NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE OF MILWAUKEE INC
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Mission Statement
Our mission is: To inspire discovery in children and families of all backgrounds in our community. Complementing NH’s mission is its organizational vision to be the educational, civic cornerstone that strengthens families and builds connections across communities.
About This Cause
Neighborhood House (NH) was founded in 1945 as a settlement house on Milwaukee's Near West Side. In the several decades since, NH remains steadfast in its dedication to help underserved children and families meet their basic needs for food, childcare, skill development and other resources AND to inspire discovery among all ages and backgrounds. Our primary goals are fully aligned with major community initiatives focused on empowering children, families and individuals to build brighter futures, achieve self-sufficiency and overcome obstacles such as poverty and lack of access to resources. These goals include: 1.) Education, academic support and character and leadership development for children, youth and teens. 2.) Family support and engagement. 3.) English language skills, workforce readiness, and tools for self-sufficiency for refugee adults. 4.) Access to nutritious food and wraparound support for families, individuals and seniors in need. Our ability to provide educational programming for children, science and environmental education, health and wellness activities, family events, recreational opportunities, a full-choice food pantry and a multitude of resources is critically important. Funding from the Arden Foundation will prove pivotal in the upcoming fiscal year. Together, we have the power to make a transformational impact on the lives of thousands of disadvantaged children and families. NH’s high-quality programs, designed to enrich participants’ lives, include: • Early Childhood Program (ECP) (ages 6 weeks - 4 years). NH’s state-licensed, YoungStar 5 rated early childhood educational program provides exceptional care working parents can rely upon. ECP ranks as one of the best providers in Milwaukee. Additionally, this program offers Early Head Start programming for low-income children (up to age 3). Using play-based learning and evidence-based curricula, ECP helps youngsters develop cognitively, socially and emotionally. Further, it helps literacy and math skills and supports school readiness. Parental engagement is also a core component. • School-Aged Youth Programs (ages 5-11). Youth initiatives include University Kids’ Club (UKC), a state-licensed, before- and after-school program, and our annual 11-week Summer Programming. These initiatives provide educational enrichment using a dynamic STEAM/L (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math and Literacy) framework often lacking in schools, as well as recreational opportunities and community engagement activities. These are all designed to improve academic achievement, promote healthy lifestyles and strengthen life skills. • Safe Place at Story School (SSP) (K4-8th Grade). Conducted in partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools, SSP is an after-school program offered at Story Elementary located in the Miller Valley neighborhood. Safe Place provides academic support, educational enrichment and recreation during the school year and through a seven-week summer program. • Food Pantry. After the only food pantry serving the Near Westside closed abruptly in early 2020, the Hunger Task Force (HTF) approached NH about starting a new Food Pantry at our main site, a request we gladly stepped forward to fulfill. With the support and partnership of HTF, NH successfully opened the pantry on July 20, 2020 and served 2,945 unduplicated people who made 9,954 visits just in our first year – rather remarkable numbers as the pantry is open only on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Those numbers increased since then. In FY 2022, the Food Pantry served 3,784 unduplicated individuals from 958 households who made 12,445 visits. The Food Pantry continues to operate twice week, using a full choice strategy that allows participants to select items they prefer from a weekly menu of nutritious foods. • Teen Program (ages of 13-19). Teens are empowered to realize the value of education, make healthy choices, avoid or reduce drug and alcohol use, develop leadership skills and make positive contributions to the community. Our program offers academic enrichment experiences, promotes active engagement in education and vocational preparation along with recreational opportunities as important program components. Partnerships with organizations like Safe & Sound help young people address crime and help improve the neighborhood. Additionally, organized sports help youth develop athletic skills, promote teamwork, leadership and healthy lifestyles. • Family Programs features free or very low cost events designed to inspire, educate and strengthen families It includes weekend and off school hours Family Adventures activities and other enrichment opportunities. All activities include a parental engagement component that empowers parents to serve as their children’s teachers. Throughout the year, NH also offers a variety of events specifically serving NH families that celebrate holiday, cultural and programming benchmarks. These events give parents more relaxed opportunities to interact with staff and see their children’s work. Additionally, NH staff regularly consult with and support parents throughout the year. • International Learning Program (ILP) is the state’s largest center for adult refugees, offering adult ESL and employment skills training directly to 350+ refugees and their families annually. In addition to ESL education, ILP offers math, pre-GED, specialized vocational ESL and workforce readiness skills, parenting and citizenship classes. ILP also provides referrals for trauma counseling and medical needs and offers job and school support. • Environmental Education Program (EE) One of the oldest environmental and science education programs in the area, EE offers science-based education and enrichment activities using a NH-developed curriculum. The goal is to provide direct engagement in environmental stewardship that instills a sustainable appreciation for urban and rural natural resources. This is critical because many of our youth and families have limited interaction with nature due to restricted access to safe, public green spaces, urban dangers, and lack of access to camps and other nature-based enrichment. EE is interwoven throughout NH’s other programming areas and includes the innovative Lead & Learn Conservation Corps Program that offers up to14 paid internships, job readiness training and natural resources career explorations to highly qualified, urban, high school and college students. Lead & Learn interns gain the skills to develop curriculum and take the lead on presenting interactive environmental education lessons and hands-on conservation projects for hundreds of low-income Milwaukee youth ages 6-19. • Community Education Understanding that a strong community consists of healthy individuals and families, NH offers health and wellness events and initiatives as well as engages in community-wide health programs. Specific offerings include our annual health resource fair, fall flu immunization clinic, Woman 2 Woman Empowerment Program and health-focused workshops and health screenings. NH also offers referrals to immunizations, mental health and other community resources. In 2021, this program received a grant to help increase immunization among people of color. Our five-month vaccination offering resulted in more than 460 immunizations.