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UPDATES + ANNOUNCEMENTS

"Participation in Wisconsin Partners has increased our ability to quickly collaborate with other associations and test new joint communication strategies that support our respective member networks." – United Way of Wisconsin

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Apr - Jun 2022

  • This year, Wisconsin Partners is diving into housing, with the goal of launching collaborative actions within communities and across sectors. In February, we worked on the "foundation", taking a look at data and trends within housing around the state. In March, we spotlighted perspectives from a few members: WISCAP, RWHC, AARP, and NAMI. All presentations are available as video recordings. Please contact us if you would like a copy or want to be invited to future convenings.

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  • As a member of Wisconsin's Civic Health Initiative, we are developing an upcoming Week of Dialogue for the fall, with the goal of bringing people together across divides to build relationships and take action together. We will be co-hosting roundtables at the upcoming CommUnity Conference on April 28.

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  • Internally, we continue to host regular huddles for staff from member associations working on similar types of work: Policy and Governmental Affairs, Diversity Equity and Inclusion,  Communications and Outreach, and Membership. These are informal spaces for staff to connect across sectors, share best practices, and identify alignment and collaboration opportunities.

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  • Wisconsin Partners worked with the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association on a toolkit on Wisconsin Shares, a child care subsidy program that has undergone significant changes in the past year. We encourage health care providers, churches, ADRCs, nonprofits, local government, and creative industries to use the toolkit and reach out for additional support, so that families can get the support they need and deserve. Please contact info@wisconsinpartners.org if you would like more information.

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Rural WI Health Cooperative

  • NOW HIRING: Community Economic Development Intern. This position will support hospitals' roles in local economic development efforts across the state.

  • RWHC works closely with the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education & Workforce who is projecting that Wisconsin will be short 16,000 Registered Nurses by 2035. Wisconsin will need to increase that number of nursing school graduates by 50% each year for 10 years to close the projected gap and/or make other adjustments.

  • Marie Barry, RWHC Director of Community & Economic Development, has been asked to serve on the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Advisory Council on Small Business, Community and Economic Development, Agriculture and Labor.

  • RWHC has begun work Duke University Health to engage with their year-long Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program to help us understand the science of well-being and the practical tools and strategies that can be use right away to emotionally support ourselves and all in our organization. The national multi-year initiative is starting in Wisconsin and Minnesota with support of a $2 million American Rescue Plan grant.

     

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United Way of Wisconsin

  • 211 COVID-19 online resource guide: 211 manages an online resource guide to efficiently navigate 211 resource-listings pertaining to COVID-19. This guide includes both COVID-19 resources (testing, vaccination sites, public health departments) and resources to support people dealing with the implications of the pandemic.

  • Caregiver Outreach: Does your organization work with Caregivers? Do you know of a local organization that does? If yes, our team would like to learn more about these services, and to share about our Caregiver Outreach program! 211 | United Way of Wisconsin is offering 1:1 phone calls with Caregivers to provide supportive listening; referrals to resources based on request and needs; follow up calls regarding referrals to discuss any issues or additional needs; and arranged when works best for them. Email Rachel Brightman to learn more: rbrightman@unitedwaywi.org

  • Wisconsin Community Information and Referral Exchange - With the support from Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office, United Way of Wisconsin received $1.12 M to support the Wisconsin Community Information and Referral Exchange (WCIRE). The WCIRE will reconfigure the existing 211 Statewide referral infrastructure with statewide and local partners, as an information exchange system that maximizes social and mental health care coordination and referrals across Wisconsin, and to effectively share referral, outcome and need data with community-based organizations and other partners. 

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Wisconsin Early Childhood Association

  • The Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network celebrated it’s 1,000th member this quarter. After three short years, this program has grown from serving two rural providers to a statewide system of support for early care and education providers across Wisconsin. WEESSN is honored to be highlighted at the National Shared Services Technical Assistance Conference this spring in Austin. To learn more about WEESSN please visit our webpage.

  • Wisconsin Early Childhood Association is hosting a virtual panel discussion, “Raising Wisconsin: The Power of Community to Support Child Care,” on Tuesday, April 5th from 1:00-2:30 p.m. The event, being held during the Week of the Young Child, brings together leaders from rural and urban areas of Wisconsin to discuss how communities have developed and pushed forward solutions to support child care. Community, business and economic leaders from organizations across the state are invited to attend an upcoming webinar to garner inspiration and learn key takeaways for organizing around child care in their regions. For more information, please reach out to Jackie Anderson. To register, click here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with information about joining the webinar.

NAMI Wisconsin

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  • NAMI Wisconsin 2022 Annual Conference: We will be hosting our 2022 Annual Conference April 29th and April 30th at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Our focus of the conference is youth mental health, and we look forward to gathering and sharing information and resources for mental health. 

  • Currently Hiring Development Director: NAMI Wisconsin is currently looking to fill a brand new position: Development Director. This successful candidate will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for all planning and implementation of fund development strategies and activities of the organization. Email nami@namiwisconsin.org to apply and please share with anyone who may be interested!

  • May is Mental Health Awareness Month!: NAMI Wisconsin will be spreading awareness about Mental Health Awareness Month through social media, a state-wide yard sign campaign, and supporting our local NAMI Affiliate’s outreach efforts.  

  • NAMI Wisconsin CIT Symposium: NAMI Wisconsin will be hosting the first ever Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) Symposium this summer for CIT teams and certified officers in the state. The CIT Symposium will bring updates from the CIT state advisory committee and feature keynote presentations on the topics of medically significant behavior, co-responder models, and trauma-informed policing.

  • Introducing our New Advocacy Director: NAMI Wisconsin has recently hired a new Advocacy Director, Ian De Wet! The main goal of this position is advocating for those living with a mental illness in Wisconsin at the state level as well as organizing a strong advocate voice for our 27 local NAMI affiliates.  
     

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Wisconsin Council of Churches

  • Hunger and Health Summit Early Registration ends April 1st! We are just over a month away from our 2022 Hunger and Health Summit. The Summit will be held at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells on April 25th and 26th, with a pre-conference reception the evening of Sunday, April 24th. We have extended the early registration through Friday, April 1st. We are proud of the conference we have planned for you: 3 thought-provoking general sessions, 30 exciting track sessions, and over 70 local, regional and national food and health leaders will join us as we reflect on our "Reimagined Resiliency."  Take a sneak peek at our working agenda here!

  • UnitedHealthcare Sponsored Hunger and Health Summit Student Scholarships - NOW OPEN: We are excited to announce a scholarship for students of higher education. Ten full 2022 Hunger and Health Summit student scholarships will be awarded to cover attendee registration and one overnight hotel reservation (scholarships valued at $200 each). The deadline to submit the brief application is April 1st at 5pm. Notifications will be sent on April 6th.
     

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Arts Wisconsin

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  • Arts Wisconsin is evolving to become Create Wisconsin!
    Arts Wisconsin is leaping into the next phase of our work as Wisconsin’s community cultural development organization on March 31, 2022.     Here are some of the programs we’re planning as Create Wisconsin, with more initiatives ahead: 

    • Creative Wisconsin Month, a month long celebration of the arts and creativity - April 2022

    • Creative Economy Summit, presented in partnership with UW Madison, Division of Extension – April 21, 2022

    • State of Wisconsin’s Creative Sector Report, with Wisconsin Arts Board and Wisconsin Policy Forum - summer 2022

    • Create Wisconsin Regional Leaders Network - a statewide action network of creative activists

    • Make Music Wisconsin – a statewide day of music on Tuesday, June 21

  • Contact Anne Katz, Director, at akatz@createwisconsin.org for more information, and watch for big launch info soon.
     

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WISCAP

  • WISCAP agencies will exceed $130 million in emergency rent assistance distribution before the end of March. Including entitlement agencies, overall sate rent assistance will top $240 million this month. If you know households that need help here is where to find it.  For more information, contact WISCAP Housing Programs Manager,  aheidt@wiscap.org

  • WISCAP agencies and partners recently launched the WI Help for Homeowners Program in February. The statewide program can help with overdue bills like mortgage payments, property tax delinquencies, utilities, and more. For more information, see DOA Wisconsin Help For Homeowners 

  • WISCAP’s Vaccine Community Outreach program serves to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and barriers to access all while helping to increase knowledge and engage community members to learn more about the benefits of vaccination. For more information, contact WISCAP Health Programs Manager,  Samantha Kozlowski, skozlowski@wiscap.org

Wisconsin Council of Churches

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  • WCC continues its partnership with Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice in the nonpartisan Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign.  Our new statewide organizer, Rhonda Lindner will provide organizing, educating, communications, research, and technical support to strengthen faith communities’ involvement in civic engagement as we approach the 2022 elections.

  • The WCC Community Health Program continues to facilitate vaccine clinics and testing sites at Wisconsin churches, and with partners in Madison and Milwaukee, is developing COVID-related messaging in African-American, interfaith, and justice-involved communities.
     

Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

April - Creative Wisconsin Month

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April 5 - Raising Wisconsin: The Power of Community to Support Child Care,

Presented by Wisconsin Early Childhood Association

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Apr 21 - Creative Economy Summit

Presented by Arts Wisconsin and UW-Madison Division of Extension

 

Apr 24 - 26 - Feeding Wisconsin Hunger and Health Summit

More information coming soon at https://www.feedingwi.org/

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Apr 29 - 30 - NAMI WI Annual Conference

 

Jun 21 - Make Music Wisconsin

Presented by Arts Wisconsin 

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