Common Wealth Development's quarterly newsletter for residents, commercial tenants, workforce participants, and supporters LIKE YOU.
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Letter from the Executive Director |
Hello Common Wealth Community,
We’re on our way! 2021 has not been without its turbulent moments in its infancy, however there are some glimmers of light out there!
Its great to hear that the wonderful folks at the Marquette Neighborhood Association are optimistically planning on an Orton Park Festival (more on that below). While there a number of signs that we may finally be nearing somewhat of an point of closure to the COVID-19 nightmare, the return of the amazing *free* summer music festivals will officially let us know we have arrived! However, until then, we are hoping that everyone remains cautiously optimistic, and continue to remain vigilant so we can put this awful pandemic behind us. On our part, we were fortunate to have been able to offer vaccinations to all of our residents and staff—HUGE thanks to the Walgreens professionals and our housing staff for making this possible.
Its also a great sign that there are small businesses looking to expand after a volatile year. In this issue Rebekah Stephens highlights two of them (Looking Glass Bakery and Ovipository/Madison Cricket Farm), and we all welcome them to our incubator community. We are also eagerly anticipating the arrival of our newest Main Street Industry addition, Community Shares of Wisconsin. This will be one of only a handful of non-profit businesses that we have had in our space, and we are looking forward to welcoming them.
There are a number of upcoming opportunities for summer employment for youth, through the Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship Program and the Program for Entrepreneurial and Agricultural Training (PEAT). Our incredible Youth Workforce Development Staff provide more info below, and if you have kiddos who might be interested please get them in touch with our folks!
Thank you, to everyone, for your continued support of Common Wealth Development. Here’s to Spring!!!
Respectfully Submitted,
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Justice Castañeda
Executive Director
Common Wealth Development, Inc.
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Happy Spring!
The suspect fronds of daffodils cracking the soil and the softly swelling buds of magnolia seem to reflect the first quarter of 2021: one of cautious optimism sprinkled with the slightest hint of impending relief. Despite the many ways that COVID-19 has hampered and restricted what is possible for us to do, the work in Housing Operations has remained progressively steady.
In February and March, we were fortunate enough to be selected to partner with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Walgreen’s to host three clinics to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to residents and staff. A large proportion of the residents in our communities are from populations vulnerable to COVID-19 infection or complications. We have a high proportion of seniors, individuals with disabilities or underlying health conditions, and front-line workers. The over 150 vaccines we were able to administer may be a small drop in the bucket for our nation and the world but meant everything to those in our communities who were able to get vaccinated.
The beginning of the year also saw staff and residents alike carefully watching what would happen with rental assistance funds. Knowing that the new round of rental assistance involved a substantially greater burden of documentation, we worked to identify eligible residents and prepare and provide all necessary documentation prior to the release of funds to assist our residents in navigating this much more complicated and cumbersome process. Fortunately, we were able to work with all the identified households to get applications in for the CORE funds being administered by Tenant Resource Center.
We also welcomed two interns to our staff. In January, Maria Rantis joined our team from the UW School of Art. Maria will be completing her service-learning requirement by working with us to finalize the design concept for the proposed mural at 1406 Williamson Street. In March, we were fortunate to have Madalyn Grau join us from the UW School of Urban Planning. Madalyn will be assisting us through the end of the summer in housing administration.
Lastly, and perhaps most exciting, is that we have begun leasing up for the new development, The Alliance at Meadowood Park. This 11-unit income-restricted building will provide four 3-bedroom apartments, three 2-bedoom apartments, 3 1-bedroom apartments, and a studio apartment along with permanent housing operations office space and office space for community partners. We are thrilled to see the final touches being completed and are looking forward to seeing 11 new homes and gaining 11 new households in the Common Wealth Development family!
By Ashley Goehlke
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Equitable Economic Development |
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Youth Workforce Development
Youth-Business Mentoring Program
We had the opportunity to kick off our spring with two of our virtual Youth-Business Mentoring Program sessions, and many youth are on their way to getting a job – and a few have been hired!
Some of the topics that youth learned through these trainings include:
- How to find and apply for a job
- Customer Service
- Financial literacy (including topics such as budgeting and credit)
- Wellness in the workplace and personal branding
We have two more YBMP sessions scheduled for the spring. If you or you know of a youth between the ages of 14 – 17 years old who are looking to learn more about how to be successful in the workforce and start a job, please consider applying!
Training is held Monday through Friday, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm for two weeks. Due to COVID-19, we are currently holding these trainings via Zoom ONLY. Youth must have access to a computer with a camera and internet access.
Once applications are submitted, a staff member will follow up with the applicant to discuss next steps. While we do accept applications on a rolling basis, there are specific deadlines applications must be turned in by to attend a specific training session. Those dates are listed below.
Any questions can be directed to Annie Johnston, Youth Workforce Development Manager. She can be reached via email annie@cwd.org or by phone 608-256-3527 ext. 1561.
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Financial Literacy Workshops
We offer free financial literacy workshops to groups around Madison and Dane County. If there is any interest in having Common Wealth Development staff provide a virtual training to your student group(s), please reach out to Annie Johnston at annie@cwd.org. Please note that we will be following Public Health guidelines for programming and we will be hosting these workshops virtually until further notice. If there is interest in having a virtual workshop, please reach out and we can discuss options.
Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship Program
Applications for the 2021 Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship Program are now OPEN. This opportunity is a paid, 20-hours per week internship that gives students the opportunity to learn how their city works over the course of the eight-week program. In 2020, we shifted this program to be entirely virtual due to COVID-19, and we are moving forward with a blended (both virtual and in-person components) program this summer. Youth will work on projects focused on community development and engagement all while learning about their city and how the different departments inter-connect.
Interns must have a City of Madison address OR be enrolled in an MMSD school and be at minimum 14 years of age. If you or a student you know is interested in applying for this exciting opportunity, please visit our website (link below) to access applications and to get more information about the program. For an application to be considered complete, the student needs to complete 3 steps:
- Submit a Youth Application
- Submit a Parent/Guardian Permission form
- Attend an Open Interview (this is virtual, and a zoom link will be sent in after the youth application is submitted)
Any questions can be directed to Annie Johnston, Youth Workforce Development Manager. She can be reached via email annie@cwd.org or by phone 608-256-3527 ext. 1561.
Program for Entrepreneurial and Agriculture Training
This program is a paid, eight-week summer internship where up to nine youth work on a local farm in partnership with Neighborhood Food Solutions. This is an in-person program that works for 20 hours per week for the duration of the summer. Youth learn about food systems, farming, and financial literacy, and get to spend some quality time getting their hands dirty and building relationships with fellow youth and adults in the urban agriculture world. We typically have field trips as part of this program, and we were able to have two COVID-friendly field trips in 2020. We hope to have more of these in 2021, as visiting other farms and learning more about entrepreneurship is always exciting! However, we will be following Public Health guidelines to ensure the health and safety of participants.
To apply to be in this program, students must have participated in our Youth-Business Mentoring Program (YBMP) at some point prior to the start of the summer. Any questions or for more information about how to apply can be directed to Annie Johnston, Youth Workforce Development Manager, at annie@cwd.org or 608-256-3527 ext. 1561.
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Adult Workforce Development
Adult Workforce Development is fully operational and ready to help with your employment needs!
Call or email us to set an intake appointment and to discuss how we can help,
or visit us at JOB SHOP at the Meadowood Neighborhood Center, 5734 Raymond Rd., Madison WI, 53711, Wednesdays from 9am until 1pm.
JOB SHOP provides drop-in services for anyone looking for work in Southwest Madison. Wednesdays from 9am - 1 pm at the Meadowood Neighborhood Center (5734 Raymond Road).
Some of the available services are:
Résumé Writing & Cover Letter’s (provided by UW’s Madison Writing Assistance Center)
Online Job Applications
Public Benefit Applications
Housing Searches
Resource referrals
FSET Enrollment & Case Management
STEP, (Southwest Transitional Employment Program) our comprehensive relationship-based employment initiative, is now fully operational again, to help meet your employment goals. Participants are hired by Common Wealth Development as LTE employees and are paid a living wage, while working temporary STEP positions designed specifically with individual participant’s goals in mind. Participants are paid for up to 10 hours a week ($13.62 per hour) to work at a community placement while simultaneously working on finding employment.
Staff available to meet with community members, Monday through Friday, 9-4 at our Southwest office, 5902 Raymond Rd. If you would like more information on STEP, or If you need help, finding job leads, doing a resume, enrolling in FOODSHARE or would like to explore what resources may be available to you and your family during these difficult times, just call, email us or stop by our Southwest office, to speak with us about your situation.
Staff and community members must always wear masks during face-to-face interactions. CWD will be happy to provide masks when needed.
Please contact us with any questions about our available services or to set up an appointment at the numbers listed below.
John Wroten, Adult Workforce Development Manager, 608-516-5332 or john@cwd.org
Marquis Sanders, Coordination of Care Specialist, 608-516-1582 or marquis@cwd.org
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BUSINESS INCUBATORS
Through the Looking Glass
by Rebekah Stephens
When hearing the term, “The Looking Glass,” one tends to think of the novel by Louis Carroll, featuring Alice, where nothing makes sense, and everything is all wrong. The Looking Glass Bakery on the other hand, is the complete opposite.
Stephanie and team were able to transform a 1,231 square foot office space into an amazing bakery — this is where the delicious, sweet magic happens.
So, what deserts are behind the looking glass? In short…EVERYTHING you can think of more! From Brandy Old Fashioned, Dark Turtle, Violet Honey Blueberry and Strawberry Rosemary cheesecakes to pies and tarts with flavors like Chili Dark Chocolate, Blackberry Thyme and Strawberries & Cream…not to mention any type of cookie you think you might want.
We are happy to have them as part of our incubator ecosystem. Welcome to the Madison Enterprise Center!
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Hearing Crickets
by Rebekah Stephens
For many of us, our first introduction to crickets was our friend Jiminy from Disney’s Pinocchio, telling us to “let our conscience be our guide.” Others know them by the sound they make on hot summer nights, as a delicious snack for our pet lizards or even to be referenced after a joke fails.
Why are we talking about crickets, you ask? Well, we have a new business joining us! The focus of the Ovipository/Madison Cricket Farm is on the food aspect…food for reptiles and even people. I did a quick google search and found that crickets are 65% protein and contain good Omega3 fatty acids, so it is no wonder restaurants are beginning to call to inquire about ways they can incorporate them into their menu.
They are also doing business with a large reptile store in the area with more on the horizon. The place may be crawling with crickets, but you will not be “hearing crickets” from lack of support.
Welcome to Madison Enterprise Center!
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Health Equity and Well Being |
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Health Equity and Violence Prevention
Coaching for Wellness Pilot…A special offering for the CWD community!
Have you wanted to bounce ideas off an objective observer or desired to have a little more inspiration and support from a friendly resource to meet a specific goal? Consider Coaching for Wellness!
Common Wealth Development will offer an opportunity for free Wellness Coaching for residents starting in late Spring 2021 that continues until September 2021. The wellness coaching is for individuals 18 years and older and will be capped at 15 people. The wellness coaching offered by a graduate of the UW-Stevens Point Health and Wellness certificate program, is confidential, and not shared with CWD or anyone else. Contact with the coach is one-to-one via phone or virtual platform.
The six sessions include a 15-minute phone screen, an initial session of to identify your goals and four follow up sessions of approximately 20-30 minutes and a final session of 30 minutes. The coaching is client-directed and focused to help each person reach their goal(s).
For more information on Coaching for Wellness contact Stephanie at stephanie@cwd.org.
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Financial Navigators
Madison residents seeking help with financial concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic can contact a new, free hotline to be connected with a “Financial Navigator” – a person they can talk to about their financial concerns.
Financial Navigators are available at no cost to provide guidance, over the phone, to help residents access available programs and services to manage income loss and other financial concerns they may be experiencing. With one-on-one discussions, they will help to address personal financial issues, identify immediate steps to manage expenses and maximize income, and make referrals to other services such as bill paying assistance, government benefits and other programs that may come from future stimulus packages.
To access the Hotline, residents can visit: www.cityofmadison.com/financialhotline and fill out a short interest form, or they can call (608) 315-5151 Mondays through Fridays from 11 am - 7 pm or Saturdays, 12 pm - 5 pm to sign up. They will be contacted within 48 hours, Mondays through Fridays, by a Financial Navigator to begin their personal session. Call back hours are Mondays through Fridays 9 am – 6 pm. Hotline sessions will last about 30 minutes and address residents’ most pressing needs. Residents are invited to sign up for as many sessions as they like, but there is no guarantee they will be matched with the same Financial Navigator.
Organizations across Madison can also refer clients directly to a Financial Navigator by sharing the link or helping them fill out the interest form. Financial navigation sessions are available directly in English, Hmong, and Spanish, with ASL and other languages available through the City’s interpretation services.
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"A Seed Called Community", Common Wealth Development’s
podcast series!
Learn more about CWD and other contemporary topics by listening to “A Seed Called Community.” The short 20–30-minute podcasts feature CWD staff and the ongoing work being accomplished to help make Dane County a better place for all. Learn about our housing, business incubators, workforce development and other efforts that CWD is doing in the community.
Find “A Seed Called Community” on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn or wherever you subscribe to your podcasts.
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Marquette Minute
News from the
Marquette Neighborhood Association
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Two neighborhood projects to be discussed at the next Preservation & Development Committee meeting
Two potential projects will be discussed at the next Preservation & Development (P&D) Committee meeting on April 13th. The first is for a new restaurant on the 900 block of Williamson. The second is for a housing development on the 800 block of East Washington Avenue near Bos Meadery.
Ad hoc committee forming to explore a Tony Robinson memorial
It has been six years since Tony Robinson was killed by police in our neighborhood. Please contact Shadayra Kilfoy-Flores if you would like to be involved in an MNA sub-committee that will explore ways to memorialize him.
Financially preparing for festivals
The Finance Committee reported that they are optimistically preparing for an Orton-Front festival this summer. Yay!
Happy spring, everyone!
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Common Wealth Development
news@cwd.org
P: 608.256.3527
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