DC’S SPRING/SUMMER NEWSLETTER AUG. 23, 2024 | AMANI
BLOCK BUILD IN AMANI! 11 homes transformed! PAGES 6-9
‘THIS IS HOME’ Amani home owner improves block safety PAGES 12-13
AMANI YOUTH MARCH TO END VIOLENCE AYC holds annual event PAGES 4-5
FREE FRESH FOOD! Feeding America Mobile Pantry serves Amani PAGES 14-15
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ‘Amani is Filled with Beautiful People’
Greetings,
“My heart is filled with so much gratitude and pride about the neigh- borhood and the work that we do.”
I hope you and your families are safe, healthy and well. As I approach my third anniversary as the Executive Director of Dominican Center, I find myself consistently reflecting on my time working in Amani. My heart is filled with so much gratitude and pride about the neighborhood and the work that we do. Amani is filled with beautiful people who are raising their hand daily to make their neighborhood a better place, and there is a strong sense of community and relationship building. Alongside resident leaders, DC has the privilege of quarterbacking partnerships and working with stakeholders from across the city. The pages of this newsletter will highlight the amazing work that’s happening. Our work spans many different focus areas – safe- ty, food access, housing, education and more. But there is one area that rises to the top for me and that is housing. What is the value of a safe, healthy and stable home? The value of a home is immeasurable…it’s a basic need and a human right. Yet an overwhelming portion of the housing stock in Amani has fallen into disrepair. But there’s hope. Through our Block-by-Block initiative we are working alongside partners and resident leaders to restore the housing stock and make sure that people are living in homes that are up to city code. This year we have an exciting story to share about our housing work. And there’s so much more I’m excited about too. Here a few highlights: • We strengthened our efforts to curb reckless driving and excessive speeding with a traffic cir- cle. We will continue this work with a Community Challenge grant from AARP. • We marched with dozens of supporters and partners at the Amani Youth Council’s fourth an- nual March Against Gun Violence. • We’re expanding our support of safe and healthy housing in Amani. 600 volunteers flooded Amani for Block Build MKE, serving 11 homeowners with repairs, renovations and beautification efforts. And our work on the Block by Block initiative is
– Maricha Harris
supporting homeowners with critical repairs like roof replacement. •We raised $41,000 at our annual Green & Grow- ing fundraising event to support our mission and work in Amani. We’re looking forward to celebrat- ing with you in our 30th year! As we approach Autumn (one of my favorite seasons) and the final quarter of 2024, the needs of our community continue to be great. For the remainder of the year, we will be expanding our hydroponics farm, and we will be working with our partners to host holiday food distributions – providing meals for approximately 200 families in November and December. The holidays can be burdensome, so we are working to provide as many supports and resources as we can to our families during this year’s holiday season! Our work continues to be possible because of supporters like you! Thank you to everyone who is helping us in this work – whether you’re a partner organization or a donor who gives your time, tal- ent or treasure – you are greatly appreciated! We look forward to continuing to serve alongside you as we work in tandem with residents to revitalize the neighborhood.
Yours in service,
Maricha Harris, DC Executive Director
The Dominican Center will receive a 2024 AARP Com- munity Challenge grants, a national program with giving totaling $102,000. Grantees will implement quick-action projects that help communities become more livable by improving public places; transporta- tion; housing; digital con- nections; and more, with an emphasis on the needs of adults ages 50 and older. DC will receive an $8,500 grant to enable the city’s Amani neighborhood to in- stall a beautiful traffic-calm- ing planter in an effort to increase safety in an area where vehicle and pedestri- an safety is at risk. “AARP Wisconsin is com- mitted to working with local leaders, advocates and policymakers to make our communities better places to live for Wisconsinites of all ages, especially those 50 and older,” said AARP Wis- consin State Director Martha Cranley. “We are proud to collaborate with this year’s grantees as they make im- mediate improvements to address long-standing and emerging challenges across our communities.” to curb reckless driving in Amani DC Awarded AARP Community Challenge Grant Gift will aid efforts
Volunteers Join DC for Earth Day Clean-Up For the third year, Dominican Center and Welcome Home Milwaukee bring dozens of helpers to beautify the streets of Amani
Volunteers from throughout the Milwaukee area joined Dominican Center for an annual event that is gaining steam and cleaning up. The annual Amani Earth Day Clean-Up is a collaboration be- tween DC and Welcome Home Property Management compa- ny. Joining the organization are groups like Amani United, Safe and Sound and UW-Milwaukee students and staff. “We’re part of the community, it’s where we live
too,” said one UWM staff member. Amanda Clark, DC housing coor- dinator says keeping a neighbor- hood clean takes an entire com- munity. “To get up, come outside and see that there’s no trash, that plays a really big part on people’s mental health and peace of mind,” she said “I think coming outside and seeing that your neighbor- hood looks just as clean as any other neighborhood in the city is, is a kind of a stress reliever.”
Amani Youth March to End Violence Annual Amani Youth Council event is planned and organized by teens, held each year to honor violence victim Mekaila Baskerville
On July 30, The Amani Youth Council led a march to end violence, filling Amani streets with chants for peace. The reason for the march? Simple: to save the lives of young people in Milwaukee. “I’ve seen a lot of kids get hurt, or get shot, or in jail,” said MyKing Westmoreland, a 13-year-old member of AYC. “I don’t want that to happen any- more, that’s why I’m here.” The march is held each year on July 30, which is Mekaila Baskerville’s birthday. Mekaila was an Amani youth and a violence victim. Her mother, Regina Williams joined the march and spoke to the crowd. “We need to address some needs in our neighbor- hood with our youth. And that we’re attempting to do so. We have to start somewhere by having con-
versations,” she said. “Letting young people know that they can start young is the beginning of pre- vention of other things that can happen later on.” Joining the AYC were partners Dominican Cen- ter, Amani United, MPD Dist. 5, Ex Fabula, Safe & Sound, COA and State Rep. Kalan Haywood. The Amani Youth Council has been active in Ama- ni this summer, offering several activities for resi- dents of all ages. In addition to the group’s annual March Against Gun Violence, they held bi-weekly “Fun Friday” events at Moody Park, a monthly Entrepreneur Showcase, their annual 3 on 3 Bas- ketball Tournament, and they started a business producing health and beauty products made from plants found in Amani.
Block Build MKE Takes on Amani! 600 volunteers repair and beautify Amani Homes & clean up area
More than 600 volunteers transformed 11 Amani homes in August during Block Build MKE, the larg- est single weekend revitalization project in the city. Each year, Revitalize Milwaukee brings Block Build MKE to a different neighborhood. Dominican Center applied and Amani was chosen, forming a partnership to help residents with critical home repairs. “Safe and stable housing is a human right. Everyone deserves to live in a quality home that is safe and free of hazards,” said DC Executive Direc- tor Maricha Harris. “We are beyond thrilled about partnering with Revitalize Milwaukee for Block Build MKE! This amazing event will help us work towards our goal of ensuring that all Amani resi- dents have a safe and stable home.”
“These are not just residents that we work with, these residents have become like family to me,” said DC Housing Coordinator Amanda Clark, who was instramental in bringing the event to Amani. “A big shout to Revltalize Milwaukee for doing this and selecting the Amani neighborhood this year.” Volunteeers worked with skilled contractors and sponsors to serve homeowners. Work was com- pleted for homeowners who are seniors, disabled or veterans. The free repairs included new fenc- es, porches, concrete, new doors/windows, new appliances, safety upgrades, bathroom reparis and upgrades, landscaping, electrical and plumbing. In addition, groups like the Amani Youth Council par- ticipated in clean-ups to beautifuy the entire area.
AFTER
AMANI RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT
Block Build MKE Brings Blessings Home repair help vital for longtime resident Ms. Mary Johnson who gives ‘love, care and everything’ to her Amani community
“Joy is helping others,” said Ms. Mary Johnson, an longtime Am- ani resident looking forward to seeing her neighborhood lifted up by Block Build MKE hosted by Revitalize Milwaukee and Domini- can Center. Mary has been in Amani for more than 40 years. She raised four children and three grandchildren in the home she bought for her and her mother when they moved here from Mississippi. She also brought along five of her 14 sib- lings, whom she helped care for. “I never wanted help; I took care of everything myself,” said Mary.
“I just was raised with too much pride. If you want something, you need to work for it. Build your life. You want to know you did your best.” The family came to Amani for a better life. Mary’s parents were sharecroppers, and she said her mother worked too hard for everything in life, so she wanted to give her a comfortable home where she could spend time doing what she liked. “By God’s grace, we made it,” she said. “And my mother lived to be 87 years old in this house.” When arriving in Milwaukee at 19
years old, Mary and her moth- er were both able to get jobs in the healthcare field to pay for a home they initially rented. “You live where you can afford,” she said. “But I got tired of renting.” She was married at 20 and soon had children of her own, whom she wanted to grow up in a sta- ble environment. “My marriage became abusive, and I refused to raise my children around abuse,” she said. So, she started working even harder. Her heart was always with helping people, especially elders. She worked two jobs in the healthcare field and retired after 40 years in 2012, only because
remodel herself many years ago) • New light and fan in her bed- room, with a working light switch. • New stove and counter top be- cause her kitchen is unsafe and she loves to cook • Updated electrical in her back- room • New outdoor storm and secu- rity doors in back of home and improved installation. • Fix the hook-up for her dryer “I am pleased to think about liv- ing in a more comfortable home, I won’t be afraid of cooking in an unsafe kitchen,” Mary said. “I am so grateful that at my age, some- one thought enough about me and my neighborhood to come help us. “I love my community. I have been here for 40 years and people know me. I am proud of where I live and I can stay here until I leave this earth,” she said. The help Mary is receiving during Block Build MKE seems like kar- ma for a life well lived in Amani. She has always kept her block clean, leading her own clean-ups of the empty lots on the block. “If you don’t get involved in the community, you’ll never know what it could bring. Our block is beautiful, all we have to do is keep it clean,” she said. “When I first came here, I didn’t sit down, I figured out what we needed to survive. I came from a hard place, I could write a book about my life, but it doesn’t mat- ter where you live – have respect for yourself,” Mary said. “And now I will help anyone on this block so we can all have pride in where we live. You give it your all, you give love, care and every- thing. You do everything you can do.”
“When I first came here, I didn’t sit down, I figured out what we needed to survive. I came from a hard place, I could write a book about my life, but it doesn’t mat- ter where you live. Have respect for yourself. And now I will help anyone on this block so we can all have pride in where we live. You give it your all, you give love, care and everything. You do everything you can do.” – Mary Johnson, Amani Home Owner
she physically couldn’t do the work anymore. She has had heart failure since 2006 and survived breast cancer in 2019. When Mary got her second job, she saved every penny and bought her current home herself for her family to put down stable roots. The duplex was perfect, her mother lived upstairs. She took care of the home herself, doing all repairs and renovations in both units for more than 40 years. “I knew that one day, I would be up in age, and I wanted some- place comfortable,” she said. “I never asked for help when I was working, but you need to know enough to know when you age and when you need help. Never give up, just ask for help. You cannot still do everything your- self, receive your help.” Mary first heard about Block Build MKE from a flier left at her home by DC Housing Coordina- tor Amanda Clark. Though she was nervous and afraid to apply for the program and reach out for help, something told her to take a chance. “I had such a great experience. Sometimes you have to trust people that want to help you. There are good people at Do- minican Center. If you’re a senior on a fixed income, please think
about giving it a try. I was afraid at the beginning, but once I saw how kind everyone is, I am now glad and grateful,” she said. She said that Amanda insisted on helping with her application. “She was willing to come to my house and walk me through it. I admire her, she’s very sweet. I came in late to this application process, and I am so grateful I was accept- ed,” she said. But complications in the process had just begun. During the application process, Mary broke her ankle when she stepped in a hole mowing her lawn by herself, so her appli- cation stalled. She felt like she didn’t have the energy to finish, but Amanda pushed her to finish the application. As soon as the two got the application finished, Helena’s water heater went out. Because she knew this vital repair needed to be addressed right away, Amanda called Revitalize Milwaukee to see if the repair could be expedited. The next day the organization came out to look at it, and two days later, Revitalize MKE had replaced the water heat- er. “I thank them truly from the heart. They were on it and fixed it right away,” she said. Through Block Build MKE, Mary received the following repairs: • New water heater installation • New toilet and sink in the bathroom (she did the previous
SPRING & SUMMER IN #AMANI
Annual Amani Day Celebration Included Service, Fellowship, Fun Amani United hosted their annual Amani Day cel- ebration at Dominican Center on June 20th. DC staff and residents participated in a clean-up and then celebrated the day with a party at DC. By proclamation from the Mayor, June 20th is Amani Day in Milwaukee, and Amani United uses the occasion as a day to celebrate the neighbor- hood, the residents, partners and friends. All ages enjoyed activities, bounce houses and food grilled fresh by Amani United members. The event started with a libations ceremony and blessing of Amani by Iyalosha Adekola Adedapo. Residents and partners also took time to work on projects at DC, like building pic-nic tables and benches for DC and planning art projects for the neighborhood. Partners Host Traveling POP UP! Resource Fairs All Over Amani DC believes that people should not have to leave their neighborhoods to find the things they need. That’s why DC created a summer series of Pop Up Outreach Days. The community resource fairs moved throughout the neighborhood to reach residents in the busiest parts of Amani. The Pop Up Outreach Days were held in June and July, and will continue in August and September. Each event is chaired by an Amani partner includ- ing DC, Amani United, COA, Safe & Sound and Community Advocates. Among other partners attending Pop-Ups are Legal Aid Society of Mil- waukee, The Parenting Network, One MKE, Auro- ra Health Care and Clean Wisconsin. DC Works with Teens Grow Greens for Annual Bloom & Groom Sale On May 18, DC held their annual Bloom & Groom plant sale, benefiting Amani residents. Though this sale is held every year, the planning for this year’s sale began months before. DC’s hydroponics expert, Mr. Wes, started growing
plants for the sale in early 2024 in our lab, and he grew a partnership with Teens Grow Greens at the same time to purchase more variety of plants for Bloom & Groom. The sale raised more than $1,000 and DC was able to give away additional plants to residents for free at our June Mobile Food Pantry. CPTED Walk Teaches Residents to Prevent Crime through Design Dominican Center, Amani United and MPD Dist. 5 officers, as well as neighborhood departments and Amani residents, gathered April 26 to learn about CPTED in the Amani neighborhood. CPT- ED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) suggests that the design of buildings, landscaping and outdoor environments can either encourage or discourage crime. The group met at 26th & Locust and walked down Burleigh, while listening to Dist. 5 police and neighborhood departments point out what could be altered in the community to prevent or discourage crime. Residents and organizations learned about landscaping strategies, lighting and camera placement. Residents also learned how CPTED principles can lower stress and fear in the neighborhood, improving the quality of life. DC Walks with Alderpersons Dominican Center continued their “Walk My Block” series, which connects Amani residents with their aldermanic representatives and city services employees so they can discuss and point out concerns in their districts. Sixth District Ald. Milele A. Coggs walked with her constitutes early this spring and a walk was also held in Ald. Russell Stamper’s 15th District. The later walk was hosted in conjunction with Revi- talize Milwaukee, which will hold Block Build MKE on Aug 16-17. The area of Block Build is 21st-24th streets, Locust to Center streets.
To keep up-to-date with DC events, visit https://www.dominican-center.org
AMANI RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT
‘This is Home & I’m Not Going Anywhere’ Amani resident works with DC to install cameras and improve safety on her block
Ms. Helena Ivory has lived in Amani for more than 50 years and she has seen the community through many changes. She ac- knowledged the challenges of the neighborhood at the time, but she had three young children, and she was determined to see them grow up in a community. So she took a chance. “This was an opportunity for me,” she said. “But I went for it. I said, ‘I’m going to stay here and see if I can make a difference.’” Helena talked about how the neighborhood has changed over the years. She recalled when her block had more houses and many families lived there with children the same ages as her own. She had a beautiful deck built in her backyard so she could entertain and her family could enjoy the yard together, but it became so beloved that the neighborhood used it as a place to gather as well. “My neighbor wanted to throw a surprise party for his wife in my yard, and of course I said yes. Then later my grandson got a
projector and the kids would have movie night out there. You need to build community, and that is what I’ve always done,” she said. “This yard is community.” “We had block parties, where the corner store owner would donate hotdogs, and another resident would bring ponies for the kids to ride. Now there’s only three houses on the block, they have all been torn down.” She said that the last few years have been the most challenging. “My kids, especially my youngest daughter, want me to move,” said Helena. “But why would I leave? This is home and I’m not going anywhere.” A house on her block recently created a problem when it be- came home to illegal activity and eventually a murder. Helena said she has always tried to reach young people in the community, including the young men coming in and out of the problem house. “I always say, ‘you’re not here to stay, so do something while you’re here and build a legacy.’ If kids see
a community, they can build one too.” So even though she knew dangerous things were happening in the problem house, she still took the time to talk with a young man from the house and asked him to have respect for neighbors on the block, keep the noise down and be part of the community. “Young people aren’t bad, they just need guidance,” she said. Shortly after their conversations, the young man was killed. From that point, Helena did every- thing she could to get help with the problem house. She wrote the landlord (who conveniently lives in Florida), she talked to police regularly, she called her alderman and participated in community walks hoping to draw attention to the problem house. She even wrote a letter to the mayor, but nothing seemed to help. While on an aldermanic walk hosted by Dominican Center, Helena met DC Community Organizer Jerusa Johnson, who – since the mo- ment they met – was determined
to help. “I first met Ms. Ivory last year. There was a prob- lem across the street from her house, so I connected her with Dist. 3 Police and her alderman, but she was not getting any help,” said Jerusa. While Helena was fighting for peace in her neighborhood, shock set in when police found a dead body in the field behind her house. The police told her that if she had had a camera in the back of her house, they could have found who left the body. “She again reached out,” said Ms. Johnson. “I again connected her with Dist. 3 and her alderman; again no help. We were trying to get cameras through the city’s Alert Neighbor Program, but not enough neighbors signed up, so she wasn’t eligible.” “Then they found another body,” said Helena. “I knew I needed to get cameras for my safety and to help the community.” So she purchased Ring cameras, even though the cameras were difficult to afford. As a woman who has always done everything herself, it was difficult for her to ask for help, but she couldn’t find anyone to help her install the cameras for a decent price. The strain of this new safety feature was eating into her budget and she was worried it could cut into her food supply, so “You need to build community, and that is what I have always done. This yard is community.” – Helena Ivory, Amani Home Owner
to add her to our senior food box drop offs each Wednesday. She also mentioned her garden, so I was able to connect her with Clean Wisconsin, who installed a rain barrel for her and will install a garden bed soon.” “Everything was wonderful,” said Helena about the connections she made through DC. “Seems like I was meant to be here. I have been here 50 years and I had never heard of Dominican Center. When I found out about what [the Center] does, I was shocked to know such a God- sent was in my community.” Helena retired after 31 years at the VA hospital. Her mother also worked there, and her service there fulfilled her need to help people and allowed her to raise her family as a single mother. When she was working and rais- ing her children, she was always busy, but her family was a team and they worked together and played hard on the weekends. She loved to reward her kids with road trips to places like Great America for the hard work they did at home and school. “We had so much fun, and now they all work just as hard as me,” she said. She worked at the hospital full- time and then took on a sec- ond job to send her youngest daughter to college. She worked second shift at the hospital and the money from her first-shift job at FunJet Vacations funded her daughter’s education. “She was the only one of my kids that wanted to go to college, so I was going to make sure she went,” she said. “It isn’t just the tuition, because she received some scholarships, but I paid for everything. She earned her bachelor’s degree and she didn’t
have to worry about a thing.” With this gracious gift in hand, her daughter went on to earn a master’s degree in social services while working at the same time, displaying a work ethic clearly inherited from her mother. Helena gets her sense of hard work, family and community from her parents. She was raised in what is now Brewers Hill with her 16 siblings and parents. Her mother’s house was the center of the neighborhood. “My moth- er never turned anyone away, she did sewing and cooking for everyone in the neighborhood and my father cut everyone’s hair in the neighborhood. My mom made the most wonderful chicken and dumplings, and our neighbor made beautiful doilies and another neighbor canned to- matoes. Everyone had a special- ty,” she said. “And we all traded, making the community stronger. We all helped each other.” She also talked about her group of best friends from childhood, “The Valley Girls,” while proudly showing off a T-shirt that the group would be wearing at a brunch party at her house in a few days. On the shirt was a photo of friends who have been together since childhood. As she looked in the faces of her friends on the photo, you could see the joy and love in her eyes. She was excited to have her friends at her home in Amani, and she was so proud to bring her community from child- hood to the community she built for her own family. “It started out as just a small brunch and people kept finding out about it, so now it’s going to be a big party. I’ll be cooking for days, but I love having people at my home, in my neigh- borhood,” she said. “I think it’s getting better here.”
she reached out to Jerusa. “I connected her with my
co-worker Mr. Wes, and we went over and installed two cameras,” said Jerusa. “We were also able
Creating Fresh Food Access in Amani Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin serves more than 300 families. Free fresh, healthy foods selected with Amani residents in mind
Dominican Center and Amani United hosted thier annual summer Mobile Food Pantries with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and served more than 300 families in the 53206 zip code. DC and AU worked with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin months prior to select foods that are healthy and can meet the nutritional needs of all family members, including a variety of meat, produce and dairy (and dairy-substitute items) at each pantry. In addition, Milwaukee Diaper Mission offered diapers and pull-ups, wipes and period kits, and the Brewers Community Foundation sup- plied hygine kits to all residents. Partners like Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee and C.O.L.E. brought resources and information revelent to residents. The June pantry kicked off the summer season
on Amani Day and the pantry was followed by the neighborhood celebration. DC gave away plants grown in the DC Hydroponics Lab and by Teens Grow Greens. At the August pantry, there were “school lunch” friendly foods and DC gave away backpacks and art supply kits for Amani youth heading back to school. The supplies were donat- ed by Northwestern Mutual. “This program is really important for kids this summer because we recently just saw the largest increase in childhood hunger since the Great Re- cession. When we’re able to talk to residents and partner with people like Dominican Center, and bring the foods we know kids are going to eat, it makes a really big difference,” said Matt Stienstra, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Programs at Feeding America Eastern WIsconsin.
AMANI RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT
‘There are Blessings and Opportunities’ The Block by Block initiative & flexible funding from JP Morgan Chase made it possible for Amani resident to repair roof on generational home
said Nakia about the Block by Block initiative by neighborhood partners including Dominican Center. Nakia’s plan was to renovate the house in order to bring her grand- mother home from the senior living apartment she moved to. The home had become too much for her to care for after her grandfa- ther passed. Nakia did not get that opportunity, as her grandmother passed away in 2022. But even through her grief, Nakia knew she wanted to restore the home. “I get so much joy in taking something so dear to my family and restoring it instead of selling it off,” she said She worked and saved for four years to be able to afford inside reno- vations. As the contractors finally began, they showed Nakia layer after layer of paint and wallpaper, a scrapbook of her family’s decorat- ing choices throughout the years. Contractors worked on the walls in her house, repairing after years of water damage. At that time, “DC is a great service to the community. They’re not only helping with home repairs, but they’re also out there doing community cleanups and events, and helping resident be proactive and involved.” – Nakia Fisher, Amani Home Owner
“The first day I came out of the hos- pital, I came to this house. There is picture of my grandma holding me in her bedroom on my first day here, and I haven’t left since,” said Nakia Fisher, a third generation Am- ani homeowner. “I know everybody who has lived in this community within my lifetime. My neighbors have watched me grow up. I want to show young people in my com- munity that look like me that we can do it. You have to put in the work, but there are blessings and opportunities.” Nakia’s home was bought in the early 1950s by her grandmother, passed on to her mother, then on to her. After more than 50 years, the family home needed some repairs. There was mold and water damage from leaking roof. “I was living with buckets for years because I was saving to complete the repairs,” she said. “My grandma put me on this path and taught me to save. She told me that ‘If you want something to be better, fix it.’ And that is what I wanted to do,” she said. “A lot of people in our community don’t keep the family home. We give it up and complain about gentrification. But we need to do the work and put in the sweat equity to support our community.” “You have to be proactive in seeking opportunities that could help you. This isn’t a hand-out, you still have to do the work. It took me years to save for the renovations. I’ve just been operating on what God gave me, but this time he sent a blessing,”
the contractor told her she needed to consider roof repairs. “He said, this is your money you’re spending to fix the house, you need to pro- tect it with roof repair.” Next – within a few days – Nakia received a blessing in the form of Kevin Freeman, an electrician from Ezekiel Hope CDC, who came to work on her house. He told her that DC could help her get her roof repaired. He connected her with Housing Coordinator Amanda Clark, who walked her through the process and the paperwork from start to finish. Amanda then deliv- ered Nakia’s next blessing, news that she qualified for a roof replace- ment. From that point, the roof was replaced in about three weeks. “I feel so blessed that DC came when they did. The process was stress-free and Amanda was hands- on and courteous in getting me what I needed to repair my roof. I was saving and paying for renova- tions myself, but I needed a bless- ing because I didn’t have $20,000 for a new roof,” said Nakia. “DC is a great service to the com- munity. They’re not only helping with home repairs, but they’re also out there doing community clean- ups and events, and helping resi- dents be proactive and involved,” Nakia said.
Urban Farm Still Growing at Dominican Center Hydroponics lab programing expands, outdoor garden adds beauty
Dominican Center is providing lessons on family well-being through their urban farm. The hydro- ponics lab was host to programs offering educa- tion to Amani residents of all ages. Partner Full- Circul26, Inc. taught adults, and the Hydroponics STEM program (created and directed by Amani resident and engineer Mitchelle Lyle), taught youth for the second year at DC. In addition, hydroponics expert Wesly Landry continued his efforts growing vegetable plants and flowers for residents. In addition, the outdoor gardens have again grown with the help of Clean Wisconsin, who recently installed a rain garden. Plants started in DC’s hydroponics lab now fill raised beds and our landmark Amani planters. Volunteers have also helped build pic-nic tables and benches that will open the outdoor garden space to the public.
Partner Office Hours Give Residents Chance to Connect Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, JobWorks MKE, Community Advocates and C.O.L.E. are meeting Amani families locally with office hours at DC
Sometimes something as simple as not being able to find a ride to an organization in a different part of the city can be a barrier to success. That’s why Dominican Center has opened the doors to host partner organiza- tions with resources available to Ama- ni residents. Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee holds bi-weekly office hours to serve Amani residents. Lawyer Anthony Garcia is available the second and fourth Tues- days of the month to answer ques- tions about estate planning, housing issues and other legal issues. JobsWork MKE also holds Amani office hours at DC on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. JobsWork MKE prepares and encour-
ages motived individuals living in poverty to achieve economic self-suf- ficiency through sustainable employ- ment. They work to destroy employ- ment barriers and offer employment readiness workshops. Community Advocates holds offices hours at DC as well. The organization offers information on and assistance with Energy Assistance. The Coalition on Lead Emergency (C.O.L.E) is the newest addition to DC’s office hours. The organization will be at the Center on weekdays and provides Amani residents with information with the lead crisis in Milwaukee. All office hours are at Dominican Center, 2470 W. Locust Street. Call 1.414.444.9930 for more information.
FUNDRAISING FOR AMANI FAMILIES Green & Growing BLOOMS! Dominican Center supporters, donors and friends came together to raise funds for the Amani neighborhood at annual luncheon
Our annual fundraiser Green & Growing joined friends and community together for an unforgettable event. Through donations, generous spon- sorships and Gifts of Love, DC along with 136 supporters were able to raise $41,529. The event was presented by Northwestern Mutual. Spon- sors included: gold sponsor the Kordsmeier Family; silver sponsors AARP Wisconsin, We Energies Foundation and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
awarded the “In the Spirit of the Founders Award” for working to grow a green future for youth in Amani. Lyle created a program that teaches the history of Black agriculture, as well as gives students a pathway to a healthy lifestyle. • Amani United was award- ed the “In the Spirit of the Founders Award,” for their work and service in Amani. AU is a diverse group of res- idents determined to move forward toward a healthy
Guests enjoyed the Wisconsin Club decorated by Amani resident Gisele Brister, auction items from local businesses, raffles, a photo booth, special- ty drinks and fellowship. Brunch was served and guests were entertained by All Saints Gospel Choir, Amani resident speakers and an awards program. Each year at Green & Growing, DC honors individ- uals or organizations that are dedicated to serving residents in Amani and who align with our mis- sion. The following were honored: • Mitchelle Lyle , Amani resident and founder and director of the Hydroponics STEM program, was
and sustainable community. AU works in tandem with DC to improve the quality of life for families in Amani in the resident-identified areas of neighbor- hood safety, housing and economic development, and education and family well-being. • The Greater Milwaukee Foundation and retiring President Ellen M. Gilligan were honored with the “Continuing the Legacy Award,” which recognizes those helping DC carry our Mission into the future. GMF has been a supporter of Dominican Center, including the most recent gift, which will support neighborhood safety and family well-being.
Happy 29 th Birthday! Celebrate Dominican Center’s 29 years of service! Scan to give a gift in support of our mission to build a better future in Amani.
In our 30th year, we’re sharing stories of the residents, supporters, partners, staff and friends who have been a part Dominican Center. Scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/DCstories and share your story with us. WHAT DOES DOMINICAN CENTER MEAN TO YOU ?
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