United Way Invests in Dominican Center through Racial Equity Fund

MILWAUKEE, Aug. 4, 2022 — The Dominican Center (DC) is pleased and honored to announce it has received a multi-year investment from the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County’s Racial Equity Fund. The first-year investment is a $100,000 grant that will increase DC’s capacity to grow and continue to provide the Amani neighborhood with equitable housing resources.

DC works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future, and is committed to providing support, opportunities, training, resources and seats at the table to help Amani residents revitalize their neighborhood. DC works with the Amani United neighborhood association’s Housing and Economic Development committee to secure funds to create and complete projects that support the Amani Revitalization plan, a document DC developed in partnership with Amani residents. DC has also worked with neighborhood partners on the Block-by-Block initiative, which aims to revitalize the entire community, one block at a time, and serve as a model for neighborhood revitalization in Milwaukee and beyond.

The goal of United Way’s Racial Equity fund is to invest in Black- and Brown-led organizations to increase organizational capacity. A total of $1.5 million will be invested in 11 organizations over the next three years. United Way believes in racial equity and believes “it affects everyone when a social system is out of balance, but the people of color feel the impact most severely,” a statement on the organization’s website said. “Racial equity works to eliminate racial disparities and improve outcomes for everyone.”

This generous funding gift will support a full-time position focused on housing and allow DC to provide more housing resources and connections to neighborhood partners who offer beneficial services that support the Amani Revitalization Plan. DC believes hometown neighborhoods should provide a safe, clean and environmentally healthy ecosystem where residents can live in a comfortable and safe home, connect socially, access fresh food and engage in recreational and civic activities. DC strives to make sure that Amani families are assured access to quality services and all members of the family are nurtured, encouraged and secure.

“Housing is fundamental to wellbeing, and it’s a basic need that every family deserves,” said DC Executive Director Maricha Harris. “This generous investment from United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County will provide Dominican Center with the resources needed to increase our capacity to execute a housing strategy and deepen our impact.”

About the Dominican Center 

The Dominican Center in the Amani neighborhood works with Amani residents and partners to build a better future. Founded in 1995, the Dominican Center began as an urban ministry program to learn more about the women in the neighborhood and has since evolved to serve all Amani residents and respond to the changing needs of the community. Today, DC serves 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.