The Love Your Block MKE's Caring Community Mini-Grant was created created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant was geared towards residents who are helping others during the pandemic and wanted funds to continue their good work. We encouraged people to apply if they were sewing face masks, making CDC-approved hand sanitizers, or making something that benefits the well-being of their neighbors' physical, mental and/ or emotional health. Mini-grant recipients will received up to $500 to continue their community work!
Rhonda Hill
Mother's Day Box
Rhonda Hill
Sankofa Box - Rhonda Hill
"Sankofa is a west African word, meaning, "go back and fetch it" With this project, we are going back and fetching those that have been marginalized by the larger society. The Sankofa Box is a soul care in a box, providing encouragement and tips to help weather the trials of life. The contents of the box were crafted with love bearing in mind the weight of racism, mental health and grief."
- Rhonda Hill
Acosta Face Mask Team
Son Jahsiah working on the JoAnn Masks
St. Ann Delivery
Acosta Face Mask Team
Marion Clendenen-Acosta and her family have been making face masks for the community since late March starting with JoAnn Fabrics Volunteer Campaign. Ms. Acosta and her family successfully completed two rounds of the Caring Community Mini-Grant. In those two rounds the Acosta family made and donated 606 face masks! For the first round Ms. Acosta made 267 masks to be distributed to six locations: two nursing homes, three health centers and one domestic abuse resource center. For her second round she made 339 masks that were donated to five Milwaukee organizations that work with children.
Face Masks - Marion Clendenen-Acosta
Barbara Cerda a.k.a the Book Fairy
Barbara Cerda a.k.a the Book Fairy
"I was inspired to begin this project because I love reading and enjoy sharing my favorite books with others. I am passionate about serving my community. Because we are going through a difficult and traumatic time, it is important to me to provide my neighbors a way to disengage, learn something new, or take an adventure via a story."
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-Barbara Cerda
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To help support her mission check out her website: barbythebookfairy.wordpress.com/
The Book Fairy - Barbara Cerda
Ms. Ward at work!
Ms. Ward at work!
Face Masks- Lakesha Ward
Ms. Ward is a State worker working in Child Welfare and felt the need to be out serving the community while working remotely from home. She made 200 masks before applying for the grant. With the mini-grant money received she made 142 face masks and 4 face shields. These handmade PPE were donated to a local bar, group home, cleaning company and to neighbors in her neighborhood.
Ms. Martin packing bag lunches for the community.
Ms. Martin packing bag lunches for the community.
Community Meals - Mahogany Cares Inc.
The Mahogany Cares Inc. team partnered with local restaurant Terri Lynn’s Express to have a sanitized area where they can prepare community bag lunches and adhere to the social distancing guidelines. They have made 1400+ lunches during COVID-19 so far. Using the Love Your Block Caring Community COVID-19 Mini-Grant, the team switched over to meals that can be warmed up at home.
Ms. Garcia and Family made 100 face masks and 20 bilingual COVID-19 info signs. These were donated to local Southside Milwaukee businesses.
Ms. Garcia and her mother made 100 face masks and 20 bilingual COVID-19 info signs and donated them to local Southside Milwaukee businesses. This mini-grant helped her continue her goal of increasing culturally relevant COVID-19 awareness and PPE in her community. By funding the creation of more face masks, this grant also helped businesses and employees protect themselves and others as businesses started opening up again.
Ms. Garcia- Face Masks
Century City Triangle Neighborhood Association: Art Kits
The applicant for this project is one of our Century TIN partners: Ms. Yvonne. Due to COVID-19 precautions, The Century City Triangle Neighborhood Association had to cancel the Summer Art in the Park program for Milwaukee Youth. To ensure that neighborhood youth still had access to art supplies, Ms. Yvonne applied for funding to make art kits to distribute to Century City Families. Before making the kits, Ms. Yvonne and volunteers canvassed the neighborhood and determined which houses had children to give the kits to. With the help of Youth Ambassadors she created and distributed 52 art kits to 17+ families throughout the neighborhood.