Marquita and Omari - Silver Spring Neighborhood Center (Early Childhood Education and Literacy)
Some of Marquita’s earliest memories are of the United Way-supported Early Childhood Center at Silver Spring Neighborhood Center with her sisters. Thankfully, she says, the Center was still there for her son Omari, whose language deficiency may have gone undetected without help from the Center’s teachers. Trouble began when Omari was just over two years old.
“He was my first child so I didn’t really know,” explained Marquita, “The other kids were starting to talk and answer questions, but he was having trouble with who, what, when and where questions.”
Program staff worked with Marquita to arrange for an assessment and learned that Omari had significant developmental, speech and language delays. Soon after, they began working with him on language development and communicating with other children. The program works in conjunction with the local elementary school where Omari also receives speech and language therapy.
Omari is now four and has vastly improved his vocabulary, picking up 12 new words each month. He attends kindergarten, and continues to spend his afternoons at the Early Childhood Center. For Marquita, who works two jobs and attends school, the program is indispensable to her family.
“Sometimes when you’re a busy parent, childcare workers spend a lot of time with your child. Thanks to them, I have seen a significant improvement in Omari.”
Omari, who used to speak in two- to three-word utterances, now speaks in full sentences. He can retell parts of a story, and has improved socially in both small and large group settings. Thanks to United Way, Omari is now at an age-appropriate learning level. Marquita’s youngest son Justin, who is one, will begin this fall. She believes the program is critical to both her sons’ educations.
Studies show that early childhood literacy plays a crucial role in the long-term academic success of a child, and can even be linked to high school graduation. When you give to United Way of Greater Milwaukee, you help support early childhood literacy to help thousands of kids like Omari. When a child succeeds in school, we all win.
Marquita & Omari
Minnie – WRTP/Big Step Job Training (Adult Training and Skill Building)
Minnie battled addiction for many years and spent some time in jail. When she was released, she feared she would become addicted again if she did not find a good job.
“I had been battling addiction since I was 17,” Minnie says. “I determined that I never wanted to do that again. I had to do something, but I was a felon. I needed a job but I didn’t have a secondary education and I didn’t have any income.”
That’s when she turned to the United Way-supported Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership/BIG STEP. Minnie says the job training classes there provided her with an outlet. “I met wonderful, supportive people who were aware of my struggles.”
Minnie says she felt motivated and encouraged throughout the entire process. “People who were working in the field, people who were doing the hiring, all of these people came to our classes to give us insight on what we needed to do to be successful, get hired and keep our jobs.” Minnie worked hard and hasn’t looked back. She completed the road construction program at WRTP and now works as the only woman on an all-male work crew. She completed her parole and feels proud that her three grown children can look up to their mother again.
Minnie is also a member of Women in Trades where she mentors women who are interested in the construction field. She enjoys being a role model for others who want to change their lives. She participates in an outreach program with women in jails and institutions.
“People wind up back in jail because they don’t have a plan to move forward,” Minnie says. “I am able to share my experience with addiction and the steps I took to not get back into that way of life. Be diligent, persevere, and you will be successful. I don’t see any way you can fail.”
A stable job is one of the building blocks to a better life. When you give to United Way, you are helping adults get the training and skills they need to succeed.
Minnie
Nancy – Madre Angela Dental Clinic (Restorative Dental Care)
“Ordinarily, I’m an outgoing person, but I was traumatized. I was so ashamed that I always covered my mouth with my hand when I talked, and I regressed so much that I hated to go out, even to the grocery store.”
Those are the words of Nancy, who fell, in a “freak accident” as she calls it, and broke her cheek bones, the orbit of her eye and all of her front teeth. Unemployed and job-seeking at the time, she had no money to pay for the dentistry she needed. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, she reasoned, “Who would hire me?” She fell into depression.
Then Nancy, who had moved to Cudahy from Iowa, remembered the upcoming family reunion. Her family would see her disfigurement. She was devastated – until she learned that United Way partner Madre Angela Dental Clinic provides restorative dental care for people in financial difficulty.
Nancy’s care at Madre Angela Dental Clinic was extensive. It spanned more than a year, with appointments once or twice a week. “I have nothing but praise for the staff at Madre Angela. They completely reconstructed my mouth, from top to bottom. The quality of their work was better than it would have been if I had paid a fortune for it.”
Nancy says the staff was extremely understanding and supportive throughout the process. “They would always build me up for the next step by saying things like ‘You’re doing great, Nancy.’ ‘You’re halfway through, Nancy…’” The staff was “respectful,” “gentle” and “thoughtful,” and “someone even got me some Vaseline because my lips would get extremely dry during the procedures.”
Today, with twelve new teeth, a reconstructed jawbone and “more other kinds of dental work than you can imagine,” Nancy proudly displays her new smile. “I have a beautiful smile,” she boasts, “and I smile a lot. I’m grateful to the staff at Madre Angela. They’ll always be in my heart.”
Thanks to United Way, Nancy got the critical resources she needed to overcome the existing challenges in her life.
Nancy
Walter - Curative Adult Day Services (Adult with Disabilities)
By the time Walter was two, Betty and Donald knew something wasn’t quite right with their son. He wasn’t reaching the expected developmental milestones like climbing stairs or talking, and was soon diagnosed with mild mental retardation. But it would be another 11 years before they would get a complete diagnosis – Walter has Autism.
Today Walter is 35, and while much more is understood about Autism now, little was known during his childhood. Still, with his parents behind him and the support of a local group home through United Way partner Lutheran Social Services, Walter was able to graduate when he was 21.
“I graduated from Milwaukee School of the Arts,” says Walter with pride in his voice.
Since then, Walter worked primarily as a custodian for a local university, and continues to live at the group home. With the help of another United Way partner, Curative Adult Day Services, Walter continues to develop academically and socially.
“If the programs didn’t exist,” said Walter’s dad, “he would be almost totally dependent. The older we get, the harder it is for us to take care of him fully. If something should happen…he can live independently.”
Program specialists help Walter with basic writing, math, computer, reading and money skills. He also builds life skills through the program’s regular shopping outings using the Milwaukee County bus, where he can use his earned money to buy things he needs and wants.
Walter continues to improve and is “tremendously different” today, according to his father, Donald. Since he lost his custodial job of nine years, counselors are working to help find him a new job. Walter even has a chance to help others through the program’s Action Club, which coordinates community service projects like packing lunches for low-income kids.
We may come from different backgrounds, but when it comes to our community, we’re all united. When you give to United Way of Greater Milwaukee, you help thousands of people like Walter gain independence.
Walter
Warlean – Aurora Family Service Project HOPE (Senior Independence/Foreclosure Prevention)
For nearly 40 years, Warlean has lived in her home in Milwaukee. She and her husband raised their children there. He worked three jobs to help make the mortgage payments. And they made financial sacrifices to provide a home for their family.
Today Warlean is 87, and although her children have grown up and moved out, their family memories live on in that same house. Lately, it’s been tough for Warlean to keep a financial grip on things. A couple years ago, her husband passed away. With half the income and increased medical bills due to her bone cancer, she was no longer able to keep up. Her home seemed to be slipping away. That’s when she heard about a United Way program called Project Hope that assists seniors with finances so they can remain in their homes.
“My husband always managed the finances, taking care of the bills,” said Warlean, “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t got some help.”
Project HOPE helped Warlean get property tax relief, which eased her financial burden. They encouraged her to contact her son, who sold his house and moved back home to help. “I didn’t want her to lose that house,” said her son Will. “For everything my father worked for, I want to try and keep it. Project HOPE helped. And that’s what it did… It gave us hope.”
Warlean is still in her home. For her, there’s simply no place like it. When you give to United Way, you help thousands of seniors like Warlean. After all, independence is a goal that unites us all.
Warlean