WALNUT WAY CONSERVATION CORP CHARITABLE ORG

Programs: Civic engagements - provide resources for purposeful communication and interactions in the lindsay heights neighborhood create a community mediation and neighborhood peace building program to facilitate community conferencing and train community members in mediation a grant was submitted to the marquette university strategic innovation fund to launch a community meditation program in lindsay heights; however, that grant wasnt funded. Housing facilitate efforts by the lh housing committee to advance housing improvements and home ownership convene lh housing committee to address imminent housing concerns and increase quality housing options launch lindsay heights block-by-block beautification program with housing committee refocus attention & resources on stalled josey heights redevelopment the lindsay heights housing committee continue to meets on a monthly basis. The committee is now revisiting its goals and purpose to that it can be aligned in 2018 to take action in the neighborhood. Social connectivity strengthen community by coordinating events with lh neighbors host neighbor nights to bring residents together to promote wellness and social connectivity convene residents and partners in healthy neighborhood events such as spring lift up, healthy neighborhood celebration, we bike lindsay heights expand social media offerings and other communications capacity for increased dialog with lh neighbors the walnut way center has been opened free of charge for lindsay heights neighbors to utilize. So far neighbors have hosted birthday parties and baby showers this summer, and wed like to expand this offering in 2018. A number of activities have been held to support the intergenerational connectivity of men that live, work, learn and serve in the neighborhood. Activities included: a men and youth cookoff, family tailgate at a brewers game, a men's night at bucks game, ex fabula storytelling event, black history program, fellas magazine man up community walk, check-in dinners with youth, civic action day with youth at the capital in madison, wi, and a walnut way made docufilm screening. 37 different men have attended 4 mens wellness peer groups hosted at walnut way and 25 mens wellness peer groups at cross lutheran church, which are co-facilitated by walnut way staff. Environmental stewardship - advance the greening of the lindsay heights neighborhood partner with the city of milwaukees home gr/own initiative to develop a model for repurposing vacant lands transform vacant and neglected properties into healthy green spaces such as parks and gardens expand ww environmental campus in accordance to the master campus plan test lindsay heights neighbors gardens for lead levels and provide remediation toward healthy garden soils blue skies has been contracted to help build fondy park, and re-landscaped city-owned parking lot north of the market as well blue skies continues to provide maintenance services to city-owned vacant lot improvements through the strong neighborhoods program, developed a site master list and maintenance needs schedule support dpw-forestry's tree planting program, have planted over 150 trees in 2017 environmental campus: new storage facilities installed one new orchard established, totaling 7 in the neighborhood scaled composting operation; compost used as organic soil amendment on wwcc campus and on landscaping contract sites developed a unique model for an above-ground rain garden for properties with little space for in-ground water capture in partnership with mmsd and fund for lake michigan 4 growing healthy soils lead research workshops held at the walnut way neighborhood center. Soil testing for lead and along with soil interventions have continued in 2017. Blue skies had a smaller staff than last year. We have developed a concrete structure for internal promotions. Continued focus on technical knowledge and skills development for staff. 5 tenured staff (at walnut way more than one season) now total 22 seasons of collective experience through continued investments in equipment and staff training we were able to minimize subcontracted services, keeping more income in-house

health & wellness - promote a culture of wellness in lindsay heights complete comprehensive wellness & education program plan for the innovations & wellness commons l and ll continue to explore wellness practitioner and community wellness service models for additional lh health and wellness progress reach out to lindsay heights men and women through wellness programs held a healing circle retreat for 10 women in march of 2017. In may of 2017, we changed the healing circle format, which was a gathering for about 10 women that would meet every week for 4 weeks. Now the healing circles are open for any women to join, and the healing circles are offered twice a month. There have been 106 visits to the healing circles since may 2017. Zen dragonfly has offered a men's yoga class with 67 visits, yoga on sundays and thursdays every week for 132 visits, a candlelight yoga class with 30 participants, a couples yoga class for 8 participants, and a dance class for 15 participants. All of these classes are held at the walnut way neighborhood center.