Milwaukee in Crisis
26% of all Milwaukee City residents live in poverty. Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau peg Milwaukee as the seventh poorest city in the United States. And more than one-third of Wisconsin’s poorest children live in the City of Milwaukee.
These chilling statistics and many more just as disturbing prompted the Social Development Commission along with several partners to present the Symposium on Poverty held in Milwaukee in October of 2007. Hundreds of concerned citizens attended the day-long event who called for the development of an action-oriented plan to address the startling reality of poverty in the Milwaukee area.
Participants at the Symposium identified three areas that need to be addressed in working on poverty: Job Opportunities, Anti-Racism, and Education. Committees have been formed for all three areas to serve as a stepping stone to build a Bridge of Hope.
As a way to carry the vision of Symposium organizers and participants forward, the Bridge of Hope Coalition was established to commit to achieving a long-term goal of eliminating poverty.
The work groups have begun drawing up concrete strategies, achievable outcomes, recommendations and timelines. Bridge of Hope organizers are also seeking to expand the broad based coalition to include more organizations, businesses and individuals to bring their talents, resources, and expertise to the table in the struggle against poverty. Please explore the work of each committee to determine your level of involvement. Together we can and must make a difference.