Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Your neighborhood. Your News.

Milwaukee NNSnewsMilwaukee NNSSearch
Subscribe to NNS today!
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    • Arts and Recreation
    • Community
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Health and Wellness
    • Housing
    • Public Safety
    • NNS Spotlight
    • Special Report
  • Posts From Community
    • Submit a Story
  • Community Voices
  • How To
  • Multimedia
    • NNS Local Video
    • Photos
    • NNS on Lake Effect
    • NNS WGLB 1560 Radio
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • About
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • News 414
    • The neighborhoods we cover
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Diederich College of Communication, Marquette University


Language: English English Spanish Spanish

You are here: Home / Home / Carousel / Community Heroes: Metcalfe Park organizers go digital with mass-texting and mutual aid during COVID-19 crisis

Community Heroes: Metcalfe Park organizers go digital with mass-texting and mutual aid during COVID-19 crisis

April 2, 2020 by Sam Woods 2 Comments

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Melody McCurtis delivers supplies to Metcalfe Park residents. (Photo provided by Metcalfe Park Community Bridges)

Editor’s note: At Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, we intentionally celebrate ordinary people who do extraordinary things. We are especially interested in our neighbors who are making a difference as we all deal with the effects of COVID-19. Please let us know by emailing us at info@milwaukeenns.org.

Since Tonia Matthews moved to Metcalfe Park over 12 years ago, she’s noticed how the neighborhood has changed.

“Neighbors are more friendly and comfortable with each other,” Matthews said. “The elderly come out of their homes now. People stop to talk with you. It’s cleaner.”

She attributes some of these changes to the Metcalfe Park Community Bridges. The neighborhood group, which traces its roots to the Obama administration’s Building Neighborhood Capacity Program in 2011, has emerged as a vital resource for residents.

An extrovert who spent much of her time on the porch greeting neighbors, Matthews joined Metcalfe Park Community Bridges as a “block builder.” Her job was to stay in touch with residents and keep founder Danell Cross updated.

Since COVID-19 hit Milwaukee, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges has been delivering needed food and supplies to Metcalfe Park residents. (Photo provided by Metcalfe Park Community Bridges)

Rapid change in real time

Face-to-face interaction has always been a key focus of the group. But with residents forced to stay home because of COVID-19, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges has been forced to change its approach. And quickly.

An organization that prides itself on face-to-face relationships, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges is now figuring out how to stay connected to its neighbors in an era of social distancing.

It’s switched primarily to texting neighbors using the app Hustle.

While leaders can now easily communicate with thousands of residents at once through texting, Melody McCurtis, deputy director and organizer, said her group’s authenticity has sometimes been challenged.

“Is this really Melody?” McCurtis recalled someone asking, “We had to convince some people that it was really us.”

However after getting over those initial communication barriers, Metcalfe Park Community Bridges is learning to be more effective in its digital organizing.

In addition to text-banking residents, leaders started Be the Bridge Community Care, a mutual aid network specifically for Metcalfe Park.

To request aid, residents fill out a survey, and Metcalfe Park Community Bridges goes to work to get the food or supplies requested. McCurtis said there have been 129 responses to the survey already.

The Jewish Community Pantry, El Rey and United Way have donated to the cause.

Cross and McCurtis said the COVID-19 crisis has changed their approach going forward. Even after the quarantine ends, they said, they will still use Hustle and the mutual aid survey.

“We are part of the community’s support system,” Cross said. “We can’t just drop and go home. The digital survey and texting allow us to stay with our neighbors right now, and we’re capturing so much more.”

How to help

To support Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, you can donate to its PayPal, drop off supplies at 3624 W North Ave. or text Melody at (414) 488-5582 for other ways to support. You can find what supplies are needed most here.

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: Carousel, Community, Home, Metcalfe Park, Neighborhoods, News, North Tagged With: coronavirus, covid-heroes

About Sam Woods

Facebook | More stories from Sam

Sam Woods is a staff reporter primarily covering education in Milwaukee. When not reporting for NNS, Sam produces the Bridge the City podcast, a podcast that brings together people, resources, and ideas that inspire Milwaukee to action, with a reach of over 6,000 monthly subscribers across all podcast platforms.

Comments

  1. Denise says

    April 2, 2020 at 9:23 am

    Danell I see you. Still hanging tough with the BNCP. I am so proud that you have taken the program to new heights. Take care of yourself and know that you are respected and admired

    Reply
  2. Angela says

    April 6, 2020 at 10:16 am

    Great story! I hope more local organizations providing direct relief will be highlighted in the coming days and weeks.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Recent News

5 things to know and do this week in Milwaukee: Feb. 6 to Feb. 10

NNS on ‘Lake Effect’: 5 things to do this February in Milwaukee neighborhoods

Out-of-state landlords are increasingly buying up property in Milwaukee. Here’s what that means for our neighborhoods.

Advertisement
Give today to support our mission. Donate to Milwaukee NNS.
Advertisement

News

  • Arts and Recreation
  • Economic Development
  • Education
  • Health and Wellness
  • Housing
  • Public Safety
  • NNS Spotlight
  • Special Reports

Engage with us

  • Posts from Community
  • Community Voices
  • Submit a Story

About NNS

  • Milwaukee NNS Staff
  • Partners
  • News414
  • The neighborhoods we cover
  • Careers
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS feed

Communities

Contact

mailing address
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Diederich College of Communication
Marquette University
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Johnston Hall 430
Milwaukee, WI 53233

email
info@milwaukeenns.org

phone & fax
PHONE: 414.604.6397 FAX: 414.288.6494


Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service is a project of Diederich College of Communication and Marquette University.
© 2020 Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Terms of use.
1131 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee WI 53233 • info@milwaukeenns.org

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in