By: Community Shares of Wisconsin
On September 11 at The East Side Club, Community Shares of Wisconsin will honor local leaders and organizations who are advancing social and environmental justice in our community.
At a time when many organizations are shying away from diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, LGBTQ+ rights, and other social justice issues, Community Shares of Wisconsin and its nearly 70 member nonprofits are proud to honor leaders who champion these causes and continue to do what is right.
The public is invited to attend the awards ceremony. Tickets purchased in support of this event help Community Shares award $6,000 in donations to local nonprofits. To sponsor the event or purchase tickets, visit communityshares.com.
Change-Maker Award Winners
Mary Ellyn and Joe Sensenbrenner, nominated by Rooted. Winners of the Liesl Blockstein Community Leadership Award
For decades, Mary Ellyn and Joe Sensenbrenner have used their resources to safeguard public lands to ensure that the public has access to viable, beautiful open spaces. Their work through Rooted (and its precursor organizations) encompasses Troy Farm and Gardens and McPike Park in Madison; Clarence & Cleopatra Johnson Park, Brown Street Academy, and Alice’s Garden in Milwaukee; and ultimately the construction of the Badger Rock Center, which houses a neighborhood center, middle school, and now is home to the Lori Mann Carey Elementary School on Madison’s South Side.
Joyce Hall, nominated by Freedom, Inc. Winner of the Sally Sunde Family Advocate Award
Joyce Hall is the Lead Gender Justice Advocate, Program Coordinator, and Organizer for Survivor and Victim Services at Freedom, Inc., as well as a mother of seven. Her lived experiences are a testament to her organizing power and unshakable resilience. As a survivor herself, Joyce made the courageous decision to leave a domestically violent household to protect herself and her children. Today, she provides emergency crisis response, court support, rapid rehousing, and interpersonal violence mitigation for Black, Southeast Asian, queer, youth, and low- to no-income survivors. More than that, she uplifts survivors, helping them transform into leaders within her programs and the wider community.
Ximena Linares-Rodriguez, nominated by Tenant Resource Center. Winner of the Linda Sundberg Civil Rights Defender Award
Ximena Linares-Rodriguez is deeply committed to providing community-centered solutions and equitable access to resources for tenants, including Spanish-speaking tenants. Recognizing the barriers faced by immigrant communities, Ximena helped launch Madison Area Partners and Allies (MAPA). The monthly MAPA events bring together a diverse mix of providers and allies who offer culturally and linguistically responsive support. Ximena also collaborated with Dr. Sarmiento, Dr. Sims, and students from the Chicanx/e & Latinx/e Studies program at UW–Madison to survey tenants who had accessed TRC services, centering the lived experiences of Latinx renters in Dane County.
CSW Collaboration Award Winners
Wheels for Winners and Bayview Foundation
Wheels for Winners and Bayview Foundation collaborate each year to organize a vibrant spring bike distribution event at Bayview’s community center. Wheels for Winners also partners with Bayview to provide free bike repair clinics and to train Bayview staff to make basic bike repairs for residents.
Bayview Foundation and Wheels for Winners understand that bicycles are most beneficial when integrated with culturally relevant services, arts, family support, environmental stewardship, housing advocacy, and food security. Thus, the long-time partnership between the organizations has proven to be a natural and impactful alignment.
CSW Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Denise Matyka, nominated by Project Home
Denise Matyka has always had a deep commitment to social justice. She has dedicated more than 40 years to empowering communities through nonprofit leadership. Her journey began as a field organizer for the National Organization for Women (NOW) Equal Rights Amendment Campaign. From 1985 to 1994, she worked to create Community Shares of Wisconsin with Nicole Gotthelf and Marianne Morton. The three led a successful merger of Madison Sustaining Fund and Aid to Wisconsin Organizations to form Community Shares of Wisconsin.
After a period of working in major donor fundraising for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, she joined Project Home in 1996 as Executive Director. Project Home doubled its staff and more than tripled its budget during her 29 years leading the organization. Project Home serves people with limited income in Dane and Green Counties with weatherization, home repairs, and accessibility modifications.
The Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 Community Change-Maker Awards is UW Credit Union. Special thanks to our friends at Willy Street Co-op for their support of Community Shares of Wisconsin through the Community CHIP® program.
