Giving to the Nations

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OUR MISSION. OUR VISION.

As our inaugural Racine project, Giving to the Nations is establishing a Community Outreach Center – A PLACE OF PROVISION – near downtown and within the Greater Uptown Area. The City of Racine has identified the Greater Uptown Area as a distressed neighborhood containing a high percentage of low and moderate income residents. Statistics show the percentage of low or moderate income residents in Racine County is 36.6%; the percentage of low or moderate income persons in the Greater Uptown Area ranges from 56.62% to 77.49%.⁽¹⁾On average, the per capita income in our immediate area, $10,691, is less than half the State of Wisconsin average of $27,907 and the national average of $28,555 ⁽²⁾; $1,799 below the 2019 Federal Poverty Level Guidelines.⁽³⁾

Understanding the challenges of our area’s residents and Giving to the Nations’ mission “to advance the lives of others” we have many programs slated to help them excel.

Adult Basic Education and English Language Learners (ELL) Classes in collaboration with the Racine Literacy Council. The level of education as identified within the Greater Uptown Area is disheartening; “34% of adult residents reported having a high school diploma or equivalent, and 14% hold professional certificates, associates, bachelors or other graduate degrees.”⁽¹⁾
Accessible Library Materials in collaboration with the Racine County Library to facilitate a “library corner.” Statistically two thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare. Students who don’t read proficiently by the third grade are four times likelier to drop out of school.⁽⁴⁾ Our goal is to help foster a love of reading.
Legal Services in collaboration with Michelson Law Office. Assisting people who truly need help dealing with their financial obligations and obtaining a Fresh Start. Free consultations to receive correct information and make intelligent financial decisions. Additionally, budget appropriate payment plans. “In 2017, low-income Americans will approach LSC (Legal Services Corporation)-funded legal aid organizations for support with an estimated 1.7 million problems. They will receive only limited or no legal help for more than half of these problems because of a lack of resources.”⁽⁵⁾
Dental Services in collaboration with Familia Dental. Education Days offering oral hygiene demonstrations, healthy eating education and appointment scheduling. Familia Dental meets adult, child, senior dental and orthodontic needs; accepting patients with Medicaid, private and no insurance. “Good oral and dental hygiene can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease—and can help you keep your teeth as you get older. Researchers are also discovering new reasons to brush and floss. A healthy mouth may help you ward off medical disorders. The flip side? An unhealthy mouth, especially if you have gum disease, may increase your risk of serious health problems such as heart attack, stroke, poorly controlled diabetes and preterm labor.”⁽⁶⁾
Basic nutrition and food preparation classes in collaboration with UW Extension FoodWIse EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program). Making a difference – “I value this program because it is helping me become more aware of what I am putting in my body and some of the negative effects. I appreciate the teacher making it an enjoyable experience.”⁽⁷⁾
Community Garden in collaboration with BrightView Landscape Services. “Gardening remains the number one hobby in the United States for many good reasons, but perhaps the most important is that it improves the way people feel. An abundance of research has shown that people and plants grow well together. Plants thrive when people care for them, and in return, plants provide amazing therapeutic benefits to humans’ health. Studies present hard facts on decreased blood pressure, increased cognitive function, and an enhanced sense of well-being . . .”⁽⁸⁾
Healthy Essentials Pantry; supplementing family’s needs. Set up similar to a grocery store experience, our healthy essentials pantry will allow our neighbors to shop with dignity from the product shelves, choosing items they will utilize. What will be available?
- Fresh Foods, Dairy, Eggs, Meats. The City of Racine in its Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area – Greater Uptown Area: 2017-2019 report states: “Residents in the Greater Uptown Area lack access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods. According to the USDA designation, the Greater Uptown Area is considered a food desert.”¹ Our part? Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, various types of meats and poultry only. Why? Our neighbor food pantries provide emergency food supply following the USDA MyPlate.gov guidelines for nutrition. The fruits and vegetables provided could be fresh, usually canned; the protein provided is typically in the form of frozen ground meat, chicken, turkey, or canned tuna or chicken. Dairy products and eggs are not provided.
- Personal Care and Household Cleaning Products. “The In Short Supply: American Families Struggle to Secure Everyday Essentials research project found that many American families struggle to afford basic non-food household goods . . . as a result, make trade-offs with other living expenses and employ coping strategies to secure essential household goods.”⁽⁹⁾

We will also deliver healthy food, personal care and household cleaning products to our homebound neighbors.

Resource Referral Hub. Connecting our community outreach center’s neighbors with other community resources to help them excel.

We are here to serve this community, and that is exactly what we are doing. It has been a privilege through the generosity of many local businesses and individuals to already have:

- Supplied food for hot meals to be served at the Hospitality Center of Racine, Safe Haven of Racine, Halo in Racine, and the Shalom Center in Kenosha;
- Supplemented individual families with grocery gift cards, nonperishable food, and personal care products.
- Provided 123 families with personal care and household cleaning products.⁽¹⁰⁾

We are in continual pursuit of other community outreaches i.e., hosting school supply distribution, free eye exams and glasses, farmers’ markets, and the support of partner community services. The possibilities are enormous.

In short, our community outreach center is located in the heart of a disadvantaged population, and we are poised to make a difference in our neighbor’s lives by offering them assistance where they are and when they need it. To truly make this A PLACE OF PROVISION.

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