providing access to a free on-line tax filing service this year.
The local tax preparation service is offering a link to the “My Free Taxes” program.  This free on-line tax filing service is coordinated by the United Way, Goodwill Industries and the National Disability Institute.  It is intended to help tax filers whose income in 2013 was less than $58,000 with their federal and state taxes.
To access the service, go to the SDC website at www.cr-sdc.org and click on the link listed on the upper right hand corner of the home page under “What’s New”.  This link will take you to the program page and get you started in collecting the needed materials, filling out and filing your taxes on-line.
The free service is provided by the MABC and SDC program as another way to increase filing options for low and moderate income families and individuals.  The program is also currently filling out and filing taxes at no charge at sites located across Milwaukee County for residents.  In its first 12 years of service, the MABC and SDC program has filed more than 132,000 tax returns that brought back more than $146-million in tax refunds and credits to local residents.
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To learn more about the tax program and to see a list of sites and dates of service, visit www.cr-sdc.org/index/Programs–Services/VITA.htm.


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Senior at MPS’ Rufus King H.S. wins President’s Volunteer Service Award | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Public Schools
March 2, 2014
Chariesse Ellis has committed herself to service.
The senior at Milwaukee Public Schools’ Rufus King International School – High School Campus has spent more than 200 hours helping people through agencies such as City on a Hill, which provides medical care to people who are homeless or uninsured.
Now her work is getting noticed.
Chariesse has been honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award, the nation’s premier volunteer award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country. The award was granted by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of President Barack Obama.
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Rufus King H.S. student and President’s Volunteer Service Award winner Chariesse Ellis
The recognition comes as MPS has implemented a community service graduation requirement, which takes effect beginning with students one grade younger than Chariesse: the class of 2015.
“We are so proud that this impressive MPS student is being recognized for her work to improve this community,” MPS Superintendent Gregory Thornton said.
Rufus King High School nominated Chariesse, who takes part in the International Baccalaureate ‘Diploma Programme’ at the school, for the national honor in recognition of her work.
“Her service exemplifies the Creativity Action and Service (CAS) component of the IB programme,” Principal Jennifer Smith said. “Through her service to City on a Hill and other community groups, Chariesse has shown that she can face new challenges, work collaboratively and engage in issues with global importance.”
“Rufus King is proud of her commitment to service and her success as an IB student,” Smith added. “She is very deserving of the President’s Volunteer Service Award.”
While some may see serving others as a burden, Chariesse says it’s “something that I dedicate my life to. And I am honored to be rewarded for it.”
The new community service requirement is an effort to forward the MPS mission of educating all students for success in higher education, careers, and responsible citizenship. As part of the requirement, MPS students must complete at least one of three options: service- learning, online learning, or community service. Learn more at this link (http://www5.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/dept/teamup/high-school/graduation-requirements/community-service-experience/).


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Adam Carr
March 2, 2014


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ACA Enrollment Assistance | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
March 4, 2014
An important deadline to sign up for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace is quickly approaching.  The Social Development Commission is partnering with several agencies to help residents beat that deadline.
The ACA Marketplace enrollment ends March 31 for coverage to be effective in 2014.  To help provide information on the program and to start signing up, SDC is teaming with the Milwaukee City Health Department, Milwaukee Health Services, the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin and Outreach Community Health Center.
Trained counselors from those organizations are staffing several SDC sites to provide information on the ACA and to enroll them.  They are also able to help residents with enrollment in BadgerCare, Medicaid, FoodShare and Child Care.
The ACA Enrollment help is available at SDC offices at 4041 N. Richards on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to 4 pm.  They are also at SDC’s facility at 6848 N. Teutonia Avenue on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 am to 4 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to 2 pm.  Residents wishing to see a counselor should bring a photo ID, their social security card and an income statement for the last 30 days. No appointment is needed.
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Savings program workshop and free tax help | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Social Development Commission
March 6, 2014
Milwaukee area residents can get their taxes done free and learn about a match savings program that can help them buy a home.  The Milwaukee Asset Building Coalition (MABC) and Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) will team up to present a free workshop Thursday, March 13 at 1:00 pm at the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center located at 5460 N. 64 Street in Milwaukee.  The session presented by WWBIC staff will focus on their Individual Development Account program that matches savings for participants on a two to one basis.  Also discussed will be a Homebuying Savings Program that helps City of Milwaukee Housing Authority residents become homeowners.  The workshop will be offered in conjunction with MABC which prepares taxes on Thursdays during tax season at Silver Spring Neighborhood Center between 11:30 am and 7:30 pm.  To learn more about the MABC tax service as well as where and when it is offered, visit www.cr-sdc.org/index/Programs–Services/VITA.htm.


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The Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Match Day returns for 2014 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
March 10, 2014
On March 13, members of the community will come together again to raise funds for 20 nonprofits participating in the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s third Match Day. The event is the only of its kind in Wisconsin and is designed to raise awareness for basic needs in the greater Milwaukee area.
Thanks to $750,000 in matching funds contributed by a pool of funders including the Brewers Community Foundation and The Ceres Foundation, each donation made online on March 13 will be proportionally matched based on the total amount raised. Last year, more than $2.8 million was raised overall through the event.
“We are excited to bring Match Day back for another day of giving in 2014,” said Ellen M. Gilligan, President and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. “In the first two years, more than $4.6 million was raised for organizations in the greater Milwaukee area that serve our neighbors in need. Our participating nonprofits are vital to providing basic needs for so many in our community, and the funds that are raised on this day strengthen their capacity to serve those who need it most.”
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Sponsored by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the event showcases 20 participating agencies in southeast Wisconsin helping meet individuals’ basic food and shelter needs, including:
Advocates of Ozaukee, Cathedral Center, Center for Veterans Issues, Community Advocates, Daystar, Family Promise of Washington County, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Food Pantry of Waukesha County, Friends of Abused Families, Guest House of Milwaukee, Hebron House of Hospitality, Hope Center, Hope House of Milwaukee, Hunger Task Force, Milwaukee Rescue Mission, Pathfinders Milwaukee, Salvation Army Wisconsin & Upper Michigan, Sojourner Family Peace Center, The Women’s Center, Walkers Point Youth and Family Center
“I’m happy to see Match Day back in Milwaukee for another day of historic giving,” said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. “These nonprofits are vital lifelines for so many of our neighbors here in Milwaukee County, and this is a great opportunity for us to come together as one to support basic needs.”
“Match Day has been a great success for Waukesha County and all participating nonprofits the past two years, and I look forward to seeing the surrounding counties come together again this year for a common purpose and another day of online giving in support of agencies that supply food and shelter to those in need,” said Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas.
To create Match Day, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation has partnered again with Razoo, the world’s fastest-growing crowdfunding site for causes.
For more information on Match Day, visit www.MatchDayMKE.org and follow the Greater Milwaukee Foundation on Facebook and Twitter.


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Burke Foundation invests in PEARLS to help at-risk girls build brighter futures | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Pearls for Teen Girls
March 10, 2014
PEARLS for Teen Girls Inc. is honored to be one of seven Milwaukee-area organizations selected to receive support from the Burke Foundation. The $300,000, three-year grant will support the 10,000 Girls Initiative, a well-planned, phased strategy of investments and growth designed to bring the proven success of PEARLS to 10,000 at-risk Milwaukee girls.
“PEARLS is grateful to The Burke Foundation for this grant. It is an investment in PEARLS, but more important it is a vote of confidence in our girls, in their dreams and their futures,” said Danae D. Davis, CEO of PEARLS. “The challenges our girls face, and the need for our programs is so vividly clear. We are focused on solutions, and we are creating them every day, one girl at a time, to build a better quality of life for each girl and for our Milwaukee community.”
In 2013, PEARLS served 1,249 girls age 10 to 19 at 28 locations. The majority of PEARLS girls live in neighborhoods faced with the most severe of Milwaukee’s challenges: poverty, food and housing insecurity, struggling schools, high crime, and family distress. PEARLS helps each girl envision a life beyond her circumstances and transform her future. Now in Phase Two, the five-phase 10,000 Girls Initiative will dramatically increase opportunities for Milwaukee girls to develop into confident, self- sufficient, empathetic leaders and overcome negative socio-economic environmental influences. By the end of Phase 2, PEARLS will nearly double the number of girls it serves throughout the city to 2250.
“PEARLS is an impact-based and innovative model that is truly a transformative force within the Milwaukee community. They deliver outstanding results, including their effects on girls within their program in raising their high school graduation rates, college acceptance rates, and lowering teen pregnancy rates,” said Deanna Singh, Executive Director of the Burke Foundation.
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The need for PEARLS in Milwaukee—and our effectiveness—has never been clearer.
Milwaukee: 62.8% of Milwaukee Public School students graduate from high school; among African- American girls, the rate is less than 50%.
PEARLS: In the past five years, 98.4% of PEARLS high school seniors graduated from high school. Of those girls, 97.6% earned acceptance to at least one college.
Milwaukee: Milwaukee has one of highest rates of child poverty in the nation, and a rate of births to teen mothers that—while substantially improved recently—remains unacceptably high at 25.7 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 17.
PEARLS: In the past five years, 99.6% of PEARLS girls avoided pregnancy.
PEARLS provides girl-driven, evidence-based programming and strong adult-girl mentorships, to help girls build the self-knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to exercise their personal power, make healthy and wise choices, and build a path to self-sufficient adulthood. PEARLS programs and mentors help girls hold themselves and one another accountable for practicing the traits for which PEARLS is named: Personal Responsibility, Empathy, Awareness, Respect, Leadership, and Support. A substantial and growing body of research in social-emotional learning (emotional intelligence) reflects the critical role these values and skills play in the ability of individuals to succeed in school, in relationships, in the workplace, and as self-sufficient, contributing citizens.
Through the 10,000 Girls Initiative, the PEARLS organization, its donors, volunteers, and community collaboration partners have engaged in rigorous capacity development and operational evaluation processes to ensure that PEARLS continues to provide superior quality, girl-centered, evidence-based programming as it expands to serve more girls.
“The Burke Foundation’s investment in PEARLS is a significant endorsement of our ability to help Milwaukee overcome the significant challenges they face to become self-sufficient, contributing members of the community. Their support, and the support of the many individuals and organizations, locally and nationally, that invest in PEARLS, sends a powerful, inspiring message to these girls that the community believes in them and wants them to succeed,” Davis said.

author: Pearls for Teen Girls


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City-wide Black Male Achievement collective impact initiative launched | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
March 10, 2014
Like many cities throughout the United States, Milwaukee is in dire need for innovative, non-traditional approaches to improving minority male outcomes both inside and outside of school. That need may be greater today than at any other point in history.
Just a few moments ago, President Barack Obama unveiled his new “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, taking action to partner with foundations, businesses, and community and faith leaders around the country to ensure that every young man has an opportunity to reach his full potential. The new White House initiative adds federal support to a national movement of leading foundations, civic organizations, and corporations working toward a better future for men of color.
Excitingly, Milwaukee is at the forefront of this endeavor. Last year, the City was selected to receive critical support and assistance from the National League of Cities and the Open Society Foundations’ City Leadership to Promote Black Male Achievement initiative. Each of the 11 U.S. cities selected is developing a systemic approach to reducing disparities between Black males and their peers.
Supported by a growing collaborative of local stakeholders, the (BMA) will address a multitude of challenges that place young Black boys and men of color across our city at a significant educational, economic and social disadvantage, especially compared to others around the state and country.
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This initiative will form strong local partnerships in identifying and supporting proven interventions, using existing data more effectively. In addition, the initiative will develop its own comprehensive strategies focused on education, access to employment, violence prevention, reentry, men’s health and wellness, strengthening families, and better engaging boys, men, and fathers. The Milwaukee Black Male Achievement Initiative is determined to have a lasting impact on Black boys and men of color through meaningful policy and systems- level change that will affect the future progress of Milwaukee and the region.
To date, a number of collaborative groups have engaged with and joined the BMA cause. A community- driven has been established to advocate and inform policy and decision-making on the issues and barriers impeding the potential and success of Black and other men of color within the City, County, and State.
“The formation of the BMA Advisory Council is an important first step, but we have much more work to do when it comes to addressing the multiple challenges that place Black men and boys in Milwaukee at a significant disadvantage compared to others,” said Mayor Tom Barrett and Alderman Joe Davis, Sr., Co- Chairs of the City-convened Advisory Council in a joint-statement on the group’s webpage.
“These problems will not go away by themselves, and it is up to this generation to right the ship. We applaud President Obama’s commitment to direct the federal government to look for ways to specifically help young Black boys and men. And we will follow his lead.”The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), a partner of the City’s BMA initiative, is hopeful for the same. In anticipation of the announcement, UWM’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Jim Hill, expressed his excitement for the President of the United States’ recognition that the plight of Black boys and men go beyond the reach and capacity of local communities and states. Rather, it is a national crisis that America must address if it is going to maximize opportunity for all of its citizens. The President’s announcement today affirms that the Milwaukee BMA Initiative’s public/private strategy is aligned with the White House as it continues to leverage the needed support, partnerships, and resources to gain traction in the City of Milwaukee and beyond.
Milwaukee stands out among other cities. The data makes it clear that wide racial disparities exist in education, employment and the criminal justice system, putting Black males in a far worse position than in any other community.
Milwaukee is well-positioned to mobilize key community stakeholders including government, business, faith- based, academic and community-based organizations around a common BMA agenda and can align efforts using common measures of success.
“The convening of the BMA Advisory Council and initiative and the launching of President Obama’s White House Initiative clearly demonstrate that Milwaukee, like the nation, is willing, ready, and capable of collectively improving health, life, and educational outcomes for Black boys and men everywhere,” said Jeffery Roman, Chair of the City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission and champion facilitator of the local initiative.
Roman has been working over the last two years to engage a wide cross-sector partnership strategy, and has enlisted the support and commitment of a broad range of community, faith-based and municipal partners, businesses, workforce development agencies and community foundations from around the area, who have already pledged to work closely together through the BMA Initiative. In the coming year, these entities will work to mobilize the organizational, political, and financial resources needed to build a better future for Black boys and men in Milwaukee.
Six focus areas and sustainability needs have surfaced to engage the community, align resources, steer cross-sector linkage and support, and implement strategic interventions and action throughout 2014:
The Milwaukee Black Male Achievement Advisory Council encourages community input and involvement and is created in perpetuity by City Ordinance to be informed and driven by the community. Become a partner, get involved and stay connected at: www.milwaukee.gov/bma


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Nominations sought for Mayor’s design awards | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
March 10, 2014
Remarkable buildings, spaces, and physical improvements in Milwaukee will be honored again this year by the Mayor’s Design Awards. Now is the time to submit nominations. In its seventeenth year, the awards honor aspects of Milwaukee’s built environment that make our city a lively and engaging place.
“Imaginative people have made some wonderful additions to the city in recent years, and this provides a way to acknowledge and honor those efforts,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “I am confident that this year’s design awards will highlight even more great projects.”
In the coming weeks, nominations will be vetted – evaluated on the basis of the positive change they have brought to Milwaukee. Sometimes awards go to grand, landmark structures; awards also go to smaller projects such as landscaping in a residential neighborhood. Historic preservation is also recognized by the Mayor’s Design Awards.
To inspire nominations, the Mayor invites nominators to consider a range of categories including “Design that grabs you,” “Go green,” “Test of time,” “Live. Work. Play. ,” “Spaces and places,” and “Urban oddities and amenities,”
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People can explore the categories, see past winners, and submit nominations for the Mayor’s Design Awards online at http://city.milwaukee.gov/MayorsDesignAwards.htm. To receive consideration, nominations should be submitted before Friday, March 21, 2014.