Groundwork Milwaukee Connects the Dots on Flood Risk, Climate Change, and Public Health

Many Wisconsinites are familiar with the fact that Milwaukee ranks as one of the most segregated cities in the United States. This unfortunate status is no accident, but a result of historical government housing policy from the 1930’s. The goal of the policy was to slow down the rate of foreclosures that ran rampant in the years following the Depression. In this interview with the Wisconsin Environmental Health Network,

Young Kim explained how Groundwork Milwaukee crews were setting their sights on the very real and urgent matter of building resilient communities that can stand up to the effects of climate change, flooding in particular at the beginning of the season.

Garden Week 2023

Garden Week, which we celebrated from Earth Day until Arbor Day is complete! We’ve installed, maintained and prepared 15 community gardens during this week and they’re ready to grow!

Generous donations from local greenhouses and seed companies have supported Garden Leader’s efforts by providing additional seedlings and starter plugs so that vegetables, flowers and trees are taking root across the city.

Last year’s results are found below and if you’d like to know more, check out our garden maps Milwaukee Grows Garden Network (arcgis.com)

#GardensHeal

Thanks go to the garden leaders, ground crews and neighborhood volunteers at:

• Florence Lambert Community Garden

• Brady Street Community Garden

• Bremen

• Hepatha

• Hilltop Community Garden

• Madison Pocket Park

• Nia Purpose (and the family gardening club!)

• Nigella Commons

• St. Mark AME

• Scooters Garden

• Solomon Community Temple

• Story Garden

• Uptown Community Garden

These are only the beginning- by the end of the year, we’ll have worked with almost 100 community gardens in the area.

Planting Trees to Offset the Legacy of Racist Housing Policies

Joe Purtell, Undark, August 16th, 2021

Undark magazine explores the relationship between urban green space and the legacy of redlining. The article focuses on Richmond, CA and features interviews with members of Groundwork Richmond. To aid the conversation, Climate Safe Neighborhoods maps prepared by Groundwork Milwaukee were included. View full article.

Racism is Magnifying the Deadly Impact of Rising City Heat

Nature, Alexandra Witze, July 14th, 2021

This article in Nature explores the relationship between institutional racism and the dangerous impacts of extreme heat events in American cities. Scientists are mapping correlations between race, poverty and heat in cities, and suggesting solutions to reduce the dangers. The article includes map layers created by Groundwork Milwaukee’s Deputy Director of GIS, Lawrence Hoffman, in his role as the lead GIS expert for Groundwork USA’s Climate Safe Neighborhoods initiative. View full story.

Climate Safe Neighborhoods Story Maps

Climate Safe Neighborhoods Homepage, April 13th, 2021

Over the past three years, Groundwork Milwaukee has been providing GIS support to the Climate Safe Neighborhood partnerships. A major part of this collaboration has been the construction of multi-media story maps that incorporate text, photos and maps to guide viewers through the equity-based climate resiliency work our colleagues around the country are undertaking in their communities. Yesterday, the final story map of the second cohort of Groundwork Trusts to participate in Climate Safe Neighborhoods was published. View the story maps on the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Homepage.

Newsletter, April 2021

Groundwork Milwaukee is gearing up for the growing season. Below is a recap of what we did in March and what we’ll be working on in the near future. In April, we’re looking forward to our Community Garden Health Hub kick-off events which are underway in participating gardens. We’re also excited to lead the annual clean-up of Lincoln Creek with community partners. There’s so much going on! Come join us! Click the tiles below for program-specific updates or just scroll down to read it all!

health hubs

garden network

Kilbourn garden

maglio farm

shared harvest

urban waters

youth green literacy

sky schools wellness circle

climate safe neighborhoods

HEALTH HUBS

Last Friday, Groundwork Milwaukee kicked off its Community Garden Health Hub programming with We Got This and Running Rebels. Participating in urban gardening can have the effect of improving the number of servings of fresh food eaten, number of hours spent engaged in moderate physical activity, and the number of positive social interactions for gardeners. Studies have shown that when people engage in more of these activities they also reduce their risk factors for chronic disease. Gardens designated as Health Hubs will be provided intensive support and guidance for gardeners over the coming season. Groundwork plans to lead trainings on planting, preparing, and preserving fresh food through in-person and virtual, cohort based activities. Join us for upcoming Health Hub kick-offs.

Health Hub Kick-Off Events

*UPDATE: Both of these events were originally scheduled for April 10th, but have been rescheduled for April 17th due to rain on the original date.

Uptown Crossing Garden

2321-25 N 45th Street

Saturday, April 17th

2:00pm-5:00pm

Peace Place Garden with Heartlove

3240-48 N Martin Luther King Drive

Saturday, April 17th

9:00am-12:00pm

GARDEN NETWORK

Garden Welcome Signs

Over the past couple months, volunteers have created 45 welcome signs for our Milwaukee Grows Garden Network. This project has been a hit with volunteers and garden leaders alike. This month, we will begin placing them at our 80+ sites to welcome community members to the spaces! 

New Gardens

Before / After photo of the Solomon Community Temple garden build.

Nick and Devin pause for a picture at the Solomon Community Temple garden build.

Taking out the old beds at the Solomon Community Temple garden build.

Unloading the lumber at the Solomon Community Temple garden build.

Ground Corps members constructing garden beds at the NIA Purpose Garden which just started this year!

Shout out to our new gardens! Last month, Solomon Community Temple and NIA Purpose Garden joined the Milwaukee Grows Garden Network. We can’t wait to see what you’ll grow in your new green space!

Neighborhood Cluster Clean-Up

*THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED*

Please check back at a later time for more information on Cluster Clean-Ups.

Spring cleaning of Groundwork gardens has begun! We’ll be doing Neighborhood Cluster Clean-ups throughout April and May to ready community green spaces within our Milwaukee Grows Garden Network for the growing season. Clean-ups will take place at a series of gardens located within walking distance from one another. 

The first clean-up is on Saturday, April 17th from 9am - 2pm in the 53212 zip code. We’ll begin at Summer of Peace Park and Garden (2904 N. 5th St.) and continue southeast to five other sites, ending at Riverwest Garden School (831 E. Clarke St.). 

We will have trash bags, leaf bags, garbage pickers and gloves for safe pick-up. 

If you are interested in participating, please sign-up at our sign-up genius link, here. Elena Olsen-Valdez, our Volunteer & Community Programs Specialist will follow-up with liability forms and waivers.

Summer of Peace Park and Garden

2904 N 5th Street

Saturday, April 17th

9:00am-2:00pm

 

Thank You Stein’s Garden & Home!

Thank you to our partners at Stein’s. Their generous gift of seeds, tools and soil supplements will help our gardeners grow this season!

KILBOURN GARDEN

Registration is open for Kilbourn Garden. There are still beds available. Follow the link below to reserve your garden bed today! We look forward to seeing you in the garden!

Maglio Farm

Planting has already begun at the Maglio Farm! Starting this April 6th, we’re officially launching our growing season hours. We’re out at the farm four days a week and need all the help we can get! Our harvest help shift is great for folks who want to support our work, but can’t commit to a full workday. It’s also the most family-friendly activity on the farm!

As we lay the groundwork for a big summer harvest, the greens we cared for this winter have grown mature, and we’ve been able to harvest throughout this March.

shared harvest

A huge thanks to Little Laurentide Farm for dropping off a huge donation (48 lbs!) of salad greens, brought directly to Solomon Community Temple. Do you want to donate produce for Shared Harvest this summer?

Free Seeds

We’re offering *free seeds* for gardeners who commit to donating part of their harvest. Sign up on the Fresh Food Connect app now, or, if you’re not in an activated zipcode, email samson@groundworkmke.org to receive more information on how to pick up seeds.

Free Gardening Workshop

Join us for a free gardening workshop on April 30th at Maglio Farm, open to the public!

Soil Health 101 for Gardeners: Good gardeners grow food, but GREAT gardeners grow soil! We'll break soil science down to plain language, so what you need to know as a gardener. 

Friday, April 30th

5:30pm-6:30pm

at Maglio Farm

 

Urban Waters

Come join Groundwork Milwaukee and Milwaukee Riverkeeper in the Annual Spring Cleanup from 9am-12pm on Saturday, April 24th. We will be hosting the cleanup at Groundwork’s Adopt-A-River site between Sherman Boulevard and Hopkins Street along Congress. Our section is along Lincoln Creek which is a tributary of the Milwaukee River. We will meet on the northwest corner of Congress and Hopkins St, near 3510 West Congress Street. Park on Congress Street on either side of the river. We will supply all necessary gear, just be sure to wear comfortable clothing and durable shoes as there is a steep decline to the creek. Our site is designated as a Class III, meaning there is a lot of cleaning up to do. We will need your help! Register to help by clicking the button below.

Youth Green Literacy

Through generous donations, a SeedMoney Garden Grant, community members’ plant propagation donations and students’ efforts to collect repurpose-able materials, we assembled 50 take-home kits for 6th-8th graders at Craig Montessori! Throughout March, Groundwork Milwaukee has provided experiential learning remotely. Students have learned how to find the best sun in their home, check the moisture level of their plants and how to troubleshoot small issues using their observations. 

Sky Schools Wellness Circles

Groundwork Milwaukee is happy to host a Wellness Circle in partnership with SKY Schools Milwaukee. We invite ALL of Milwaukee to join us in this community conversation and empathy-expanding experience. How? Participants are invited to explore areas of their own identity, their wellness needs and the wellness needs of their community using diversity/equity tools and mindfulness/social/emotional learning processes. 

Please come join us this Thursday, April 8th from 4:30pm-6:00pm, here.

climate safe neighborhoods

Climate Safe Neighborhoods was mentioned in the media again. This time in Yale Climate Connections. Check out the full article below.

How Decades of Racist Housing Policy Left Neighborhoods Sweltering

New York Times, August 24th, 2020

This article in the New York Times explores how the legacy of redlining has left certain neighborhoods disproportionately vulnerable to extreme heat which is predicted to increase as the climate changes. Groundwork’s Climate Safe Neighborhoods project is referenced as an example of climate resiliency advocacy work. View full story.

The Link Between Racist Housing Policies of the Past and the Climate Risks of Today

Yale Climate Connections, March 18th, 2021

Maps of Denver show neighborhoods, outlined in red, that were once redlined. Today, such neighborhoods often have fewer trees and experience hotter temperatures in summer than other neighborhoods nearby. (Images credit: Groundwork Milwaukee)

Groundwork USA, a network of environmental justice organizations, is exploring the connection between formerly redlined neighborhoods and the climate crisis today. As part of its Climate Safe Neighborhoods initiative, Groundwork overlaid historic redlining maps from nine U.S. cities with data about tree cover, heat, and impervious surfaces such as asphalt and concrete. All of the maps discussed in this interview were made by Groundwork Milwaukee.

Mapping Project Explores Links Between Historic Redlining and Future Climate Vulnerability

WBUR-Boston, March 6th, 2021

A map animation comparing historical redlining boundaries to current landcover and surface temperature in Haverhill, MA. Groundwork Milwaukee has made maps similar to these for nine cities. In each instance their is a strong relationship between historical practices of segregation and current vulnerability to climate change.

This story on Boston’s local NPR station, WBUR discusses Groundwork USA’s Climate Safe Neighborhoods efforts in the Lawrence, MA area. All of the maps discussed in this story were made by Groundwork Milwaukee! Learn more about Climate Safe Neighborhoods below.

Newsletter, March 2021

Welcome to the Groundwork Milwaukee newsletter! We will be publishing an all things Groundwork newsletter each month providing our followers with program updates, community stories, and upcoming events. Find the newsletter monthly on the News page of our website. Below is the March 2021 edition. Enjoy!

Cold Weather at the Maglio Farm

Groundwork staff harvest greens at the Maglio Farm with the snow piled high on the outside of the hoop house.

The Maglio Farm is a collaborative project between the Riverwest Food Pantry, Maglio Companies, and Groundwork Milwaukee. Staff and volunteers work year round to grow food for local food pantries on the 11 hoop house site. February was our coldest month of the winter. It tested the resilience of both our staff and the greens. Luckily, the previous two weeks of warmth have seen the greens making a nearly full recovery from the icy shock of February. The hoop houses are now consistently warmer (60-70 degrees) and should be for the rest of the season. If you come out to volunteer - remember to bring layers. Spring in Milwaukee can be very unpredictable!

April Volunteer Hours:

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

8:30am-12:00pm; Wednesday 5:00pm-7:30pm

March Volunteer Hours:

Thursdays 8:30am-12:00pm

Fridays, 2:00pm-4:00pm

URBAN AGRICULTURE APPRENTICESHIP

Groundwork Milwaukee is in search of an Urban Agriculture Apprentice for the 2021 growing season. The apprentice will learn agriculture fundamentals over the course of a 12 week curriculum led by our experts while taking on a leadership role at an urban farm. To view the full position description and to apply click below.

SHARED HARVEST

Groundwork staff pose with a harvest of pears from a fruit gleaning outing in summer of 2020.

Last year, Groundwork Milwaukee piloted two produce gleaning programs: Glean Milwaukee and Fresh Food Connect. This year, both of these programs are combining to launch our food rescue program: Shared Harvest. 

Shared Harvest collects produce donations from community gardens and private gardens to donate to food pantries. We're excited to connect with individuals to increase food security across the city. There are many ways to contribute to this year's program!

Donate Your Extra Garden Produce with Fresh Food Connect

More info on our Fresh Food Connect page.

Volunteer to Glean and Transport Produce

If you're interested in becoming a produce gleaning bike courier - we'll provide the trailer, as well as road safety & bike maintenance orientations. Special thanks to DreamBikes for assisting with custom trailer build and road maintenance trainings. To volunteer follow the link below.

Milwaukee Grows Garden Network

March is in full swing! The Milwaukee Grows Garden Network, our anchor between our many programs, has exciting plans for this summer with plenty of room for volunteer support. Below you can find some highlights through mid-February to April, and ways to be involved.

African American Environmental Pioneers

Nearby Nature hosted their Second Annual African American Environmental Pioneer Awards. At the awards, Groundwork was able to honor two board members, Sherry Terrell-Webb and Michelle Dowl and former staff member, Antoine Carter. We are grateful for their continued contributions to Groundwork Milwaukee and the greater Milwaukee community. It is with their shared vision and guidance that we are excited to move forward with our health equity programming this summer.

Former staff member, Antoine Carter (left), board member, Sherry Terrell-Webb (center) and board member, Michelle Dowl (right).

Become a Milwaukee Grows Supporter

In 2021, Groundwork is offering the opportunity to become a Milwaukee Grows Supporting Member. The Milwaukee Grows Garden Network directly impacts the lives of over 1,200 people in Milwaukee who use the gardens for a variety of purposes such as growing food for their families and using them as safe spaces for children to play. Overall, the gardens have close to 1,080 raised garden beds growing food and flowers. These beds combined with the area of in-ground planting across the network, equates to 2.8 acres of total growing space. The gardens in the Milwaukee Grows Garden Network are important assets for their respective communities. Sign up for the Supporter Membership to bring resources to the Milwaukee Grows Garden Network.

Community Health Hubs

Thank you to our program partners, Medical College of Wisconsin and the American Cancer Society for their support of Groundwork’s Community Health Hub program. Through their generous support, we are expanding programming to six garden sites within our network. More to come about our Health Hubs programing, soon!

Groundwork GIS featured on npr

A map animation comparing historical redlining boundaries to current landcover and surface temperature in Haverhill, MA. Groundwork Milwaukee has made maps similar to these for nine cities. In each instance their is a strong relationship between historical practices of segregation and current vulnerability to climate change.

Check out this story on Boston’s local NPR station, WBUR. It discusses Groundwork USA’s Climate Safe Neighborhoods efforts in the Lawrence, MA area. All of the maps discussed in this story were made by Groundwork Milwaukee! Learn more about Climate Safe Neighborhoods below.