Summer Series of Community Action Projects a Big Success
Since March, Safe & Sound has been collaborating with City on a Hill, Rock the Lakes and multiple agencies and organizations in an effort to focus hundreds of volunteers on Milwaukee communities in need and implement a series of Community Action Projects. The projects took place in four focus neighborhoods across the City of Milwaukee and were held in the months of July and August.
The Community Action Projects (CAP) impacted the Harambee/Riverwest, Kozy Park, Midtown and Century City Neighborhoods. Hundreds of volunteers from faith based organizations joined with neighborhood residents to demonstrate “community in action.” An incredible level of support helped to build a collaborative synergy that resulted in the completion of numerous community projects, cleaner and safer neighborhoods, and a stronger sense of community. In all, over 689 community volunteers from faith and community based organizations, block clubs, and Safe Places gave a total of 3445 hours working hand in hand to achieve amazing results:
- A total of $25,000 invested in Community Action Project neighborhood improvement efforts
- Implementation of community sponsored projects including: a community garden, butterfly flower garden, community planters and benches, improved lighting installations, and more.
- Lynden Hill Park improvements included new and safer steps
- 29th Street Park improvements included the resurfacing of blacktop and painting of children’s games, an aromatic herb garden and benches
- 27 homes provided with a police burglary prevention inspection, improved lighting, and security updates
- 78 alleys inspected and cleaned
- 374 square feet of graffiti removed
- 123 “no dumping” Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District sewer grate stencils applied
- 890 bags of trash collected and disposed
- 460 alley-side property reflective identification numbers affixed for safety
- 328 cubic yards of overgrown brush removed from alleys and vacant properties
A total of 14 days of service were held. Volunteers conducted community outreach, site preparation and assembled in mass for the huge project days. The work left an indelible and lasting mark on each of the neighborhoods and inspired plans for future efforts that demonstrate “community in action.”
