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How to support Milwaukee entrepreneurs of color on Black Friday (and beyond) | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
November 25, 2021
CirculateMKE’s mobile markets connect customers with some of Milwaukee’s most diverse vendors. The market pops up again this Black Friday at PEAK Initiative in the Midtown neighborhood. (File photo provided by Shalina Ali)
There are many opportunities to shop for gifts on Black Friday, but it can be difficult to find places where the money you spend stays in our neighborhoods.
Here’s how you can shop local and support homegrown entrepreneurs of color today, on Black Friday and beyond.
(Did we miss anything (because we tried and know that we did)? Let us know in the comments or by emailing us at info@milwaukeenns.org)
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CirculateMKE is back this year with entrepreneurs from all over the city. The seventh annual CirculateMKE Black Friday market runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26 at PEAK Initiative, located at 2480 W. Cherry St. More information is available here. For questions, email circulatemke@gmail.com.
Sherman Phoenix All Black Friday features products from Milwaukee-area Black entrepreneurs. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26 at Sherman Phoenix, located at 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. For more information, email events@shermanphoenix.com.
The Bronzeville Collective MKE is also hosting a Black Friday market featuring over 30 Black, Brown, Queer and Ally brands. The market runs from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26 at the Bronzeville Collective’s location in the Harambee neighborhood, 339 W. North Ave. More information is available here.
The XChange event space is hosting a market featuring items from Black and Brown entrepreneurs and creatives on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Stop by between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26 and Saturday, Nov. 27 to take part. More information is available here.
Harold S. Vincent High School, an MPS school focused on the agricultural sciences, is hosting a makers market featuring items ranging from popcorn packets to lip balms to houseplants, all grown or made by students. The market takes place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 8, 9, 15 and 16 at 7501 N. Granville Rd. More information is available here.
The Kujichagulia Holiday Market, featuring products from Sherman Phoenix businesses and the Kujichagulia Producers Cooperative, offers an opportunity to meet and support local entrepreneurs. The market runs from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday Dec. 19 at the Sherman Phoenix, located at 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave. Songstress Keshena Armon will provide the live music.
MKE Black is a nonprofit that provides a directory of Black-owned businesses in the greater Milwaukee area. Its app, available here, directs you year-round to Black-owned businesses and organizations providing everything from mental health resources to catering.
Bronze Box offers collections of treats all sourced from local Black-owned businesses, and 20% of profits go to MKE Black. Vegan options available. Some boxes will not be available after Thursday, Nov. 25. Order here.
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges is holding a gift drive for the residents of Metcalfe Park. Between now and Dec. 8, pick an item from the organization’s wish list and donate to Metcalfe Park residents to help spread some holiday cheer. The wish list can be found here.
The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center is holding a toy drive for Native children 18 years old or younger. The toy drive will take place between 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 16. Interested parents must register by Dec. 9 and must provide proof of at least one child living in their residence, as well as the parent’s tribal ID, letter or proof of Native descendancy. For more information, contact Alicia Terry via email at artery@gliihc.net or by phone at 414-316-5004.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is holding a gift drive to benefit youth attending their programs. The gift drive is currently underway and runs through Friday, Dec. 10. View the gift list and purchase gifts to donate here.

created: November 25, 2021


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 24, 2021

source: news-milwaukeenns

created: November 24, 2021

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

author: Dwayne Burtin


text:
5 things to know and do the weekend of Nov. 26 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
November 26, 2021
Paint virtually or in-person at Farmhouse Paint Bar and Banquet Hall. All experience levels are welcome. (File photo by Farmhouse Paint Bar and Banquet Hall)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Buy local this Black Friday and Small Business Saturday: Friday, Nov. 26 and Saturday, Nov. 27
Looking to do your holiday shopping while also supporting homegrown entrepreneurs of color? We published a list of ways to do your holiday shopping in our neighborhoods. Read it here.
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2. Fourth annual “Warming the Streets Drive”: Saturday, Nov. 27
As the weather gets colder, Campaigning for Strength is passing out winter clothing at its fourth annual “Warming the Streets Drive.” The drive will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 1531 W. Vliet St.
3. Food distribution with Ayuda Mutua MKE: Sunday, Nov. 28
Ayuda Mutua MKE, a mutual aid group on the South Side, will be distributing fresh food and produce on the corner of South 21st Street and West Mineral Avenue from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 28.
4. Step by step painting class: classes available all weekend
Whether you’re trying to pick up a new skill or just having fun, painting can be a relaxing way to spend a weekend. The Farmhouse Paint Bar and Banquet Hall is hosting painting classes all weekend where the staff will teach you how to paint with acrylic paint on stretched canvas. Register for virtual or in-person classes at the hall, 4511 S. 6th St. For more information, click here.
5. “King of the Ring” wrestling game tournament: Sunday, Nov. 28
Battle Lounge hosts “King of the Ring,” a wrestling game tournament of one-on-one fights, tag teams and battle royales. The tournament starts at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 5431 W. Lisbon Ave. Entry for those wearing “related” cosplay is free, otherwise entry is $5.
BONUS: Visit Santa, get a free toy: Saturday, Nov. 27
Looking for pictures with Santa? If you visit Boost Mobile between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, you’ll not only get a picture with the big man but also a free wrapped gift for your child. This event takes place at 1333 N. 35th St. More information is available here.

created: November 26, 2021

author: Sam Woods


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 25, 2021


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Post from Community: MATC to host in-person open house Dec. 2 at Education Center at Walker’s Square | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Area Technical College
November 27, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Milwaukee Area Technical College will host an in-person open house from 3-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, at its Education Center at Walker’s Square, 816 W. National Ave.

Prospective students and their families will be able to explore programs housed at the center and learn about all MATC programs and campuses. Participants can connect with program representatives, apply for admissions, submit their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) forms for financial aid and apply for MATC’s Promise programs, which offer free tuition for students who qualify.
Highlights will include tours of the state-of-the-art appliance technician, bricklaying and masonry, plumbing, welding and carpentry shops; as well as visiting GED/HSED and English as a Second Language programs.
Spanish-speaking staff will be available to assist.
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MATC will waive the $30 application fee for anyone applying at the open house. Please bring transcripts if applying on that day.
RSVPs are not required but would be appreciated. Visit matc.edu/openhouse to register.
Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 25,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 170 academic programs; and transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

created: November 27, 2021

author: Milwaukee Area Technical College


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
November 29, 2021
MATC is hosting an open house Thursday for prospective students to explore programs at all its campuses. (NNS file photo by Andrea Waxman)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. “Black Nativity” by Langston Hughes: tickets on sale now
Black Arts MKE presents “Black Nativity,” telling the “story of the Nativity through a combination of scripture, poetry, dance and song from the African-American perspective.” Audience talkbacks will take place with the director and cast after each performance at the Marcus Center. Shows do not begin until Dec. 9, but tickets are now on sale here.
2. Lincoln Creek conversations: Tuesday, Nov. 30
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From Havenwoods State Forest to the Milwaukee River, Lincoln Creek runs alongside several North Side neighborhoods. At this community conversation, Nearby Nature Milwaukee wants resident input as to their relationship to the creek and how the creek can’t be kept healthy. The conversation begins virtually at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30. Register to attend here.
3. Reconstruction Band Live at Mr. J’s Lounge: Wednesday, Dec. 1
The Reconstruction Band brings soul back into music wherever they go, whether it be Summerfest, Bastille Days or your local spot. See them at this free admission show starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Mr. J’s Lounge, located at 4610 W. Fond du Lac Ave.
4. Milwaukee Area Technical College Open House: Thursday, Dec. 2
Milwaukee Area Technical College, or MATC, is hosting an open house for prospective students to explore programs at all MATC campuses, tour classrooms and apply for FAFSA. MATC also is waiving fees for applying to the school. The open house runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 2 at 816 W. National Ave. Register for free here.
5. Hmong New Year at UW-Milwaukee: Friday, Dec. 3
UW-Milwaukee’s Southeast Asian American Student Center celebrates the Hmong New Year. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3 at UW-Milwaukee’s Wisconsin Room, located at 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. Register for free here.

created: November 29, 2021


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 28, 2021

created: November 28, 2021


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Post from Community: Black Nativity by Langston Hughes is back with a new director, new show | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Black Arts MKE
November 29, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Black Arts MKE’s show-stopping musical will reopen for vaccinated and masked audiences after the long pandemic shutdown. Black Nativity by Langston Hughes runs one weekend only – December 9-12, 2021, at the Marcus Center’s Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall. Set in Milwaukee instead of Bethlehem, this joyous and hopeful re-telling of Hughes’ original 1961 song-play features poetry, music, and dance of the African diaspora with an all-black, MKE area-based cast.
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Director Dimonte Henning, a proud Milwaukee native and well-known actor, brings a fresh post-pandemic perspective, For the Culture. Henning is inspired by the triumphs, and the tragedies of life, and the power of telling stories of the culture and community. He reminds theatergoers to continue to have faith and celebrate our resiliency.
“Even when things seem difficult, even when you feel like you’re alone, this is a celebration of the fact that we are still here. Even though it’s been a difficult year, we still have more to look forward to. We hope that our version of Black Nativity by Langston Hughes will be a light in that darkness for the people of Milwaukee. We’re not turning a blind eye to what’s happened because we do need that awareness, but we also need some joy and hope.” said Henning.
WATCH: Black Nativity Week 1 For the Culture Journey with 2021 creators
This year’s production features all-new choreography by Milwaukee’s favorite dancer Christopher Gilbert, and new musical arrangements by respected music producer Antoine Reynolds, Sr., and 14 new cast members. Milwaukee favorites returning this year include Michaela Usher, Cynthia Cobb, Brielle Richmond, and Shawn Holmes. Joining the production, now in its sixth season will be newcomer Erica Brown as Mary and repeat performer Brian Crawford as Joseph. The ensemble showcases emerging talent including Ethan Hightire, Martilia Marechal, Nicole McCarty, Esther O’Brien, Tommy Canvas, Denzel Taylor, Jarvell Williams, and young performers – Terynn ErbyWalker, Maya O’Day-Biddle, and Nykolis Reynolds.
Community Day on Thursday, December 9, will include an MPS Student Matinee and a special evening dress rehearsal performance. Youth 18 and under tickets are only $5 and adults $20 per person.
Black Arts MKE and Black Nativity by Langston Hughes have been generously supported during this especially challenging past year by Bader Philanthropies, BMO Harris Bank, CAMPAC, Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Gruber Law Offices, LLC, Inspiring Our Youth Sponsor Johnson Controls Foundation, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee Arts Board, National Endowment for the Arts, PNC Bank, Small Business Administration, The Black Seed, United Performing Arts Fund, We Energies Foundation, Wisconsin Arts Board, Wisconsin Department of Administration, and Wisconsin Humanities.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
https://marcuscenter.org/show/black-nativity-2021
$45
RESERVED SEATING
December 9 – 12, 2021 (Saturday matinee available)
Marcus Center Box Office, 929 N. Water St., Milwaukee, WI, Call 414-273-7206 Groups of 10 or more should contact Group Sales at 414-273-7121, x210.

author: Black Arts MKE


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 29, 2021


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Milwaukee pastors accuse city of ‘tax and take’ | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
November 30, 2021
The Rev. Gregory Lewis of Souls to the Polls speaks during an Oct. 26 protest at City Hall. “There needs to be a better system,” Lewis says. (Photo by PrincessSafiya Byers)
Some Milwaukee ministers are accusing the City of Milwaukee of illegally taxing religious institutions and then foreclosing on those that fail to pay.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr. is expected to join local ministers from Pastors United, the NAACP Milwaukee branch, Milwaukee Inner city Congregations Allied for Hope, or MICAH, and Souls to the Polls during a protest Tuesday of what they are calling “Tax and Take” by the city.
The pastors include the Rev. Steven Tipton of El Bethel Church of God in Christ; the Rev. Gregory Lewis of St. Gabriel’s Church of God in Christ; and the Rev. David Stokes of Temple of Judah Church of God in Christ. All three have churches on the Northwest Side.
Tipton said he found out his church had been foreclosed after being awakened one Saturday morning by a phone call from another pastor interested in buying his church at 1501 W. Ring St.
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“I wasn’t selling my church and I told him that,” said Tipton, who ministers to a congregation of about 50 members. “He told me that it was being sold by the city.”
Dumbfounded, Tipton went to City Hall.
“He was right. The city had taken my church,” he said. “During the blanket of the pandemic, they had taken it for owed taxes, and in order to get my building back, I had to pay them.”
While Tipton was able to pay off the debt, which he said was well over $10,000, to keep his church, he recognized that not all churches had the means to pay thousands of dollars to keep their buildings.
So he started an alliance with other faith leaders who had experienced the same thing. He said the group now had about 280 members.
Steve Miner, the assessment commissioner, said although churches are tax exempt, they must still meet the requirements to stay that way.
According to information provided by Miner from the Department of City Development, the city foreclosed on two churches in 2020 and both owners have their properties back. Data for 2021 was not available Monday.
Miner said the issue really comes down to a lack of communication.
“It’s helpful to have someone familiar with the statutes,” Miner said. “It’s difficult to comply with what you don’t understand.”
Every two years, churches are sent a form that needs to be completed in order to be considered tax exempt. But
Lewis and Tipton said many churches don’t receive the form or, if they do, it goes unnoticed.
“There needs to be a better system,” Lewis said. “Struggling churches don’t have secretaries, and that is why they do it.”
Lewis, the executive director of Souls to Polls, runs an adult day center for senior citizens out of his church, and Tipton operates a weekly food pantry after Sunday service.
“The church plays a huge role in our communities,” Lewis said during an earlier protest. “They act not only as a gathering space for community members but as counseling centers, food pantries and after school programs as well.”
According to Lewis, the issue is greater than filling out forms.
“The city finds any way to tax churches,” he said. “They try taxing you for the parking lot or the upper levels. It’s absurd.”
But Miner said the issue is far more complex.
“It’s unfair to have a child care center housed in a church be tax exempt but a child care center directly across the street be taxed,” he said. “It’s our job to make sure things are fair.”

created: November 30, 2021

author: PrincessSafiya Byers


text:
Post from Community: Winter parking regulations begin December 1 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee
November 30, 2021
(Photo by Adam Carr)
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
City of Milwaukee residents should be aware of winter parking regulations that run from December 1, 2021 until March 1, 2022.
Winter Parking Regulations
Stay informed
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Regulations requiring a valid overnight permit or temporary overnight permission to park on city streets still apply from December 1 to March 1.
Las regulaciones para el estacionamiento de invierno empiezan el martes 1 de diciembre
Los residentes de la Ciudad de Milwaukee deben conocer las regulaciones del estacionamiento de invierno que duran del 1 de diciembre, 2021 hasta el 1 de marzo, 2022.
Regulaciones para el estacionamiento de invierno
Manténgase informado
Las regulaciones que requieren un permiso válido de estacionamiento nocturno, o un permiso temporal nocturno para estacionar en las calles de la Ciudad, también solicitan del 1 de diciembre al 1 de marzo.

author: City of Milwaukee


text:
| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
November 30, 2021


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After waiting months for rental assistance, this landlord was prepared to evict her tenant. Here’s why she didn’t. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
December 1, 2021
Rental assistance funds are still available should you need them. (File photo by Adam Carr)
Michelle didn’t want to evict her struggling tenant in the middle of a pandemic.
The tenant in her West Allis property told her they’d applied for rental assistance through Community Advocates and provided proof of the application.
So Michelle, who did not want her last name to be used for fear of embarrassing her tenant, waited.
And waited.
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But after three months, she decided she had waited enough and that it was time to evict.
“My tenant applied in July, and we didn’t even know the tenant was approved until September. But we were still waiting for funds,” she said. “Both my tenant and I were reaching out and hadn’t heard anything back.”
Michelle said she’d thought that her tenant had applied for the wrong program or that the program didn’t exist anymore.
Before evicting, Michelle did some digging and reached out to News414, which was able to reach out to Community Advocates on her behalf and make sure that she received her tenant’s assistance to avoid eviction. (News414 is a community-based news texting service that addresses the issues, interests, perspectives and information needs of African American and Latinx residents living in central city Milwaukee neighborhoods.)
“I was sure that I would have to evict, but I wanted to try everything first,” she said. “This pandemic took everyone by storm and making sure that a program meant to help is helping felt like a shared responsibility.”
While Michelle was able to get her concerns handled before her tenant was evicted, this is not the case for everyone, so we spoke with Deb Heffner, the housing strategy director at Community Advocates.
According to Michelle, people are concerned that there is no more rental assistance and the lack of communication from rental assistance programs doesn’t help the issue. She also mentioned that the wait for assistance can be stressful for both landlords and tenants.
Heffner said the program is here to stay – at least for the foreseeable future.
She said Community Advocates has hired four new managers who are focused on rental assistance.
Heffner also is hopeful these new managers will help with the communication issues that some people are facing.
“What often happens with people calling in is that we end up in this game of phone tag or we just miss the call,” Heffner said. “But these new managers are already making our systems better.”
As far as the long wait for assistance, Heffner said, Community Advocates takes responsibility.
She said Community Advocates had distributed rental assistance funds faster than expected. This meant that it ran out of money while waiting for the next allocation of funds. This resulted in people being approved but delays in getting them  assistance.
“We’ve learned from that mistake and are now watching funds more closely so that we can contact the right people at the right times, and we won’t run out that way again,” Heffner said.
You can still get rental aid
Both Community Advocates and the Social Development Commission, or SDC, are still accepting and processing rental assistance applications.
Heffner said since June 2020, Community Advocates has distributed $35.9 million to 9,000 households.
She said there is an average of 4,000 applications being reviewed and processed by 15 staffers at any time, and about 400 new applications coming in per week.
George Hinton, the CEO of the Social Development Commission, said in 2020, the SDC distributed more than $16.7 million through the Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program, or WRAP, and the Milwaukee Rental Assistance Program, or MRAP. Since March 2021, it has disbursed over $14 million to more than 3,200 applicants through the Milwaukee Emergency Rent Assistance program.
Resources to consult if you’re worried about eviction
We’re here for you, too
Need more information? Text “MKE” to 73224 to connect with a reporter.

created: December 1, 2021


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OPINION: Today’s children deserve the playgrounds I had growing up in Milwaukee decades ago | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Frank Schneiger
December 2, 2021
(Photo by Wes Tank)
Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to info@milwaukeenns.org.
Frank Schneiger (Photo provided by Frank Schneiger)
The recent headline, “Milwaukee Recreation earns national accreditation,” brought back memories of Milwaukee’s history that have been – but should not be – lost.
Ask someone, “Did you have a normal childhood?” and you get some funny answers. The reality is that we only have one childhood, and as a result, it is automatically “normal.”
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For me, it was only later, when no longer living in Milwaukee, that I realized that childhood for working-class kids growing up in Milwaukee in the 1940s and into the 1960s was not “normal.” Without reservation, I believe that in those years, there could not have been a better city in this country for those working-class kids to grow up in.
In 1964, at age 22, I left small, conservative Milwaukee for big, liberal New York City. Many decades later, I’m still there but have maintained my ties to my hometown. As an anti-poverty and civil rights worker in the 1960s, mostly in the Bronx, I would regularly be told by colleagues of some great liberal reform that was being planned in New York. When I would inform them that Milwaukee had this or that program 30 years ago, disbelief and contempt were the standard responses. But it was all true.
Here is the best example. In the late 1960s, the New York City Board of Education announced one of its great reforms. It would create something called Beacon Schools. These were schools that would have after-school programs, a revolutionary innovation. There would be one Beacon School in each of the city’s 32 school districts several nights a week.
I informed my colleagues that in Milwaukee, every school was a “beacon school,” that they were open until 9 p.m. every night of the week and on Saturday afternoons. And, furthermore, that in summer, every school playground in the city was staffed with a range of educational, cultural and athletic programs from 9 a.m. in the morning until 8 p.m. at night. Needless to say, they were shocked. So, they would ask, where exactly was this Minneapolis, or Milwaukee, or whatever?
It was all true, and it should not be forgotten. Nor should it be lost as the basis for a vision of a better future for the city, the recognition of Milwaukee Recreation being a very positive sign. For kids whose families couldn’t afford summer vacations or “summer camp,” MPS summer playgrounds were a godsend. One that everyone took for granted, living in a city run by the now-scorned “socialists.” Sports, arts and crafts and cultural events were central to these programs, as were sportsmanship and teamwork. For example, there is a large – now aging – group of Milwaukeeans who all learned how to play chess on these playgrounds.
Then, there was the fact that, unlike a lot of places, Milwaukee did not have Little League, with its smaller diamonds, nice uniforms, coaches and lurking and annoying parents. Instead, under the leadership of Harold “Zip” Morgan, a true genius, the Recreation Division launched the Stars of Yesterday League, something also being lost to the mists of history. “Stars” teams were named after former Milwaukee baseball players, some famous others not. Games were played on regular-sized diamonds. For George McBride, our team’s home field was Merrill Park. There were no uniforms. The League supplied basic, mostly outdated equipment, and (sometimes) a shiny new baseball. The umpires were City Conference baseball players, paid $2.50 for a first game, $1.50 for a second. The long-time Major League umpire Bruce Froemming started out in Stars of Yesterday.
But here was the real – and most important – difference between Little League and Stars of Yesterday. Its most basic rule: There could be no adult involvement. Except for a two-day baseball camp before the season started, 12-14 year-olds were responsible for organizing a team and getting nine kids to games twice a week. Across the city, there were 15 eight-team leagues, and forfeits were rare. Most games were played with no fans present. Fathers were at work or asleep if they worked second or third shift, and moms coming to these games was not seen as being a cool thing. In the process, kids learned to organize and to solve their own problems. Lifelong lessons were learned in ways that are hard to find today.
In numerous areas, historic preservation of great architecture and, as NNS has reported, community gardens, people in Milwaukee tend to underestimate their city and their achievements. And, despite John Gurda’s great work, they have also lost sight of past achievements, which can, if not exactly replicated, serve as a source of pride and models for what is possible in building peaceful and healthy communities across the city.
Think of those now often-empty playgrounds as potential gardens, and even though raising humans is harder than rutabagas, the model works for both.
Frank Schneiger is the founder and president of Frank Schneiger and Associates, a planning and change management company serving the nonprofit and public service sectors.

created: December 2, 2021

author: Frank Schneiger


text:
Post from Community: City of Milwaukee, Habitat for Humanity working to build new housing in Harambee neighborhood | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
December 2, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The City of Milwaukee and Habitat for Humanity are continuing their strong partnership to build new homes in the Harambee neighborhood. With the support and leadership of Mayor Tom Barrett and Alderwoman Milele Coggs, the Milwaukee Common Council has approved a resolution allowing the Department of City Development (DCD) to sell 41 vacant lots to Habitat for $1 per lot.
This is part of Milwaukee Habitat’s plans to construct 80 homes over four years in the Harambee neighborhood. Bader Philanthropies provided $1 million to fund this project that will boost homeownership in Milwaukee and strengthen the neighborhood.
“This housing revitalization effort is delivering significant results for the Harambee neighborhood and its residents,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “Maintaining and increasing homeownership has long been a top priority for me. I am proud of the City’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Bader Philanthropies on this project. Together, we are building a stronger Milwaukee.”
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“As the cost of housing continues to rise, Habitat makes homeownership affordable for families earning below Milwaukee’s median income,” said Brian Sonderman, Executive Director of Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity. “This partnership with the City of Milwaukee and Bader Philanthropies is crucial to breaking down the barriers that all too many families face when trying to afford a safe, stable place to call home. By breaking down these barriers, local families will build stability and equity in homes they can truly call their own.”
“This effort is community collaboration at its finest,” said Alderwoman Milele Coggs. “With this partnership between the City of Milwaukee, Habitat for Humanity, and Bader Philanthropies, we are strengthening the Harambee neighborhood and helping more residents become first-time homeowners. I am proud to support this project that is moving the community forward.”
“Our work with the Community Development Alliance identified that homeownership has decreased in Milwaukee over the years, disproportionately impacting majority Black neighborhoods like Harambee. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and take action to make the dream of homeownership a reality for more residents and families in our community,” said DCD Commissioner Lafayette Crump. “Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Bader Philanthropies is a win for Milwaukee that will help advance racial equity in homeownership, generate new tax revenue for the City, and provide affordable housing opportunities for Milwaukeeans.”
“Bader Philanthropies is excited to see conversations turn into commitments and concrete action,” said President/CEO Daniel J. Bader. “Today’s announcement is an example of what is possible when we bring people together, talk about what is possible and take a stand for something bigger than ourselves. We look forward to seeing vacant lots become homes for individuals who want to be a part of the Harambee neighborhood for years and decades to come.”
Since 1984, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 600 homes in partnership with Milwaukee families. After several years of concentrating their work in the Washington Park, Walnut Hill and Midtown neighborhoods, Habitat began building new homes and renovating existing homes in the Harambee neighborhood in 2021.
The construction of these single-family, owner-occupied homes will begin in spring 2022. Each home will be approximately 1,100-1,400 square feet, and will include 3-4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Once completed, the homes will be sold to first-time homebuyers for approximately $85,000 to $90,000.


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228446328_3090747384482636_3403720272893765410_n.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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December 2, 2021

author: Name *


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Post from Community: First Stage’s award-winning Young Company presents THE LARAMIE PROJECT opening Dec. 3, 2021 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
First Stage
December 2, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
First Stage’s Young Company, the Theater Academy’s award-winning training program for advanced high school actors, will present THE LARAMIE PROJECT as their first Performance Project for the 2021/22 season and first in-person production since the pandemic began. Written by award-winning playwright Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project, anddirected by First Stage Young Company alum Elyse Edelman, this riveting production tells the story of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, an openly gay college student, who was brutally beaten in October 1998 and left to die on the plains outside Laramie, Wyoming. Hailed as one of the most captivating and encompassing pieces of contemporary theater, THE LARAMIE PROJECT is a breathtaking collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which it is capable. Sponsored by United Performing Arts Fund.
THE LARAMIE PROJECT runs December 3 – 12, 2021 at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, located at 325 W. Walnut Street in downtown Milwaukee. Tickets are $15. Tickets are available online at firststage.org or through the First Stage Box Office at (414) 267-2961. Performance runtime is approximately two hours and twenty minutes, which includes two brief intermissions. Suggested for families and young people ages 13+.
Warning: This play is based on a true story and includes strong language and mature content that some may find upsetting, including descriptions of homophobia, violence and death.
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Director Elyse Edelman shared her thoughts on the production: “THE LARAMIE PROJECT is a significant piece of theater history, and its relevance needs no debate. The artists who developed the play left us some guiding questions to answer: How did this happen? How do we breed monsters? It has been 23 years since Matthew Shepard’s tragic death, and I add the question: How do we measure change?
I am truly inspired and impressed with the young actors in this cast. As actors in training the students are learning to chameleon into roles – transforming voice and body. And as artists they are appreciating that the role of actor and activist can be blended. They are equally passionate about truthful performances as they are about the message of the material.”
Added Young Company Director Matt Daniels: “THE LARAMIE PROJECT is an incredibly powerful piece of documentary theater which remains relevant 20 years after the events it discusses. Directed by Young Company alum Elyse Edelman, who is herself a master of transformation, a handful of student actors will play dozens of the citizens of Laramie, Wyoming as they explore the story of Matthew Shepard, who was lynched simply for being gay. This piece is a perfect fit for the Young Company’s signature minimalist, actor-driven performance projects, and I can’t wait to see it myself!”
Young Company Performance Projects are actor-driven presentations using elemental production values. By stripping down to a nearly bare stage, the connection of actor to audience is enhanced, and the words of the play come alive in exciting ways. These fully rehearsed studio projects allow First Stage’s award-winning students to showcase their graduate level skills with full-length material, from Shakespeare to American classics to pieces commissioned specially for them.
BIOGRAPHIES
Moisés Kaufman (Playwright) was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama in September 2016. He is also a Tony and Emmy-nominated director and playwright. Prior Broadway credits: THE HEIRESS WITH JESSICA CHASTAIN, 33 VARIATIONS (which he also wrote) with Jane Fonda (5 Tony nominations); Rajiv Joseph’s Pulitzer Prize finalist BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD Zoo with Robin Williams; the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play I AM MY OWN WIFE. Kaufman’s next project is the first NY revival of Harvey Fierstein’s TORCH SONG TRILOGY starring Michael Urie. His plays GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE and THE LARAMIE PROJECT are among the most performed plays in America over the last decade. Kaufman also co-wrote and directed the film adaptation of The Laramie Project for HBO, which received two Emmy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Writer. He is currently directing and writing a new Broadway-bound adaptation of Bizet’s CARMEN with Grammy-winning composer Arturo O’Farrill. He’s the artistic director of Tectonic Theater Project and a Guggenheim Playwrighting Fellow.
Elyse Edelman (Director) has loved working with the students of the First Stage Young Company on this important piece! Her professional Wisconsin theater credits include multiple productions with Forward Theater Company, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, American Players Theatre, Door Shakespeare, Renaissance Theaterworks, In Tandem Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Some other regional theater credits include The Guthrie, Park Square Theatre, People’s Centre Theatre (Minneapolis/St. Paul), Utah Shakespeare Festival (Cedar City), Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Accidents (Chicago), and Riverside Theatre in the Park (Iowa City). Elyse is also a teaching artist and develops curriculum for several professional theaters in the state, including serving as Camp Director for Door Shakespeare’s summer theater program. Training: University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor’s Training Program. Website: elyseedelman.com/
Matt Daniels (Director of Young Company/Artistic Associate) is a frequent collaborator and Artistic Associate at First Stage, as an actor (ESCAPE FROM PELIGRO ISLAND, A WRINKLE IN TIME, BIG RIVER: THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE, A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, ELLA ENCHANTED, SHREK THE MUSICAL and A MIDNIGHT CRY, among others), director and movement director (Roald Dahl’s JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, THE SNOW and RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER™: THE MUSICAL, among others) and Director of First Stage’s Young Company, where he teaches and directs (ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S “WE ARE IN A PLAY!”, THE MIRACLE WORKER, HENRY V, ANIMAL FARM and TXT U L8R, among others). Matt’s other acting credits include appearances at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, In Tandem Theatre and Milwaukee Shakespeare, as well as Forward Theater, Kentucky Repertory Theatre, Lake Geneva Theater Company, several regional Shakespeare Festivals and on many independent stages in New York. In addition to First Stage, his directing work has been seen at Door Shakespeare, MCT’s New Play Development series, Sunset Playhouse and in New York with his company Tyrannosaurus rep. When at home, he enjoys making music with Il Bazzone’s Jumping Flea Circus. Matt is a graduate of the Juilliard School Drama Division. MattDanielsOnline.com
Jeff Frank (Artistic Director) is recognized as one of the top directors in the field with an expertise in developing new work for the theater for young audience field. He holds a BFA in Theater from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, and an MFA in Child Drama from the University of Utah. Having served as First Stage’s Education and Academy Director from 1996 – 2003, Jeff remains committed to the power of theater to transform lives and forever thankful to call First Stage home.
The Young Company cast for THE LARAMIE PROJECT includes: Ryan Bennett (Mequon) as Amanda Gronich/Lucy Thompson; Austin Bock (Muskego) as Sgt. Hing/Matt Galloway/Doug Laws/Sherry Aanenson; Sabrina Borg (Cedarburg) as Zackie Salmon/Margaret Murry/Baptist Minister/Priest/Kristin Price; Rose Campbell (Whitefish Bay) as Andy Paris/Russel Henderson’s Mormon Home Teacher/Jen; Jonathan Edwards (Milwaukee) as Jon Peacock/Zubaida Ulla/Harry Woods/Shadow/April Silva; Eloise Field (Oconomowoc) as Doc O’Connor/Fred Phelps/ Minister’s Wife/Rob Debree; Aderyn Grace(Milwaukee) as Alison Mears/Catherine Connolly/Conrad Miller/Kerry Drake; Ana Gutierrez (Milwaukee) as Mercedes Herrero/Foreperson; Lucy Kuhnen-Grooms (Shorewood) as Leigh Fondakowski/Bill McKinney; Loralei Madson (West Allis) as Narrator; Elena Marking (Franklin) as Stephen Belber/Cal Rerucha; Kyra Mathias (Oconomowoc) as Sherry Johnson/Governor/Reporter/Anonymous Friend of Andrew; Molly McVey(Bayside) as Eileen Engen/Reggie Fluty/Matt Mickelson/Shannon; Costello Mylott (Milwaukee) as Phillip Dubois/Father Roger Schmidt/Russel Henderson/Tiffany Edwards; Abram Nelson (Whitefish Bay) as Aaron Kreifels/Jonas Slonaker/Email Writer/Phil Labrie: Lola Onorato (Milwaukee) as Barbara Pitts/Bailiff; Angel Rivera (Milwaukee) as Moises/Greg Pierotti/Judges/Jedadiah Schultz; Magdalyn Rowley-Lange(Milwaukee) as Romaine Patterson/Stephen Mead Johnson/Dr. Cantway/Murdock Cooper/Waitress and Elisheva Scheuer (Bayside) as Rebecca Hilliker/Trish Steeger/Rulon Stacey/Aaron McKinney.
The Artistic Staff for THE LARAMIE PROJECT includes: Elyse Edelman (Director); Amy Sue Hazel (Scenic Coordinator); Derek Buckles (Sound Coordinator); Latora Lezotte (Costume Coordinator); Megan Harris (Stage Manager) and Charley Vader Molen (Stage Management Intern).
Tickets are $15 – Tickets may be purchased at firststage.org/or by phone (414) 267-2961.
COVID Protocols: First Stage COVID safety protocols can be viewed here: firststage.org/plan-your-visit/safety-security/ – performances
FACT SHEET
What: First Stage Young Company presents: THE LARAMIE PROJECT
Location: The Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 W. Walnut Street, Milwaukee
Dates: December 3 – 12, 2021
Description: In October 1998, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, an openly gay college student, was brutally beaten and left to die on the plains outside Laramie, Wyoming. Hailed as one of the most captivating and encompassing pieces of contemporary theater, THE LARAMIE PROJECT is a breathtaking collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable. Approximate running time is two hours and twenty minutes, with two brief intermissions. Suggested for families with young people ages 13+.
Warning: This play is based on a true story and includes strong language and mature content that some may find upsetting, including descriptions of homophobia, violence and death.
Performances:
Ticket and information: Tickets are $15. Call (414) 267-2961 or online at: firststage.org
About First Stage
First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves nearly 2,000 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote literacy, character building and experiential learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students each year. First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2012), and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Eureka Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education and the arts for its Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum (2013, 2015). First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). firststage.org

author: First Stage


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Post from Community: Unprecedented coalition forms to spotlight antisemitism | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Jewish Federation
December 2, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Amid a widespread rise in antisemitism in North America, Milwaukee Jewish Federation has joined an unprecedented coalition of over 60 American and Canadian Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and corporations to launch Shine A Light, a comprehensive initiative to illuminate the dangers of antisemitism through education, community partnerships, workplace engagement, advocacy and media.
Shine A Light uses the powerful story of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, to champion the message that light can dispel darkness. It seeks to catalyze conversations within and across communities, on school campuses, and in the workplace, so that people will better understand what constitutes antisemitism and take steps to respond.
Across North America, antisemitism is on the rise. In 2020, according to the FBI, 55% of all religiously- motivated hate crimes were against Jews, who make up just 2% of the U.S. population. One in every four American Jews has been targeted by antisemitism over the past year, and nearly four in ten report changing their behavior for fear of being identified as Jewish, or for their safety or comfort as Jews.
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As part of the coalition, Milwaukee Jewish Federation will raise awareness for antisemitism and the Shine A Light movement in coordination with our “Hanukkah on the Hoan” livestreams and bridge lighting (MilwaukeeJewish.org/HanukkahOnTheHoan).
“This Chanukah, we are immensely proud to Shine A Light on antisemitism—which still exists in our society, in polite conversation and in more dangerous and insidious forms,” said Federation President & CEO Miryam Rosenzweig. “By lighting Chanukah candles on one of our city’s most iconic pieces of infrastructure, we are conveying in no uncertain terms to our community that it’s up to all of us to be aware of antisemitism—and take action against it.”
Through December 6, during Chanukah, Shine A Light will spotlight modern forms of antisemitism, raise awareness, and inspire action to fight it at every turn across America—in workplaces, schools and campuses and online.
Shine A Light is a coalition of major advocacy groups including ADL (Anti-Defamation League), American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Fund, Facing History and Ourselves, JewBelong, JCC Association of North America, the Jewish Education Project (JEP), the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the National Black Empowerment Council, Philos Project, UJA-Federation of New York, and dozens more national and local groups across the United States and Canada.
“The National Black Empowerment Council is incredibly proud to join the coalition shining a light on antisemitism this Chanukah,” said Darius Jones, NBEC Founder & CEO. “Now more than ever, we need to stand up for one another—and that means African Americans and Jews continuing to nourish a powerful and mutually supportive relationship. We are stronger together than we are apart, as Shine A Light will show.”
About Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Through the development of community-wide financial support, planning and allocations, the mission of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation is to ensure the continuity of the Jewish people, to enhance the quality of Jewish life and to build a strong unified Jewish community in Milwaukee, in Israel and throughout the world. In fulfilling its mission, the Federation is committed to the principles of Klal Yisrael (the collective unity of the Jewish people), tzedakah (the obligation to care for one another) and tikkun olam (improving the society in which we live).
About Shine A Light
Across North America, antisemitism is on the rise. In 2020, 57.5% of all religiously-motivated hate crimes were against Jews, who make up just 2% of the U.S. population. One in every four American Jews has been targeted by antisemitism over the past year, and nearly four in ten report changing their behavior for fear of being identified as Jewish, or for their safety or comfort as Jew. Antisemitism persists across society in “polite” conversation as well as in explicitly dangerous and insidious forms, and typically tracks with broader patterns of discrimination, progressions of violence, and the fraying of democracy.
Throughout the eight days of Chanukah, Shine A Light will illuminate modern forms of antisemitism and inspire awareness and action to fight it at every turn across America and Canada—in workplaces, schools and campuses, and online.
Website: www.shinealighton.com for a full slate of events, resources, and tools
Social media handles:
Instagram: @ShineALight_On
Twitter: @ShineALight_On
TikTok: @shinealighton
Facebook: @ShineALightOnAntisemitism

author: Milwaukee Jewish Federation


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Post from Community: VIA CDC launches search for next Executive Director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Via CDC
December 2, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Board of Directors of VIA CDC (formerly known as Layton Boulevard West Neighbors or LBWN), a leading nonprofit on Milwaukee’s South Side, announced today that Brianna Sas-Pérez, its Executive Director, will be stepping down. Current plans call for Sas-Pérez to continue to serve as Executive Director until their departure, which currently is anticipated to be March 1, 2022.
“Over the last decade, Brianna has infused the organization with passion for VIA’s mission and operational excellence, making sure those most impacted are at the center of our decision-making” said Board Chair, Marjorie Rucker. “Today, guided by Brianna’s thoughtful leadership, VIA is positioned to take on exciting opportunities in housing, economic development and community engagement that build stronger, healthier Milwaukee neighborhoods. We are full of gratitude for Brianna, and excited for the future of VIA CDC.”
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Sas-Pérez, who started as a Community Outreach Manager and has led as VIA’s Executive Director for the last five years, plans to continue living and working in Milwaukee. Sas Pérez said, “I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside such visionary and committed neighbors, entrepreneurs, coworkers and others. VIA would not be where it is today if it weren’t for our partners and our community who believe in, and work for, a world where every place equips every person to reach their full potential.“
The next Executive Director will join the organization at an exciting moment in its history. VIA will be continuing to further its mission as a partner in building neighborhoods where all of us can thrive: collaborating on the Milwaukee Collective Affordable Housing Plan goal to advance racial equity by providing a quality, affordable home for every Milwaukeean; deepening its commitment to supporting minority small business owners for equitable economic opportunity; and celebrating over a decade’s work of advocacy, planning and partnerships that birthed a multi-million renovation of Burnham Park.
The search for VIA’s next Executive Director is underway. The full job description can be found at www.viacdc.org.
acts like a puzzle-maker, putting together the puzzle pieces for a great quality of life – pieces like a healthy built environment, equitable economic opportunity and grassroots community leaders. VIA is a partner in building strong, healthy neighborhoods where all of us can thrive. For more information, visit www.viacdc.org.

author: Via CDC


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VIA_Logo_Badge-5.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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December 2, 2021


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‘You can’t use bubble gum and string to keep things together’: Challenges mount for Milwaukee County Parks | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edgar Mendez
December 2, 2021
Plans to renovate the aging Mitchell Park Domes have been on hold since 2019. (Photo by Edgar Mendez)
With a shrinking staff and budget, rising costs and more challenges looming, Milwaukee County Parks finds itself in an unenviable situation.
“We do a good job for the revenue that we do produce, but we need new funding sources so that we can continue to provide green spaces like trails that are free to the public,” said Guy Smith, executive director of Milwaukee County Parks, which oversees 15,300 acres of land and 157 parks. “Obviously, the pandemic was a major struggle for everyone, but what it did really lay bare was that you can’t use bubble gum and string to keep things together.”
Smith referred to the challenges his department faced over the summer when trail usage increased by 60 percent as more individuals looked at the parks as a safe reprieve from COVID-19 as well as an escape from home.
His department employed only 280 seasonal workers during that time — well short of the 900 needed to maintain the parks, he said. There’s also $500 million in deferred maintenance that needs to get done, he added.
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The pandemic is just the latest challenge faced by a department that, despite inflation, has seen its budget remain stagnant since 1989, resulting in staff cuts, maintenance delays and limited investment in capital projects.
A report issued in October by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, a nonpartisan policy research organization, outlined those and other challenges. It warned that things could get even worse unless leaders find larger and more diverse income streams.
Rob Henken, president of the Wisconsin Policy Forum and an author of the report titled “Sinking Treasure: A look at Milwaukee County Parks’ troubled finances and potential solutions,” said a decrease in money received from tax levies has created fiscal challenges for three decades.
In 1989, he said, 74 percent of funds for the parks system came from property taxes, compared with 43 percent now.
“Competition for the levy has grown exponentially,” Henken said. “It’s not that parks are a lower priority than the courts or the jail or patrolling the expressway, but it’s because parks are discretionary in nature, and something has to be cut.”
The report states that the parks are more reliant on revenue earned from amenities, including rental fees, golf courses, aquatics and other resources.
Smith said the county does a good job of pouring earned revenue back into the budget, but not all attractions cover their costs, and they don’t generate nearly enough revenue to fund the many free park services.
“The historic mission of the parks system is to support a quality community and place where you can work or live by providing free access to green space and other amenities,” Smith said. “Not everything that we do can bring in funding.”
Proposed spending plans for capital projects that are in the $30 million to $45 million range from 2022 to 2025 exacerbate the problems as they are much higher than the average of $8 million budgeted over the past nine years. Those numbers also don’t include the vast capital needed to renovate the iconic Mitchell Park Domes.
Bill Lynch, chairman of the Milwaukee County Task Force on the Mitchell Park Conservatory Domes, said his group’s plan to save The Domes and improve Mitchell Park, laid out in 2019, hasn’t moved forward.
“The county discontinued any activity with preservation or implementation of the plan, which may be more feasible now than in 2019,” Lynch said.
Leaders created the task force after falling debris in the Desert Dome in 2016 closed the attraction and raised additional safety and sustainability concerns about the aging structures, which were built in 1955.
The task force supported a $66 million plan to renovate The Domes and add amenities at Mitchell Park, an estimate Lynch says was too high. It was to be paid for by a combination of private sector, county and tax preservation dollars.
He said the task force’s plan would have made the Mitchell Park Domes, which hasn’t generated a profit in many years, and other projects self-sustainable.
Lynch hopes that a new task force created by the county to resume his group’s work will do something before it’s too late. That group, which consists of representatives from the Parks Department, Department of Administrative Services and others, met with members of the county’s Parks, Energy and Environment Committee in September.
The group said the 2019 cost estimates were outdated, estimates on available tax credits were incorrect, not enough non-debt equity was proposed for the project, and that revenue projections based on attendance and sales were speculative.
The group is expected to share findings from an independent analysis of proposed revenue sources with the committee in the coming months. Meanwhile, several projects, including work on the stainless steel mesh around the interior of The Domes and other repairs are ongoing.
Lynch said there is some good news: Testing found that concrete in The Domes is sound, which raises hope that the structures will be saved.
“I think it would be devastating to the neighborhood around the park if The Domes were allowed to go along the way that the county handled the Coast Guard Station off of Lincoln Memorial Drive,” he said.
“Leaving a nonfunctional large glass structure looming over the park would contribute to its perception as an unsafe and unattractive place to be.”

author: Edgar Mendez


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
December 1, 2021


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5 things to know and do the weekend of Dec. 3 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
December 3, 2021
Now 10 members strong, De La Buena will perform Friday at Latino Arts. (File photo by Jennifer Janviere)
It’s Friday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know.
If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz band De La Buena performs: Friday, Dec. 3
Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz band De La Buena performs at Latino Arts, 1028 S 9th St., starting at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3. Learn more about the band here, and get tickets here.
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2. A conversation about COVID-19: Friday, Dec. 3
Sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, this conversation will bring community leaders together to discuss “our collective responsibility to defeat COVID-19.” The conversation takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3 at Christ-St. Peter Lutheran School, 2229 W. Greenfield Ave. Register here.
3. Indian Community School Holiday Craft Fair: Saturday, Dec. 4
Support local, Native craftspeople and artists at this Holiday Craft Fair that features unique items only available through these vendors. The fair takes place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Indian Community School, 10405 W. St. Martins Rd. in Franklin.
4. Make Your Own Rolled Ice Cream Classes: Saturday, Dec. 4 through Monday, Dec. 6
Learn to roll ice cream with the pros at Paparazzi Ice Cream Shop. Family (ages 7+) and adult (18+) classes are available starting at noon on Saturday, Dec. 4. Classes are held in Milwaukee at 6235b N. Teutonia Ave. and at Paparazzi’s Racine location.
5. Holiday Havenwoods Hike: Sunday, Dec. 5
From roasted chestnuts to holly and ivy, plants play an important role in many holiday traditions. Arborist Dan Buckler leads this guided walk through Havenwoods State Forest, sharing stories about these traditions, surrounded by natural examples in the park. The walk takes place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Havenwoods State Forest, 6141 N. Hopkins St. Register here.

created: December 3, 2021


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
December 2, 2021


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7 places that help adults improve their English skills in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ana Martinez-Ortiz
December 3, 2021
Places such as Journey House, 2110 W. Scott St., offer programs to help adult learners improve their English. (NNS file photo by Edgar Mendez)
Leer en español: una versión traducida de este artículo está disponible debajo de la versión en inglés.
Looking to improve your English skills?
We’ve compiled a list of organizations in Milwaukee that offer English as a Second Language or English Language Learner programs.
Did we miss an ESL or ELL program? Please comment below or send an email to amartinez-ortiz@milwaukeenns.org with the subject line ‘ESL programming.’
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Literacy Services of Wisconsin
Literacy Services offers an English Language Learning program to adults looking to improve their English communication skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Adult learners can choose to do one-on-one tutoring, join a small group or classroom, participate in learning labs or visit drop-in tutoring. Both virtual and online instruction are offered.
The program also helps adults who seek are seeking assistance with citizenship, employment, education, health and more.
Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee Area Technical College offers English as a Second Language and English Language Learners programs. The college offers classes on its various campuses and through community-based organizations in Milwaukee, including UMOS, 2701 S. Chase Ave., SER Jobs, 2514 S. 102 St. and more. Click here for the full list.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an English Language Academy that offers two separate programs. Its Intensive English Program is open to anyone looking to improve their English, and its English for Academic Purposes is for international students attending UWM.
La Causa
La Causa offers adult education programming as part of its many services. Adults can participate in the English as a Second Language courses, where they learn how to engage in general conversation through presentations and activities.
La Causa also has a general education development program in partnership with MATC. The organization offers the classes in English or Spanish depending on the number of enrolled students.
Journey House
Journey House, 2110 W. Scott St., offers adult education classes to adults who are 18 and older. The English Language Learners program requires a placement test. Registration for the January semester begins on Wednesday, Dec. 15.
Journey House also offers general education development courses in English and Spanish. Individuals can enroll online at any time. The courses are free and virtual.
Milwaukee Public Library
Milwaukee Public Library has refugee and immigrant services, which include resources for English as a Second Language and English Language Learners. The library offers an English Reading Hour the second Monday of the month where English learners can practice reading and speaking. The next reading hour is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13. The library has weekly English Conversation Hours from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays. Registration is required for both.
International Learning Center
The Neighborhood House of Milwaukee has an International Learning Center, 639 N. 25 St., where adults can participate in English as a Second Language classes. The courses are designed to fit the needs of refugees and include additional services such as citizenship classes, family literacy support and more.
The center is also in need of volunteers willing to help assist ESL teachers with one-on-one sessions or small group work. Contact Cynthia Zarazua at 414-344-4777 for more information.
¿Busca mejorar sus habilidades en inglés?

Hemos compilado una lista de organizaciones en Milwaukee que ofrecen programas de inglés como segundo idioma o para estudiantes que aprenden inglés.
¿Perdimos un programa de ESL o ELL? Por favor comente a continuación o envíe un correo electrónico a amartinez-ortiz@milwaukeenns.org con el asunto ‘Programación de ESL’.
Los servicios de alfabetización ofrecen un programa de aprendizaje del idioma inglés para adultos que buscan mejorar sus habilidades de comunicación en inglés en lectura, escritura, comprensión auditiva y expresión oral. Los estudiantes adultos pueden optar por realizar tutorías individuales, unirse a un grupo pequeño o aula, participar en laboratorios de aprendizaje o visitar tutorías sin cita previa. Se ofrecen instrucción virtual y en línea.

El programa también ayuda a los adultos que buscan asistencia con ciudadanía, empleo, educación, salud y más.
Milwaukee Area Technical College ofrece programas de inglés como segundo idioma y para estudiantes que aprenden inglés . La universidad ofrece clases en sus diversos campus y a través de organizaciones comunitarias en Milwaukee, incluidas UMOS, 2701 S. Chase Ave., SER Jobs, 2514 S. 102 St. y más. Haga clic aquí para ver la lista completa .
tiene una Academia de Idioma Inglés que ofrece dos programas separados. Su Programa de inglés intensivo está abierto a cualquiera que busque mejorar su
inglés, y su programa de inglés con fines académicos está destinado a estudiantes internacionales que asisten a la UWM.
La Causa ofrece programas de educación para adultos como parte de sus muchos servicios. Los adultos pueden participar en los cursos de inglés como segundo idioma, donde aprenden a entablar una conversación general a través de presentaciones y actividades.
La Causa también tiene un programa de desarrollo de educación general en asociación con MATC. La organización ofrece las clases en inglés o español en función del número de alumnos matriculados.
Journey House, 2110 W. Scott St., ofrece clases de educación para adultos para adultos mayores de 18 años. El programa de estudiantes del idioma inglés requiere una prueba de nivel. La inscripción para el semestre de enero comienza el miércoles 15 de diciembre.
Journey House también ofrece cursos de desarrollo de educación general en inglés y español. Las personas pueden inscribirse en línea en cualquier momento. Los cursos son gratuitos y virtuales.
La Biblioteca Pública de Milwaukee tiene servicios para refugiados e inmigrantes , que incluyen recursos para el inglés como segundo idioma y los estudiantes que aprenden inglés. La biblioteca ofrece una hora de lectura en inglés el segundo lunes del mes donde los estudiantes de inglés pueden practicar la lectura y el habla. La próxima hora de lectura está programada de 4 pm a 5 pm el lunes 13 de diciembre. La biblioteca tiene un horario semanal de conversación en inglés de 4 pm a 5 pm los martes. Es necesario registrarse para ambos.
El Neighborhood House of Milwaukee tiene un Centro Internacional de Aprendizaje , 639 N. 25th St., donde los adultos pueden participar en clases de inglés como segundo idioma. Los cursos están diseñados para satisfacer las necesidades de los refugiados e incluyen servicios adicionales como clases de ciudadanía, apoyo a la alfabetización familiar y más.
El centro también necesita voluntarios dispuestos a ayudar a los maestros de ESL con sesiones individuales o trabajo en grupos pequeños. Comuníquese con Cynthia Zarazua al 414-344-4777 para obtener más información.

author: Ana Martinez-Ortiz


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Program helps women process their trauma through exercise | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
December 3, 2021
Researchers from Marquette University and Cardinal Stritch University are exploring exercise with women impacted by mass incarceration. From left: Heather Hlavka, Jennifer Ohlendorf, Madeline Wright, Noelle Brigden and Amber Tucker. (Photo provided by Noelle Brigden)
When Amber Tucker was looking for an outlet to deal with her trauma, she found martial arts.
Tucker, an assistant professor of sociology at Cardinal Stritch University, initially signed up for an exercise class, hoping to find a stress release. She was a single mother and had dealt with the impacts of the criminal justice system on her loved ones.
In learning martial arts, jujitsu specifically, Tucker found a psychological outlet for stress and a community of others who helped her learn more about herself. She adopted a new lifestyle, including such practices as meditation and yoga.
“There’s this hashtag that martial artists use, #MartialArtsSavedMyLife, to talk about how it changed their life,” Tucker said. “How it helped them in dealing with and coping with trauma, redirected their life and focus. That really resonated with me.”
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Now, she hopes to do the same for other women.
Restorative Justice In Movement, a pilot program being held in the athletic spaces at Turner Hall, 1034 Vel R. Philips Ave., aims to help women find a way to reconnect with their bodies through exercise. It’s not just a way to get healthier physically: it’s a way to help them recover from trauma.
The program, which has been funded by the Marquette University Institute for Women’s Leadership and President’s Challenge for Racial Justice and Equity Response, specifically recruits women of color who have been affected by mass incarceration. This can mean that they were incarcerated themselves or that they were affected by someone else’s time in the system.
Noelle Brigden, associate professor of political science at Marquette University and one of the program’s lead researchers, said the program also is open to those who have been affected by deportation and immigrant detention.
Over the course of a few weeks, women get to experiment with rock climbing, martial arts and power lifting in order to find different ways to express themselves with their bodies.
Emilio De Torre, executive director of Milwaukee Turners, said women in the program also are given free memberships to use the facilities. Milwaukee Turners operates the gym spaces at Turner Hall, including a rock-climbing gym.
“We almost lack a language for describing what we want to do, because it’s an embodied empowerment program,” Brigden said. “People will say fitness, or they’ll say mental health, but we have a much more ambitious goal of empowerment.”
Brigden said that one of the most impactful parts of the program has been seeing women discover the connection between strength and the mind. For activities like rock climbing, jujitsu and power lifting, technique is a large part of one’s ability to do it.
“To discover that, in fact, your mind is part of your strength and connected to your body in that way is a powerful moment for me to watch and listen to,” Brigden said. “It’s exciting because it’s leading us to redefine strength and see it in ourselves.”
Tucker said that women are socially conditioned to think their bodies are naturally weaker, and therefore less capable of doing certain tasks. The program hopes to help them understand their bodies and their abilities more fully, especially in sports that might not be traditionally considered feminine.
“One of the biggest things I impressed upon the women is the idea that ‘your body is enough,’” Tucker said.
On top of providing exposure to the new forms of exercise, the group also hopes to foster an environment where women of all body shapes and types will feel comfortable. Jennifer Ohlendorf, assistant professor of nursing at Marquette, said that it can be an obstacle for women if they don’t feel accepted in these spaces.
Having a space where other people understand the effects of trauma is key. Heather Hlavka, assistant professor of social and cultural sciences at Marquette, said that women can lose connection with their bodies because of being told “how to think, how to feel and how to heal.”
“Something that trauma and violence really severs is the connection between self and your body,” Hlavka said.
The material effects of incarceration present difficulties as well. Trying to balance financial burdens, parole hearings, paperwork and supporting a family can be incredibly difficult. Ohlendorf referred to these obstacles as “time stealers” that prevent women from taking time for themselves.
This makes helping women find time to devote to themselves a critical goal, Ohlendorf said.
“The ways that people engage with these systems are time stealers in ways that people who’ve never had to engage with them will never understand,” Ohlendorf said. “So the idea that you would have time to do things to care for yourself is completely unreasonable.”
For more information
To reach the program, email RJMprogram@gmail.com or call 414-416-9207.

author: Matt Martinez


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5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Dec. 6 to Dec. 10 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sam Woods
December 6, 2021
Milwaukee-raised blues musician Buffalo Nichols is in town this week. (Photo provided by UW-Milwaukee)
It’s Monday in Milwaukee, and here are some things we think you should know about. If you would like your event to be considered for this column, please email info@milwaukeenns.org and put “5 things” in the subject line by noon Thursday.
1. Feedback on Milwaukee Health Department’s Strategic Plan: now until Dec. 23
The Milwaukee Health Department is developing a five-year strategic plan to advance the health of Milwaukee through an anti-racist framework and is looking for community feedback. Those interested can provide feedback through a three-question survey anytime between now and Dec. 23. Access the survey and provide feedback here.
2. Información Sobre La Demencia: Monday, Dec. 6
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Learn more about the different types of dementia, their causes and how they can be managed at this Spanish-only presentation through the Milwaukee Public Library. The presentation takes place virtually and starts at 6 p.m. Register here.
3. Information sessions on community college classes: Monday, Dec. 6 and Tuesday, Dec. 7
If you’re interested in taking college classes but don’t want to enroll for a whole degree, this is the event for you. The Milwaukee Area Technical College, Literary Services of Wisconsin, Social Development Commission and YWCA Southeast Wisconsin are sponsoring affordable college classes, led by MATC’s expert instructors. Information sessions about what courses are offered and how to enroll will be held virtually from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6 and Tuesday Dec. 7.
4. Frank Talks: Milwaukee Socialism: Wednesday, Dec. 8
Explore the Milwaukee Public Library’s extensive archive of socialism in Milwaukee with this short film and discussion. This event takes place virtually and will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8. Register here.
5. MKE Unplugged Presents: Buffalo Nichols with special guest Stephen Hull: Thursday, Dec. 9
Milwaukee-raised blues guitarist Buffalo Nichols aims to bring the past into the future through his music, which focuses on reclaiming the blues as a canvas for Black stories. The show runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 9 at UW-Milwaukee’s Jan Serr Studio, 2155 N. Prospect Ave. The show is free and advance registration is not required.

created: December 6, 2021


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
December 5, 2021

created: December 5, 2021


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Looking to save on energy costs this winter? Here are programs for Milwaukee residents. | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Matt Martinez
December 7, 2021
Timothy Sobczak, an energy auditor for the Social Development Commission, analyzes a house to determine where a family can save money. (Photo provided by Social Development Commission)
Leer en español: ¿Busca ahorrar en costos de energía este invierno? Aquí hay programas para residentes de Milwaukee.
Looking to pay less on your energy bill?
There are weatherization programs for Milwaukee residents that can help you.
According to a report from the Wisconsin Department of Administration, homes that received weatherization services in 2018 and 2019 through its Weatherization Assistance Program saved about $450 on average in the first year.
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Here are ways you can save:
(Did we miss anything? Please tell us in the comments or email matthew.martinez@marquette.edu.)
Apply for energy assistance
In Milwaukee, residents can access the Weatherization Assistance Program by first applying for energy assistance with Home Energy Plus to determine what services they are eligible for. You can do this by applying with your local Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program agency. In Milwaukee, this can be either UMOS or Community Advocates.
Those interested can call 414-270-4653 or visit keepwarmmke.org to reach Milwaukee County Energy Assistance.
Calling this number will also allow someone to schedule an appointment with an employee at UMOS or Community Advocates who can help walk them through the process.
Eligibility is determined by income and household size. The income guidelines for the program this year stipulate that you have to be at or under 60% of the state’s median income. For a family of 4, this means you make a little more than $4,900 a month as a household.
A full list of income calculations can be found here.
The program also targets homes with elderly residents or a child under 6 years old.
These resources also are available for renters. If you live in a rental property and want it weatherized, you can provide your landlord or property manager’s information when you apply. This information includes their first and last name, address and phone number.
When preparing to apply, have
Ana Ortiz, the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program manager at UMOS, said that people should not be discouraged from applying if they don’t have all of their income or utility information available right away. Program managers can help them get that information.
To contact UMOS directly, call 414-389-6600.
Providers in the area
Milwaukee has three organizations that provide services as part of the Weatherization Assistance Program: Social Development Commission, La Casa De Esperanza and Partners for Community Development.
Steve Schuettke, weatherization operations manager at Social Development Commission, said the process begins with an energy audit in the home to see where improvements can be made. Homes receive different services based on their needs.
To contact the Social Development Commission’s weatherization department, call 414-906-2727 or visit its website.
To contact Partners for Community Development, call 800-584-8172 or visit its website.
To contact La Casa De Esperanza, call 262-522-4111 or visit its website.

created: December 7, 2021


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
December 6, 2021


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NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 things to do this December in Milwaukee neighborhoods | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
December 7, 2021
On Dec. 19, the Kujichagulia Producers Cooperative will hold a holiday market throughout the Sherman Phoenix. (Photo by Adam Carr)
NNS’s Adam Carr joined WUWM 89.7-FM, Milwaukee’s NPR and Joy Powers of “Lake Effect” for the December installment of our monthly “5 Things” feature.
Listen to the interview here.
This month includes a new production of “Black Nativity”; the annual Hmong New Year’s Celebration; the debut concert of the Black Diaspora Symphony Orchestra; the holiday market from the Kujichagulia Producers Cooperative throughout the Sherman Phoenix; and a candlelight hike from the Urban Ecology Center in honor of Winter Solstice.
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author: Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service


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| Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dwayne Burtin
December 7, 2021


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Post from Community: Community invited to carol on North Avenue | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care
December 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Photo taken prior to COVID-19
It’s about to sound a lot like Christmas on Milwaukee’s north side on Wednesday, Dec. 22, during the Fourth Annual Caroling on North Avenue. The public is welcome to lend their voices to the seasonal event, sponsored by St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care and Business Improvement District (BID) 32.
Carolers will meet at St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus, 2450 W. North Ave., at 9:30 a.m. and take to the street at 10 a.m.
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Ald. Russell W. Stamper II of Dist. 15, BID 32 Board Chair Steven DeVougas and Sr. Edna Lonergan, president of St. Ann Center, an all-ages day care center, invite residents and business owners from throughout the neighborhood to join in the fun family outing.
“Of the many ways we celebrate this festive season, singing together is one of the most unifying,” said Lonergan, a BID 32 board member. “It’s also the perfect way to show the community there are exciting things happening in the North Avenue business corridor.”
The tuneful tradition returns after a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carolers will meet at the Bucyrus Campus for hot chocolate and cookies. Song sheets and jingle bells will be provided. Singers will walk east on North Avenue past Fond du Lac Ave. to 17th Street, stopping to carol at businesses along the way, and then return.
If you’re interested in joining the carolers, contact John Jansen, Vice President-Grants, Community & Capital Development, at 414-977-5031.


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December 7, 2021


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Post from Community: Don’t forget: Everyone who buys tobacco must be 21 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Angela Lawson, Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network
December 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Here’s a reminder. The federal law has changed and everyone who buys tobacco must be 21 years old. The law was changed to help protect youth from an addiction that prematurely kills many thousands of Americans each year. I am one of the lucky ones. I quit smoking several years ago. I realized how smoking affected my skin, hair and the way I smelled. I hated smelling like a cigarette butt, so I QUIT!
This new law could help prevent young people from even starting. It’s already paying dividends, according to a new study on the Tobacco 21 policy. It found that Tobacco 21 exposure was associated with lower odds of multiple forms of tobacco use, particularly among younger adolescent populations. It’s more evidence that this policy can and will save lives! It also couldn’t have come at a better time, considering that the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that more than 2 million youths currently use flavored e-cigs with one-fourth using them daily.
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In order for this trend to change and for this law to be more effective we need everyone to know it and follow it. Retailers in Milwaukee are supporting that effort by joining the state’s Tobacco 21 media campaign. Be on the lookout for gas pump advertising and outdoor posters that feature a simple but important message: Now everyone who buys tobacco must be 21. In addition, the Wisconsin Wins program is supporting retailers by providing free training tips on how to check IDs.
Together, we can make a difference by following Tobacco 21 laws and helping to educate youths on the dangers of tobacco use. To learn more about the Wisconsin Wins program or Tobacco 21 visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.For free help to quit using tobacco call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
Sincerely,
Angela Lawson
Co-Chair of the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network’s Smoke-Free Housing Subcommittee


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Post from Community: Get vaccinated at COVID-19 clinics Dec. 9, 10 and 13 and get a free gift card up to $50 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Children's Community Health Plan
December 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
Individuals older than age 12 vaccinated at the clinics will receive a $50 gift card to Pete’s Fruit Market or Monterrey Market at those sites. Individuals younger than age 12 vaccinated at the clinics will receive a $10 gift card.
Community members ages 5 and older needing first, second or booster COVID-19 vaccinations. All eligible individuals will be vaccinated regardless of ID, documentation or insurance status. Children ages 5-17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Children’s Community Health Plan (CCHP) in partnership with Health Connections is planning several upcoming COVID-19 mobile vaccination clinics. Free COVID-19 testing is also available.
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Clinics will be held at the following dates and locations:

author: Children's Community Health Plan


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December 7, 2021


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Post from Community: ‘Tis the Season to Save for College – Edvest offers a $50 incentive for accounts opened by December 20 | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Edvest
December 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
During the season of giving, Edvest – the state of Wisconsin’s direct-sold 529 college savings plan – is offering a $50 incentive to anyone who opens an account between Dec. 6 and Dec. 20, 2021. Individuals who open an Edvest account with a $50 contribution and sign up for reoccurring contributions of $25 or more for a minimum of six months will be eligible for a $50 matching contribution. Visit www.Edvest.com/offer for terms and conditions.
“Our goal is to help Wisconsin families jump-start their college savings journey,” said Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld. “We hope the $50 incentive is the spark families need to open an Edvest account this holiday
season.”
With the holidays coming at a time when the country is experiencing shipping and inventory issues, staffing shortages, and increased prices on goods and services, individuals are presented with the opportunity to reimagine gifting. For those seeking gifts that are easier to give but also make a lasting impact, contributing to an Edvest account is simple and a unique way to show a loved one that you care about their future.
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Once an Edvest account is open, family and friends contribute to the account via mail or online at Edvest.com/gift. Gifting around the holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions is a great way to help Wisconsin families reach their college savings goals while taking advantage of unique state tax benefits.
There are many advantages to saving with Edvest, including:
“If you’re a parent or grandparent with younger children, it’s tempting to go with the latest toy or video game for a holiday gift,” Blumenfeld said. “The gift of college lasts a lifetime. A small contribution today can lead to significant savings down the road – it’s
the perfect holiday gift that will be cherished for a lifetime.”
The end of the year is a great time to review and evaluate college savings goals. It’s also an ideal time to take advantage of the $50 incentive when opening an Edvest account. For more information about Edvest, including live webinars with college savings specialists, available tax benefits, and the impact of student loans, please visit edvest.com or call 1-888-338-3789.

author: Edvest


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Edvest-Holiday.png | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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December 6, 2021


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The Dohmen Company Foundation puts its Mission in Motion by investing more than $1.6 Million in Nonprofits Working to Strengthen the Food and Nutrition Ecosystem | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dohmen Company Foundation
December 7, 2021
Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here.
The Dohmen Company Foundation today announced that it is investing more than $1.6 million in nonprofits normalizing the concept of Food is Medicine and strengthening Milwaukee’s local food and nutrition ecosystem. In addition to the nationally recognized Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC), several Milwaukee-based nonprofits are also grant award recipients.
“As a philanthropic enterprise and community partner, we believe that nutritious food has the power to transform health,” explained Kathy Koshgarian, The Dohmen Company Foundation President. “That is why we are dedicated to investing in organizations and programs focused on regaining and preserving American health.”
Research shows that what people choose to eat has profound effects on their overall health and that dietary habits influence disease risk. And for too many, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social and economic challenges that continue to fuel health disparities in communities like Milwaukee.
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“We are hopeful that these grants will transform the lives of nearly 30,000 people by providing greater access to nutrition and education, employment opportunities in the culinary and dietician fields, and financial support to address social determinants that impact health, such as housing instability,” added The Dohmen Company Foundation’s Interim Executive Director Rachel Roller.
Dohmen was the first company in the nation to transition from a for-profit, family-owned S-Corp to a foundation-owned philanthropic enterprise. Since then, the organization has distributed over $5 million to more than 30 nonprofit organizations, positively impacting nearly 50,000 individuals. Dohmen is also on the frontlines of addressing chronic illness through its charitable Food For Health Program, which provides medically tailored meals to low-income participants residing in Southeastern Wisconsin.
The grants announced are another example of how the Foundation is putting its mission in motion. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, the 2021 grant recipients and links to their websites are listed below for anyone interested in supporting these organizations:
About the Dohmen Company Foundation
With more than 164-years of healthcare experience, Dohmen has found a way to combine the rigor of business with the heart of philanthropy, becoming the first organization in the nation to transition from a family-owned S-Corporation to a foundation-owned philanthropic enterprise. Instead of creating shareholder return, Dohmen Company Foundation focuses on creating social return by investing in healthy people powering healthy communities. Dohmen pursues its vision through its charitable programs, portfolio of social businesses, and supporting efforts driven by partner organizations.

author: Dohmen Company Foundation


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DCF-Logo.jpg | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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December 3, 2021