by Liz Hawley, Education and Outreach Coordinator
With the New Year comes the new cycle of Community Reinvestment Fund grant applications, decisions, and awards! Applications for the CRF grant are now open, and we will be accepting applications from local 501(c)3 nonprofits and cooperatives through January 31. Grants provide for local projects that are innovative, hands-on, educational, impact a large group of people, reach out to underserved populations, create jobs or develop skills, foster social engagement, and offer opportunities for diversifying partnerships, collaboration and entrepreneurialism. Grants are competitive, and this year your Co-op’s Board of Directors has allocated $35,000 from abandoned Owner equity to award. For more information and to download the application, visit www.willystreet.coop/crf.
All organizations that receive awards provide progress reports to the Co-op about their funded projects. Here are the stories we received this past year.
BikEquity
BikEquity established the Kittie Knox Mobile Bike Library to improve cycling access for people with lower incomes and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The program supports kids and families who face barriers to cycling, including obstacles to owning bicycles and helmets. BikEquity used the Kittie Knox Mobile Bike Library for 36 events where 380 participants enjoyed safe and inclusive bike rides. In addition to the bike rides, BikEquity provided free bike repair, bike repair classes, and riding lessons for kids and adults. This project exceeded the expected outcomes! In addition to the bike library community events initially proposed, they also created middle school Bike Clubs in partnership with Sennet and Whitehorse Middle Schools. The Bike Clubs serve snacks and empower kids with the basic understanding of the mechanics of a bike and how to ride safely. Upon completing the Bike Club programs, students are eligible to earn a bike, helmet, and lock to keep. BikEquity offers community volunteer opportunities to teach a kid or adult how to ride a bike. Visit www.bikequity.org to learn more.
Briarpatch
Briarpatch used grant funds to expand their successful Madison Summer Team program providing 14–16 year old youth with first time employment experience. This past summer, the program partnered with small, local BIPOC-owned businesses to employ 17 youth. Each youth received Briarpatch Youth’s Job Center coaching throughout their employment, and received opportunities to learn financial empowerment skills through Summit Credit Union. Briarpatch staff noted, “The Minority Business Project exceeded our expectations, and we hope to continue it again next year. The project offered an innovative solution during COVID, which prevented Briarpatch from conducting many of the large-group youth employment activities we have traditionally used in the past.”
Briarpatch welcomes referrals of youth with barriers to employment for summertime jobs, and seeks additional BIPOC-owned businesses to participate in the program. Learn more at youthsos.org.
Chrysalis
Chrysalis promotes mental health recovery by supporting work opportunities that encourage hope, healing, and wellness. This past year, Chrysalis successfully developed and implemented their “Fuel Zone” project for their Clubhouse. Clubhouses are an internationally recognized psychosocial rehabilitation model used to support people with mental health diagnosis in developing relationships and work skills to find purpose and meaning in their lives. Chrysalis used the grant money to purchase a double-door refrigerator and other kitchen items, saying that, “Since we plugged in the refrigerator, we have seen an increase in members’ attendance and productivity. It has given us an opportunity to have an income source and provide nutrition through food and beverages to colleagues during the day.” The “Fuel Zone” has also provided cash-handling and record-keeping experiences for their members.
Crossroads Community Farm
Crossroads Community Farm and the Mellowhood Foundation brought weekly fresh vegetable shares from Crossroads Community Farm to many underserved neighborhoods on Madison’s south side for the past two summers, and last year, they increased deliveries to 100 boxes each week. This project brings together Crossroads’ skills and ability to grow, wash, pack, and deliver high-quality produce with Mellowhood Foundation’s community connections, logistical support, and ability to deliver directly to households in the neighborhoods they serve. With many of the Mellowhood Foundation’s volunteers returning to academic life in September, Crossroads Community Farm developed partnerships with Badger Prairie Needs Network and Healthy Food For All to fulfill the delivery/logistical side of the project. Each week from September to mid-October, Crossroads sent 50 produce boxes to Badger Prairie Needs Network’s food pantry, and Healthy Food for All delivered 50 boxes to homes and neighborhoods weekly.
They intend to continue this project next year, and the best way for the community to get involved is by contributing to Crossroads’ vegetable production or by donating to Healthy Food for All’s delivery efforts. See crossroadscommunityfarm.com or hffadane.org for more information.
Goodman Community Center
Goodman Community Center’s grant supported their gardening program for middle and high school students to learn about horticulture, nutrition, and local ecology. They purchased cover crop seeds, an apple tree, spring bulbs, grape vines, and garden carts to move plants from their greenhouse to garden areas. They also purchased lumber to build potting tables, to repair a damaged tiered table in the greenhouse, and to place bird houses throughout the Goodman campus. Goodman’s project fulfilled the intended outcomes, saying, “Our activities took students outside and kept them actively engaged with gardening, landscaping, and harvesting... Youth were exposed to different ways they can connect with nature and a variety of ways to use their skills.”
This project will continue next summer. Anyone interested in volunteering can check out their website at www.goodmancenter.org/volunteer or contact Susan Ramspacher at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Kidlinks World
Kidlinks World expanded the Kidlinks Briarpatch Vegetable Garden. While the pandemic created some difficulties for them, expansion was ultimately a success. They reported, “Briarpatch brought small groups of youth to the garden every Thursday afternoon throughout the summer, giving the kids an opportunity to plant, weed, water, and harvest high-quality fruits and vegetables. These were complete with games, discussion, and fresh produce tastings. Some students even took produce home from the garden and cooked it for dinner at Briarpatch. During the farm training and work sessions, they referenced the Growing Solutions, Food System Curriculum (www.foodspan.org) to educate youth regarding sustainable food systems, from production to consumption.” In addition to fresh produce consumed by the youth at the farm, at Briarpatch, and at home with family, they donated 719 pounds of produce grown on the farm to Dane County food pantries. They noted, “It’s hard to stay away from all that the garden offers. We were able to have important conversations about our elders and ancestors who grew food, and how beautiful it is that we are able to continue the long tradition of feeding others. We had several teens show parents and grandparents all that we grew on the farm. This was definitely a source of pride and family connection for our growers!”
In 2022 the project will expand to reach more kids in the community, develop a more permanent educational curriculum, and host a community outreach event at the farm.
Mentoring Positives
Mentoring Positives provides mentoring, academic support, and entrepreneurship opportunities to underserved youth throughout Dane County. They worked to increase sales of their Off the Block pizzas, increase the proportion of self-funded revenue, and expand their customer base by vending at the Eastside Farmers’ Market (EFM). They purchased equipment necessary for this endeavor, including a generator, chest freezer, and a pop-up tent. Through the summer, they sold their products at nine farmers’ market events and three private events. They reported, “The market was a valuable learning experience for the [youth], and gave our Off the Block business good exposure in the community. This new experience at EFM allowed us to develop a system for preparing for market and training kids in sales, and that will reap benefits in future years.” Not only did this program meet its benchmarks, it also allowed them to deliver their pizzas to the River Food Pantry for children in low-income households in the community.
The best way to support their work is by purchasing their salsas and pizzas, either via www.offtheblock.store or at Willy Street Co-op—salsas are available at all three locations, and pizza is available at Willy North.
Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House started its Fresh Food Connection project in June 2021 to increase access to fresh, local, nutritious foods. Neighborhood House purchased produce from local farms, including Raleigh’s Hillside Farm, Spring Rose Growers Cooperative, and Wonka’s Harvest. They also received donations from Troy Gardens and Crossroads Community Farm’s CSA. Neighborhood House then distributed the produce at pop-up events at the center, community meals, and onsite at affordable housing complexes in the Triangle Neighborhood. Additionally, they added a large chest freezer to the pantry to freeze and store produce for the winter months. They estimate that more than 300 individuals were served through this program.
Neighborhood House is looking for donations of fresh food for their pantry, and they encourage community members to donate from their own household gardens. See neighborhoodhousemadison.org for more information.
Rape Crisis Center
Rape Crisis Center’s (RCC) GameChangers youth advisory group provides education on sexual assault and consent in middle and high schools, works to improve the landscape for victims of sexual violence, and contributes to preventing sexual abuse from occurring. In the past year, 16 students from 13 high schools in Dane County participated in the GameChangers program. The participants developed their end of the school-year community impact projects, benefitting a total of 264 community members. The three projects included a virtual event titled Consent During the Time of COVID to discuss how the language we use to talk about COVID can be used to discuss consent, a video series geared towards younger students where teens teach kids about their bodily autonomy and boundaries in age appropriate terms, and a ’zine titled Dreaming Ourselves which features art from local youth artists.
The GameChanges are available to facilitate Consent During the Time of COVID for community members or groups who are interested in learning more. And the GameChangers ’zine for the upcoming year will be taking submissions from students in the community who are interested in being a part of this project. Community agencies and storefronts who would like to display the ’zine can also request copies from RCC. If interested in these opportunities please contact Prevention Coordinator, Heather Chun at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
RISE Wisconsin’s Respite Center
The Respite Center, a program at RISE Wisconsin, is a respite service provider, offering relief for families with children ages 0-14 who are experiencing high levels of ongoing stress and crisis. The Respite Center launched their Essential Needs Pantry in early 2021 in response to the challenges COVID brought to their work: how to provide childcare in a COVID-safe way and how to meet families’ basic needs if they did not qualify for emergency childcare during COVID restrictions. They noted, “This grant was crucial in providing support and assistance to families facing hardships during a once in a century pandemic. Many of the families who received care from our pantry are facing many insecurities, including job, food, and housing insecurities. As families expressed unmet needs, we were able to respond efficiently and with compassion. This not only helps deepen relationships between our staff and families, but is a conduit for better relationships and building cohesiveness in our community.”
The Respite Center continues to accept donations of diapers, formula, baby wipes, and kid friendly non-perishable food items for their pantry. See risewisconsin.org for more information.
Thank You 2021 COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT FUND Grant Recipients and Owners
Each year we look forward to reading about the innovative projects our local nonprofits propose when they apply for the Community Reinvestment Grant Fund. Hearing about the successes when projects come to fruition is even more inspiring. For us, another grant cycle has come to a close, but the work of these nonprofits never ends. Thank you to all of the organizations for the impactful work you do for the communities you serve! Thanks, also, to the Owners who have left the Co-op and opted to donate their equity to charitable purposes—this funding is possible because of your generosity—thank you! We’re looking forward to reading the innovative grant proposals for 2022!