NNS Summer Survival Guide: Here are some resources to help keep our kids safe and engaged | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Allison Dikanovic
July 15, 2019
Chris Conley, 414 Life outreach and resource coordinator, Uniting Garden Homes, speaks with reporters. 414 Life is one of many programs in Milwaukee dedicated to stopping violence in the city. (Photo by Andrea Waxman)
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include more resources for young people.
Editor’s Note: Welcome to NNS Summer Survival Guide, which will give you the resources you need to have a successful summer. Did we miss anything? Email us at info@milwaukeenns.org and put “NNS Survival Guide” in the subject line or catch us on Facebook, where you can leave comments.
“This cannot become the norm. Our city is better than this.”
Those were the words of a clearly anguished Assistant Chief Raymond Banks during a news conference to discuss the death of 3-year-old Brooklyn Harris.
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An autopsy was scheduled Monday for Brooklyn, who was shot and killed in a road rage incident Saturday while riding in a vehicle with her mother and three siblings, ages 1, 2 and 4, near North 42nd Street and West Townsend Avenue.
As our city grieves, we wanted to offer resources that will help you and those you love stay safe, heal and thrive this summer.
Milwaukee’s Blueprint for Peace is s the first of its kind in the city dedicated to the prevention of multiple forms of violence.
414 Life
414 Life is a violence interruption team based in Milwaukee neighborhoods and hospitals through partnerships with Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin and Uniting Garden Homes.
Learn how to connect with the Milwaukee Police Department community liaison officers, how to get involved with neighborhood block watches in your district here.
MKE Promise Zones
The Milwaukee Promise Zones initiative is a collaborative effort of the Common Council, city agencies and community partners to focus on reducing crime, improving economic activity, creating jobs, increasing educational opportunities and enhancing healthy neighborhoods. It is led by Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton.
Learn more about the partners working in each Promise Zone Neighborhood, how to contact them and how to get involved here.
Project Ujima
Project Ujima, based out of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, works with youths who have experienced violence and end up in the hospital. The project provides crisis intervention, case management, social and emotional support, youth development and mentoring and mental health services.
Safe and Sound
Safe and Sound’s mission is to “unite residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods.” You can find its neighborhood safety resources here. See where Safe and Sound works here, and what events it’s organizing this summer here.
Sojourner Family Peace Center
Sojourner Family Peace Center provides services, support and safety resources to victims of domestic violence. Its 24-hour hotline is (414) 933-2722.
Trauma Response Team
The Trauma Response Team provides support to children and families in Milwaukee who have been exposed to trauma or stressful experiences. It’s a partnership between the City of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Police Department and Wraparound Milwaukee. If you or someone you know could benefit from these services, you can call the team at (414) 257-7621.
Organizations in Milwaukee will be awarded grants from the Office of Violence Prevention to create community healing projects this summer. Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service will update this section when the grant recipients are announced.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Milwaukee
Boys and Girls Clubs offer safe spaces and activities for youths from kindergarten to high school all over the city to learn, play and hang out. Find a club near you that’s open this summer here.
City on a Hill
City on a Hill is a faith-based organization located at 2224 W. Kilbourn Ave. that offers a variety of free youth programming in the summer. The Youth Center is a space for 10 to 18-year-olds to participate in creative arts, life skills workshops, computer lab and tutoring help, leadership training and other activities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Super Saturdays are held every Saturday afternoon in the summer with activities for kids.
COA Youth and Family Center
COA offers programming and safe spaces for youths of all ages—including athletics, art and gardening—all summer long at its two locations: 909 E. Garfield Ave. and 2320 W. Burleigh St. For more information on specific opportunities, look here.
HeartLove Place
Located at 1927 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., HeartLove Place is a faith-based organization that offers youth programming and family resources. Find more information here.
Hmong American Women’s Center
HAWA has several programs geared toward Southeast Asian youths that focus on “empowering leadership in youth through community organizing and involvement.”  More details are here.
Journey House
Journey House offers youth development, athletic and art programs on Milwaukee’s near South Side at 2110 W Scott St. You can find the different options here.
Ma’ruf Center for Youth Innovation
Ma’ruf is a youth center that opened this year at 2110 W. Hampton Ave. It offers mentorship and has a gaming zone, a science lab, a technology lab, a library and a gym. Its programs range from leadership to coding to martial arts. Learn more here.
Milwaukee Christian Center
Milwaukee Christian Center has a youth development program at Kosciuszko Community Center, located at 2201 S. 7th St.
Milwaukee Public Libraries
Milwaukee Public Libraries are full of resources, programs, events and activities all free and open to the community. Check out the events being offered at your neighborhood library.
Neu-Life
Neu-Life works to empower and instill leadership in neighborhood youths through a wide array of programs and is located at 2014 W North Ave. Check out more here.
Program the Parks
Program the Parks works to provide community support, activities, food and project-based employment opportunities for youths in local parks. This summer, it’s been in Sherman Park and Moody Park. Follow the group’s Facebook page for more information.
Running Rebels
Both Running Rebels locations, 1300A W. Fond Du Lac Ave. and 225 West Capitol Drive, are open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday in the summer, with some weekend time as well. Program schedules for everything from basketball to videography to djembe drumming can be found here.
Silver Spring Neighborhood Center
Silver Spring is located in Westlawn at 5460 N. 64th St. and has programs for all ages. You can learn more here.
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care – Bucyrus Campus
The center, located at 2450 W. North Ave., offers programming and safe spaces for school-age youths through its summer camp program, plus an educational mentoring buddy program for youths ages 11 to 15.
Urban Underground
Urban Underground offers paid summer leadership programming for youths age 13-18 through the City of Milwaukee Earn and Learn program. Find contact information here.
We Got This
We Got This offers a summer leadership, mentorship and community gardening program on Saturday mornings at the garden on 9th and Ring Streets, 3260 North 9th St. It starts promptly at 8 a.m. each week and offers a stipend for participants.
To learn more about violence prevention efforts and strategy in Milwaukee, check out the Blueprint for Peace.
Do you know of any more resources or programs that should be on this list? Let us know by emailing adikanovic@milwaukeenns.org.