Urban Connection - Spring 2010

Nonprofit Center 2010-2012 Strategic Plan

New vision…six goals for mission achievement. Click here for the .pdf.

Tribute to Josephine Oldfield (1932-2010)

On February 5, 2010, our community lost a good friend. In a career that spanned more than five decades, Jo Oldfield’s life work was dedicated to improving neighborhoods and the quality of people’s lives. Threaded through her professional and volunteer world was her deep commitment to social justice. Jo had a passion for community development, working as the neighborhood improvement project director at ESHAC, and then as the Executive Director of West End Development Corp.

Jo’s career also showcased her belief in the power of people and groups working together. She created an innovative intergenerational program for the Girl Scouts and a unique ElderTeen program in the Riverwest neighborhood. Jo truly treasured her last role in the nonprofit sector. She worked tirelessly at The Gathering of Southeastern Wisconsin for the past 12 years, coordinating meals and services for those in need.

As a former board member of MAUD and the Nonprofit Center, she never forgot the Center as an annual donor. Just as she nourished her garden, she nourished all of us who worked with her in the sector. It is impossible to count all the people she mentored and coached along the way. As one of Jo’s former co-workers and collaborators said, “I was honored to call her my friend.”

A memorial gathering is being planned, probably in June, to benefit The Gathering. Daughters Jane Timmins & Julia Cross have set up a website in her memory at josephine.oldfield.muchloved.com . We echo their wish that Jo's “spirit and vitality will live on in each of us."

Improving Race Relations in Southeast Wisconsin

After the bitter slurs and often race-based “debate” accompanying health care reform, there should be no doubt that we have a long way to go to enter a “post-racial” era in this country. Just as there is a need to improve race relations, there is also a need to improve intergenerational understanding and relationships. In both the corporate and nonprofit world, up to four percent of profit is lost annually because some in the Millennial, Diversity and Boomer generations do not seem to work all that well together.

The struggle to obtain both interracial and intergenerational understanding is here and now! You can join the effort by participating in the Southeast Wisconsin Interracial and Intergenerational Community Connection (SEWIICC). We have already begun to provide links and greater communication for those engaged in this struggle.

Now we are looking for you and others like you to join in forming an advisory committee that will help guide all of us by developing an action program for this effort. Please email to the address below if you would like to attend the inaugural advisory committee meeting (date TBA).

The nonprofit sector has the expertise, experience and responsibility to work toward continual improvement of both interracial and intergenerational understanding and cooperation. The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee has been active on these very important issues in recent years, bringing in national figures to help our community address them and to challenge our thinking as well. A monthly SEWIICC email newsletter to lift up the work that is already being done is now publishing and can be subscribed to on the Community Connections Page.

The fate of southeast Wisconsin rests in how well we come together inter-racially and inter-generationally. Join in this worthwhile effort. For more information email to sewiicc@gmail.com or call 414-344-3933.

Congratulations, Safe & Sound

The Mutual of America Foundation has selected Milwaukee’s Safe & Sound as one of the 10 best nonprofit partnership organizations in the United States.

The award “highlights the important contributions that nonprofit organizations, in partnership with public, private and other social sector organizations, make … organizations are selected based on the value of their partnerships, their ability to be replicated, and their capacity to stimulate new approaches to addressing social issues.”

Safe & Sound is a crime reduction strategy targeting 21 Milwaukee neighborhoods with the highest incidence of crime. Formed in 1998, the organization now mobilizes and partners with resources such as residents, youth serving organizations, the Milwaukee Police Department, the District Attorney’s Community Prosecution Unit, city departments and many others to identify and report criminal activity, remove blight, and prevent youth gang affiliation, crime and drug and alcohol use.

In the last year, Safe & Sound’s staff of Community Partners worked door-to-door and facilitated the reporting of 251 drug houses, 70 open air drug markets and numerous other crimes while supporting over 100 block clubs. The staff also issued 1,285 written warnings to property owners regarding code violations and secured a 79.8% compliance rate.

Safe & Sound also supports out-of-school time Safe Places to engage youth in evidenced based programming to prevent negative behaviors such as illegal substance use, gang involvement and violent behavior. Last year, over 20,000 youth participated, with many developing their own youth led crime reduction projects that teach leadership and decision-making skills.

“Safe & Sound empowers residents, connecting them with law enforcement and other city services to stabilize and rebuild safe neighborhoods,” said Barbara Notestein, Executive Director. Our work is accomplished through valuable and effective partnerships as we seek new approaches to the problems of crime and neighborhood blight.”

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Chief of Police Edward A. Flynn both issued statements praising the partnership award and the positive impact Safe & Sound has on the community.

In May, Mutual of America will host an award presentation luncheon in Milwaukee for Safe & Sound, civic and business leaders, donors and others.

2010 Inspire By Example Award Winners

The 28th Annual Volunteer Celebration held on April 14 was again a tremendous success, with more than 400 in attendance for the volunteer awards presentations. The 2010 winners are:

The Inspire by Example Award Winners.

Back row from left to right:

• Arthur Cameron, Youth Award Winner
• Blake Moret, Rockwell Automation, The Business Award Winner
• Joy Alexander, Volunteer Administrator for the Salvation Army, Wile Volunteer Management Award Winner
• Elizabeth Granja, Rockwell Automation, the Business Award Winner
• Steve Gomoll, Leader of Regional Business at Rockwell Automation, the Business Award Winner

Front Row from left to right:

• Rebecca Williams, Adult Award Winner, Nominated by The Badger Association
• Anthony Jones, Rockwell Automation, The Business Award Winner
• Judy Savage, SouthEast Wisconsin Master Gardener Volunteers (SEWMG), the Team Award Winner
• John Hahn, SEWMG, The Team Award Winner
• Janet Wintersberger, Board President, SEWMG, The Team Award Winner
• Michelle Crockett, Fran Swigart Board Leadership Award, Nominated by Northcott Neighborhood House

2009 Nonprofit Center Annual Report (coming soon)

The year in review...

The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee
2819 West Highland Boulevard
Milwaukee, WI 53208-3217
Phone: (414) 344-3933
Fax: (414) 344-7071
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If you have questions, comments or suggestions email staff at info@nonprofitcentermilwaukee.org