Milwaukee Magazine | Give Back MKE

DEAR READERS, This has been an unprecedented year.

Life has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic while floods, fires and hurricanes have wreaked havoc across the U.S. and mass protests through the greater Milwaukee area and nation have called for greater racial justice and civil liberties.

And while more families are in need of social services, we know that many nonprofits are facing greater financial constraints. Because giving matters now more than ever, Wisconsin Philanthropy Network is proud to partner with Milwaukee Magazine on a Give Back Milwaukee campaign.

We are pleased to help promote the culture of philanthropy and move forward our mission of advancing effective philanthropy through education, best practices, enhanced partnerships and thought leadership.

Thank you for giving generously.

Sincerely,

Tony Shields TONY SHIELDS President and CEO Wisconsin Philanthropy Network

GIVE BACK MKE NOW’S THE TIME TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT LIKE NEVER BEFORE MILWAUKEEANS SHOW UP TO HELP. That’s why our city

ranks fourth in the nation for volunteering, according to Serve Wisconsin. But this year, the need is greater, so we have to aim a little higher and dig a little deeper.

To help rally support for our local nonprofits, Milwaukee Magazine has partnered with Wisconsin Philanthropy Network to launch GIVE BACK MILWAUKEE, a multimedia effort to encourage you, our readers, to donate your time and resources with the generosity that Milwaukeeans are known for.

There are so many deserving organizations in our area, and numerous ways to get involved. Read about them here, then join us on milwaukeemag.com where, starting on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, we’ll go live at noon, Monday through Friday, talking to the leaders of some of these worthy causes. Please heed the call, and help these organizations continue to address crucial needs across our region.

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DEAR READERS, This has been an unprecedented year.

Life has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic while floods, fires and hurricanes have wreaked havoc across the U.S. and mass protests through the greater Milwaukee area and nation have called for greater racial justice and civil liberties.

And while more families are in need of social services, we know that many nonprofits are facing greater financial constraints. Because giving matters now more than ever, Wisconsin Philanthropy Network is proud to partner with Milwaukee Magazine on a Give Back Milwaukee campaign.

We are pleased to help promote the culture of philanthropy and move forward our mission of advancing effective philanthropy through education, best practices, enhanced partnerships and thought leadership.

Thank you for giving generously.

Sincerely,

Tony Shields TONY SHIELDS President and CEO Wisconsin Philanthropy Network

GIVE BACK MKE NOW’S THE TIME TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT LIKE NEVER BEFORE MILWAUKEEANS SHOW UP TO HELP. That’s why our city

ranks fourth in the nation for volunteering, according to Serve Wisconsin. But this year, the need is greater, so we have to aim a little higher and dig a little deeper.

To help rally support for our local nonprofits, Milwaukee Magazine has partnered with Wisconsin Philanthropy Network to launch GIVE BACK MILWAUKEE, a multimedia effort to encourage you, our readers, to donate your time and resources with the generosity that Milwaukeeans are known for.

There are so many deserving organizations in our area, and numerous ways to get involved. Read about them here, then join us on milwaukeemag.com where, starting on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, we’ll go live at noon, Monday through Friday, talking to the leaders of some of these worthy causes. Please heed the call, and help these organizations continue to address crucial needs across our region.

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DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

needs help, and all you have to do is drive around. The DAV needs volunteers from all over the state to drive vets who don’t have reliable transport to and from doctor appointments at the VA Hospital.

It only takes a couple hours of your time every few weeks. dav.org/ help-dav

MILWAUKEE BIKE COLLECTIVE

makes it easy to volunteer. Experts will train you to be a bike mechanic.

They also specialize in “upcycling,” so not only can you donate that Schwinn rusting in your garage, you can be the one to fix it, too. bikecollective.org

What should you do with those outdated blinds or scuffed kitchen chairs gathering dust in the basement?

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Having books in the home is directly related to educational success. But two out of every three low-income families have zero books of their own.

will probably take them: either to fill or finish homes for Milwaukeeans who need them, or to refurbish and sell at one of three area ReStores. milwaukeerestore.org

NEXT DOOR MKE

During the COVID-19 pandemic, one out of every five American families was food insecure, pushing

MILWAUKEE PETS ALIVE,

FEEDING AMERICA

to nearly double its output – and also vastly increase its need for manpower. “Volunteers are needed!” says the always-ebullient Ron Tatum, director of operations for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. feedingamericawi.org/ways-to-give

has distributed 2 million books (and counting) since 1990. They’ll take donations of all books, new and used. nextdoormke.org

as its name implies, wants to end all euthanasia of homeless pets in the city. The volunteer-driven group constantly shares (adorable) photos of cats and dogs up for fostering and adoption. You can save one of these animals’ lives by opening your home to Fido or Salem. milwaukeepetsalive.org

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Making Justice an Everyday Activity

WHAT WE DO: YWCA Southeast Wisconsin envisions a thriving, inclusive and just Southeast Wisconsin defined by racial and gender equity as the foundation for healthy communities.

Our work to eliminate racism and empower women focuses on both individual economic empowerment and community racial equity education/collective work to break barriers rooted in racial and gender injustice.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: • Provides support for our Adult Education and Financial Literacy Coaching, helping community members weather the post-COVID economy and build futures for their families.

YWCA SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN’S MISSION is bold and unwavering. YWCA Southeast Wisconsin (SEW) is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The organization stands up for social and racial justice, helps families and strengthens communities, and its work impacts thousands thanks to the support of devoted stakeholders.

Many stakeholders have joined YWCA SEW’s Round Up community to make supporting the work a routine part of their daily lives. Using the Round Up app, YWCA SEW’s supporters can automatically donate their change when making purchases by simply registering their credit or debit cards on the app. They choose how much they want to Round Up with each purchase and

are in complete control, with the ability to set a cap to their giving and change preferences at any time.

“We have been serving women and families for generations and we challenge our community to make supporting our neighbors a part of daily life,” says Ginny Finn, president and chief executive officer of YWCA SEW. “Our bold mission comes to life through efficient, effective programs and services that touch the lives of thousands. Small gifts create a huge ripple effect, building resources for our everyday work.”

In 2020, demand for YWCA SEW’s programs and services increased dramatically. Staff have adjusted to meet needs, resulting in YWCA SEW’s adult education program enrollment doubling; the financial

• Funds programs that build digital and other job readiness skills, along with connecting job candidates with potential employers.

1915 N. MLK Jr. Dr. 414-267-3220 ywcasew.org

management coaches facilitating more than 30 workshops followed by personal one-to-one for participants; and an expansion in racial justice programming, online workshops and organizational consulting.

YWCA Southeast Wisconsin invites readers to join together and help continue to expand its services supporting and empowering women and families.

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WHAT WE DO: We provide behavioral health and community health services to clients, including the homeless, who lack adequate health insurance.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: • Clients often need more than medical or behavioral health services, clothing or household goods. Your donations help fund these services.

210 W. Capitol Dr. 414-727-6320 ochc-milw.org

Serving the Most Vulnerable

By Kristine Hansen

WHEN TAMARA STEWART THOUGHT she was exposed to COVID-19,

she didn’t know what to do. She was uninsured and needed help. Looking for an affordable way to get tested and treated, she turned to Outreach Community Health Centers.

“I was so happy to find a free service,” she says. “The process was worry-free, fast and friendly, a few less things to think about during this pandemic.”

In a time when many people can slip through the health care cracks – the poor, the uninsured, the homeless – Outreach Community Health Centers’ No. 1 goal is to reach those groups.

“We’re well positioned to serve the uninsured or underinsured,” says Dr. Angela C. Sanders, the organization’s chief clinical officer and a licensed psychologist. “Part of our mission is also to treat the whole person.” This means that their services don’t necessarily stop with a checkup or a counseling session – they might help a client fill out a housing application or provide them with essential goods for a new

apartment, like washcloths, bedding or dish soap.

During the late-evening hours, street outreach teams hand out hygiene kits to the city’s homeless and connect them with services they may need, including physical and behavioral health.

The need has been so great in recent years that planning has begun on the construction of a new service center at Outreach’s Capitol Drive campus.

During COVID, like many aid-minded organizations, there have been noticeable financial strains. This increased cost is expected to continue into the foreseeable future with more and more clients lacking health care after a job loss.

Financial donations help fund a client’s needs outside of medical care – like a winter coat or school supplies for their children. “One client lacked transportation, and we provided him with bus tickets,” says Sanders. “A lot of times, people have significant barriers to access the care.”

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DONATE NOW! milwaukeemag.com/giveback WHAT WE DO: Safe & Sound unites residents, youth, public safety efforts and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods.

Our team connects with more than 25,000 residents every year through door-to-door conversations, in-person and virtual meetings and community engagement events. Our three-part, externally evaluated approach, combining community organizing, youth development and partnerships with public safety, is effective in creating safer and stronger neighborhoods.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: • Your generous contribution would support the work of Safe & Sound’s Neighborhood Team made up of a community organizer, youth organizer and neighborhood safety coordinator – all city of Milwaukee residents who are experts on building community bridges and engaging residents.

• These teams work together to support the formation of new block clubs, facilitate youth-led community projects and events, tackle nuisance property abatement issues, and more. To learn more, visit safesound.org today!

801 W. Michigan St. 414-220-4798 safesound.org

WHAT WE DO: Make-A-Wish Wisconsin creates life-changing wishes for children battling critical illnesses, serving kids between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 who have been diagnosed with a malignant, progressive or degenerative condition.

Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness.

A wish gives a child renewed energy and strength, brings families closer together and unites communities.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: • Right now, more than 200 kids with travel wishes are waiting due to COVID, with that number growing. We need your airline miles to prepare to grant those wishes once travel resumes.

• Donating airline miles is easy. Simply have your Delta, United, Southwest or American Airlines frequent flier number ready and visit wish.org/wisconsin/miles. Once donated, your miles won’t expire.

• Funds raised by Make-A-Wish Wisconsin are used to create life-changing wish experiences, whether it be a wish to have a shopping spree, to be a ballerina or police officer, to go to Hawaii or meet the Packers.

11020 W. Plank Ct., Suite 200, Wauwatosa 262-781-4445 wish.org/wisconsin/miles

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The Cappo Family

Helping our Heroes

By Kristine Hansen FOR DAN CAPPO – who served nine years with

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WHAT WE DO: We provide custom-made, mortgage-free homes and home modifications to wounded, ill or injured veterans, first responders and widows of the fallen.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: • With your financial donation to OperationFINALLYHOME.org/ Wisconsin, we will be able to provide another mortgage-free home in Waukesha. Donations cover the building costs of land, materials and all the elements for a home not donated by the trades and suppliers.

262-549-8352 OperationFINALLYHOME.org

the U.S. Army, including two deployments to Afghanistan – the prospect of living near his “battle buddy” brought him to Wisconsin.

That friend, who lives in Waukesha, saved his life in Afghanistan, says Cappo, when a downed truck Cappo was working under fell off the jack and would have crushed him if his friend hadn’t warned him a second before. Although he survived, Cappo was left severely injured and unable to work.

Operation FINALLY HOME provided Cappo, his wife and three children a custom-built, mortgage-free home in Menomonee Falls. This past July, they moved in.

“The application process does take time,” says Molly Halliday, senior vice president of marketing for Operation FINALLY HOME. “We need to be good stewards to all our donors so we make sure the veteran is ready to handle all the responsibilities of home ownership.

Knowing your family is going to have a roof over their head allows them to heal and be a better person in the community.”

Operation FINALLY HOME was founded in 2005 by Dan Wallrath, a custom builder, who witnessed a son’s friend, a wounded Marine, struggle to take care of his home.

The organization now operates in 33 states and has, through partnerships with builders, completed 270 homes. In the Milwaukee area, they have provided six homes so far, in Jackson, Waukesha and Menomonee Falls, and hope to expand to Madison.

“We bring together the community of builders, developers and donors to honor our veterans who have sacrificed so much,” says Halliday, adding that the vets are trained to go to war but receive little guidance on how to return home.

“It helps open up a little more financial freedom, as I’m not able to work,” says Cappo. “Every step of the way, they’ve worked with us for our design input and modified the master bathroom for my needs when I have another back surgery.

And I can still provide for my family. It takes a lot of stress out of our financial situation.”

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By Kristine Hansen WHEN ROSITA WAS 17 weeks pregnant, instead of picking out paint

colors for the nursery and filling a drawer with cute onesies, she panicked. Due to the pandemic, she’d lost her job and bills were piling up. Her estranged family could not provide financial, or even emotional, support. Then, she received the worst blow: her partner was killed in an auto accident.

How would she be able to afford raising a child? Frustrated, Rosita pursued what she thought was her last option – a later-term abortion at a local pregnancy center.

Thanks to Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund, which awards emergency grants to pregnant women with limited resources, she decided to keep the baby. With the grant, the organization provided her with an apartment, paying the security deposit and first month’s rent.

“Everybody finds themselves in a bind,” says education director Judy Van Swol. “They need jobs, transportation, a roof over their head, food on the table, all of those things. It’s a real privilege to give direct financial assistance.”

The organization also helps pregnant women escape domestic-abuse situations, by providing hotel rooms or bus tickets to help them get away to stay with family or friends.

According to Wisconsin Right to Life executive director,

We provide pregnant women with financial resources that allow them to raise their children and we empower youth to be peer counselors and activists in the pro-life movement.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES:

Heather Weininger, the • Your donation helps fund our emergency grants, number of requests for which ease financial stress emergency grants has on young women in crisis increased during the panpregnancy situations. demic, as has the average • Funds are also used to purchase books and videos dollar amount for each. as educational resourcDuring the pandemic, in es for high-school and lieu of the teen camp the college-students. fund runs each August, 5317 N. 118th Ct. which trains high school 877-855-5007 and college-aged youth wisconsinrighttolife.org in leadership, Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund launched a subscription-box service. Each box is filled with resources such as books and videos, to help youth volunteers in their roles as peer counselors to other students or as activists for the movement.

“We are very excited about our outreach to youth,” says Joleigh Bass, a field rep in the northwestern part of Wisconsin.

“We’re very cognizant of the fact that our pro-life efforts don’t stop when the baby’s born. Putting food in babies’ bellies is part of the pro-life mission, too.”

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Photo by Christopher Appleby/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund

WHAT WE DO:

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We Depend on Nature … Now More Than Ever

WHAT WE DO: The Nature Conservancy works with others to create a world where all people and nature can thrive. We use science to develop innovative solutions to the challenges people and nature face today, from climate change and habitat loss to growing healthy food and keeping our water clean.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES:

Your donation supports the protection and care of Wisconsin’s lands, waters and wildlife.

Photo by Christopher Appleby/TNC Photo Contest 2019

• Allows us to promote good environmental and climate change policies.

• Helps us support farmers in implementing conservation practices that keep our water clean.

• Will fund a new program in Milwaukee that uses naturebased solutions to more equitably improve people’s lives while enhancing the city’s natural environment.

633 W. Main St., Madison, WI 608-251-8140 nature.org/wisconsin

IF COVID-19 HAS TAUGHT US ONE THING, it’s that

getting outdoors in nature is good for our physical and mental health. These days, it feels like we need nature more than ever.

And nature needs us.

“This spring, it was heartening to see so many people visiting state and county parks, special places like our Lulu Lake Preserve just 45 minutes southwest of Milwaukee and the green spaces in their neighborhoods,” says Elizabeth Koehler, Nature Conservancy director in Wisconsin.

Nature is important not only as a way to safely escape from our homes for a while, but for the many other benefits it gives us for free – trees that provide shade on a hot day and filter our air to keep it clean; wetlands that absorb water, remove pollutants and help replenish our drinking water supply; bees and butterflies that pollinate our crops and the flowers in our gardens; and so much more.

The Nature Conservancy has protected

special places in nature for 60 years with support from our members and many others who love outdoor Wisconsin. We continue to do that important work.

But our world is changing, and we are changing along with it to take on the challenges people and nature face today: adapting to a changing climate, feeding a growing population while keeping our water clean, enhancing the health of cities like Milwaukee and the people who live there.

And pursuing our mission in increasingly just, equitable and inclusive ways.

“Nature is our life support system,” says Koehler. “Just like we take care of our physical and mental health, we need to take care of our lakes, forests, wetlands and other special places in nature so they can take care of us. Now more than ever, we need to take action for nature.”

Scan to watch a Nature Conservancy video >

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DONATE NOW! milwaukeemag.com/giveback WHAT WE DO: For 38 years, the mission of The Gathering has been to alleviate hunger in Milwaukee, to address root causes and problems associated with hunger and poverty, and to provide consistent quality services to our guests with respect and dignity.

We provide meals for those who would go without six days a week, through four neighborhood-based locations approximately 80,000 meals are served annually.

Our target population for all programming is Milwaukee’s hungry and homeless.

We have no intake process – all are welcome to eat with us at no cost and without question. Demographics of those served reflect in large part the neighborhoods in which we serve.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Your donation helps fund the Breakfast Program, the only program of its kind in the area. For people who are sleeping on Milwaukee’s streets, it offers not just a hot meal but also a brief respite from the elements.

• Supports Saturday Lunch Program and Dinner to Go Project: one of the few meals served on Saturday.

• Funds the distribution of toiletries, bottled water, socks, outerwear, blankets, sleeping bags and clothing.

804 E. Juneau Ave. 414-272-4122 thegatheringwis.org

WHAT WE DO: United Way believes in making our four-county community stronger. By working together on critical issues, we can help ensure everyone has a safe place to live, work and play.

We collaborate with individuals and organizations to tackle our community’s most pressing issues, like health, education and financial stability. We support programs that improve childhood literacy, provide emergency food, help older adults stay active, promote equity and help provide housing.

United Way connects people of all ages and abilities to opportunities to give back to their community through charities and volunteering opportunities.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Donations to the Community Fund help United Way find innovative solutions to these issues and call everyone in our four-county region to action. At United Way, we know that our community’s issues are broad and vast; they’re an enormous challenge for one single nonprofit to address. We also know many of these issues are interrelated – issues like health concerns, educational roadblocks and financial struggles.

225 W. Vine St. 414-263-8100 UnitedWayGMWC.org

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Help in Hard Times Nancy and Dan Fairchild

WHAT WE DO: We provide lodging and a supportive environment to families traveling to Milwaukee for life-saving medical care.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: • Your donation supports our $12 million capital campaign to help with the construction of a new, larger home set to open in 2021.

• It also funds our critical operations campaign, which continues to fund low-cost stays at our home.

600 N. 103rd St., Wauwatosa 414-453-8290 kathys-house.org

By Kristine Hansen “CANCER DOESN’T STOP,” says Kathy’s House

president and CEO Patty Metropulos.

Especially during COVID, when mounting medical bills come on top of new pressures, like unemployment.

Kathy’s House runs the only hospital guest house in the Milwaukee metro area serving patients of all ages and their caregivers. Guests aren’t charged for their stay and instead can make a financial donation to help support their stay. “Average donation [by a client] is $30 a night per room, and it costs us about $90 to run the room,” says Metropulos. “With the added layer of COVID, we’re seeing that nightly average [donation] going down.”

Ground for the new, much larger house, also near Froedtert Hospital, broke in May as part of a $12 million campaign.

The house is expected to open in the summer of 2021. So far, Kathy’s House has raised $10.2 million and is still looking for $1.8 million.

Over the past two years, says Metropulos,

about 3,000 individuals have accessed the house.

This includes Nancy and Dan Fairchild of Platteville, whose son Mark received a liver transplant at Froedtert Hospital in October. “The first two-and-a-half weeks we stayed in a hotel in the Brookfield area. It presented some issues,” says Dan. “We had no support system in the area we were staying.”

“When guests check out, we send them a survey asking about their stay,” Metropulos says. “Consistently, over several years, about 40% of guests said they would not have been able to access their treatments without a place like Kathy’s House. It is a very healing and supportive environment.”

The Fairchilds couldn’t agree more.

“What we found was not just another ‘nice hotel’ but a home away from home,” says Dan. “Staff not only take care of the house but care about the patients and caregivers staying with them.”

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Supporting Newcomers

LIKE OTHERS IN 2020,

the International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW) has been fiscally hard-hit. Donors, both individuals and corporations, feel stress and uncertainty. Despite the challenges, the Institute continues to provide the programs and services that many newcomers to this country, and the businesses that employ them, rely on.

The Institute provides low-cost family-based immigration and naturalization counseling and technical assistance. Its accredited staff and attorney assist immigrants and their families with adjustment of status, naturalizations, relative petitions and travel documents.

Working with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, the Institute helps resettle people who have fled their homes where they faced persecution for their nationality, race, religion, ideology or social group. The Institute supports the housing, employment, medical, transportation and educational needs of refugees so they quickly become contributing community members.

The Institute coordinates meetings with international leaders and their local counterparts, which fosters a cultural exchange between international visitors and Wisconsinites.

The Institute also hosts classes, workshops and special programs, raising awareness on cultural and international

subjects, including the annual Holiday Folk Fair International.

Another crucial resource it provides are linguistically and culturally appropriate interpretation and translation services, working with schools, medical providers, the justice system and other organizations.

On top of that, the Institute serves as an information clearinghouse – it is a resource for international, cultural, ethnic, folkloric, immigrant and refugee social service issues, and provide tools for businesses operating in the global market and the community at large.

Through its internship program, the Institute ensures undergraduate and graduate students advance their education by developing professional development plans that bridge the gap between academics and the real world and sharpen their professional skills.

1110 N. Old World Third St., Suite 420 414-225-6220 iiwisconsin.org/contribute.php info@iiwisconsin.org

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WHAT WE DO: Provide bilingual social services for people affected by poverty. We work with families and individuals including pregnant moms, new moms, parents with intellectual disabilities, seniors with disabilities, Spanish-speaking families, refugees, and people experiencing emotional or financial crisis.

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: • For caring, compassionate, quality human services provided with dignity, and respect.

• To provide free, bilingual counseling services.

Serving Neighbors

CATHOLIC CHARITIES of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee • To provide free, unites several causes under bilingual outreach and their banner. case management One focus in the Milwauservices. kee area is supporting recent • For COVID-19 relief in the community. refugees. Volunteers and staff study one-on-one with refuP.O. Box 070912, 53207 gees to prepare for citizenship 414-769-3400 ccmke.org applications, and also act as friends during their transition to life in a new country. This builds cross-cultural exchange and stronger communities, says Claire Reuning, refugee integration specialist.

“Some of the refugees have survived personal tragedies,” explains Reuning, “but that’s not the only thing. Integration is about feeling comfortable in a new environment. We want Milwaukee to feel like home.”

The new options in adoption program is another way Catholic Charities is serving Milwaukee.

By Kristine Hansen “There are many barriers to adoption,” says Jen Layton, director of child welfare services at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, which serves 10 Wisconsin counties. “We know that private adoption is expensive. It is also an issue of equity.”

The new program places Black children with modest means with Black adoptive parents, with costs subsidized

by Catholic Charities.

Layton also points out the organization’s pregnancy and parenting support, including education in infant care, smoking cessation, breastfeeding, safe sleeping and mental health, to help make the child’s first year a success. “Our goals are to increase healthy birth outcomes and decrease mortality,” says Layton.

Catholic Charities also operates a care facility for adults with, for example, Parkinson’s to ease the burden on caregivers in the family.

“I’m positive that I will get better with life situations by working with Catholic Charities,” says Keeley, a recent client who received mentor home visits and therapy sessions. “I’m looking forward to the outcome. I feel safe and secure in that I can trust them with my business and it’s kept strictly confidential.”

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WHAT WE DO:

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GPS Education Partners prepares students with work and life skills that help them succeed in technical careers more rapidly than traditional pathways while also promoting business viability.

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• Your donation supports workbased apprenticeships for atrisk students by helping cover program fees, career and lifeskill training plans, industry credentials, tech fees, mentor training and so much more.

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• Funds also go to providing work-based learning experiences that develop career awareness for younger students.

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20633 Watertown Ct., Suite 202, Waukesha 262-226-2001 gpsed.org

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By Kristine Hansen AT GPS EDUCATION PARTNERS (GPSED), students in the Manufacturing

Youth Apprenticeship Program divide their day between classroom learning at a GPSEd Education Center and work-based training at companies like Generac, Bradley Corp., Waukesha Metal and many more, where they learn from and work with professional mentors on the job. By the time their apprenticeship is done, they’ll have crucial, marketable work and life skills and will be ready to face graduation a step ahead of many of their peers.

After a career at Harley-Davidson, Mary Ann Martiny knows the importance of manufacturers in Milwaukee. As GPSEd’s director of community engagement, she helps build unique educational programming that strengthens communities.

GPS Education Partners Manufacturing Youth Apprenticeship Program matches high school students with apprenticeships at companies in and around Milwaukee and in the Fox Cities.

“Many GPSEd students enter the program significantly behind grade level in most of their academic classes. Not

only do they overcome their academic deficiencies, they get exposure, experience and credentials needed to gain employment and build a sustainable future as a proud and capable tradesperson,” says Martiny.

But training doesn’t stop on the job. With the help of volunteers, students are taught life skills, such as banking and how to write a resume and interview effectively, to empower them post-graduation and, ultimately, in their first job.

GPS Education Partners reports a 93% graduation rate among its students with 76% of its graduates employed full-time.

“We’ve impacted thousands of people over the years,” says Laura Derpinghaus, the director of marketing and communications at GPSEd. “What students learn in our program is second to none because we focus on the entire student. They’re given the chance to be employable and be a leader. If you don’t expose them early to these viable careers, it hurts both the student as well as the community.”

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