R.A. Stevens Family Foundation Grants Dominican Center $10,000 for Immediate COVID-19 Relief in Amani Neighborhood

MILWAUKEE, April 17, 2020 — The Dominican Center (DC) has received a generous $10,000 grant from the R.A. Stevens Family Foundation for general operations and to aid in COVID-19 response in Milwaukee’s Amani neighborhood. The grant will support DC staff and provide immediate relief in the form of resources, outreach and vital communication to residents the organization serves.

“We are grateful for the Stevens Foundation partnership,” said DC Executive Director Sister Patricia Rogers, OP. “This grant is perfectly timed and will allow DC employees to continue their work assisting Amani residents with food and water drop-off and pick-up locations, distributing meals daily at Auer Avenue Elementary School, and communicating with residents to assess their needs and pass on valuable information and critical resources.”

Building relationships with Amani residents is something DC has been doing for 25 years, and that is especially important during this time of isolation. “Building relationships is what we are doing,” said DC Project Coordinator Denisha Tate-McAlister, as she talked about the calls DC organizers are making to Amani Residents. “People need to feel comfortable talking to us and taking about their needs.”

Making these connections is vital to the future of the Amani neighborhood, as communities of color around the country are experiencing amplified effects of this global disaster. “Because of bad policies and systemic problems, African Americans have all the markers that make them susceptible to COVID-19,” said Sr. Patricia. “We have to hit that home and let people know that their health is important.”

The R.A. Stevens Foundation, operating in Milwaukee since 1999, provides generous funding for education, social and human services, religious organizations and community development. The foundation has been supporting DC’s operations since 2016. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the foundation has sensed the need of area non-profits and waived the application process to more quickly distribute funds. “In order to assist your organization during COVID-19, we are making this grant early,” said Carolyn J. Scott, Stevens Foundation executive director.

If you would like to contribute to DC’s COVID-19 relief effort, please donate at www.dominican-center.org/donate, or contact Christina Chronister at christina@dominican-center.org.

About the Dominican Center

Dominican Center is located at 2470 W. Locust Street, in the Amani neighborhood. It works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future. Dominican Center served as the community anchor for the White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, Building Neighborhood Capacity Program and is the lead community partner for the US Department of Justice’s Innovations of Community Based Crime Reduction grant for Amani.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.