An A-Z visitors guide to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Sponsored by Key Magazine Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/140439
"When people have a personal connection to a cause, they make an impact" serves the Metcalfe Park neighborhood on the north side of Milwaukee. The Next Door Foundation provides educational services to more than 1,200 low-income children from birth to five years old. The books will help advance the center's educational programs for children and families. The donation culminated in a daylong event that celebrated National Black History Month with a children's rap song performance on AfricanAmerican inventors and a display of projects. Volunteers delivered books and read with children. To help make a sustainable impact, Northwestern Mutual also gives back to the community through efforts that help launch and maintain programs. Building Neighborhood Capacity Recently, the company announced its commitment of more than $725,000 in grants to three Milwaukee neighborhoods, reaching people who call the Amani, Metcalfe Park and Muskego Way neighborhoods home. The program will support welcoming, safe and healthy neighborhoods through nonprofit partners and community leadership. One new project resulting from this initiative is a program with Hunger Task Force, which has run food banks across Milwaukee for the past 40 years. The Auer Oasis project will bring daily meal services into the Amani neighborhood at Auer Elementary School during the summer months. Because of limited access to food in the neighborhood, the grant is covering all costs to provide lunch and dinner for many families in the neighborhood. Providing Higher Education Grants Education is key to a bright, successful future and Northwestern Mutual is committed to help with grants totaling $336,000 for scholarship opportunities that increase access to higher education for low-income students. Ten institutions throughout the state receiving the grants will utilize the funds to help support scholarship opportunities and specialized programs such as information technologies. All photos were taken at the special event for the Next Door Foundation, with Northwestern Mutual volunteers collecting, delivering and reading books to children. Long-term commitment Developing and driving programs that provide resources to neighborhoods allows Milwaukee to continue building strong, dynamic neighborhoods capable of accomplishing anything. "When people have a personal connection to a cause, they make an impact," said Schlifske. "Community engagement and support has, and will continue to be, a longstanding tradition for Northwestern Mutual." 37