Struggling with poverty is a difficult challenge, especially when children are relying on you to provide them with a stable, healthy life. But helping families in need can be as easy as putting one foot in front of the other.
Next Door Milwaukee will hold its 25th annual Walk for Children on Saturday, May 17th from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The kickoff will start at the Milwaukee Community Medical Center at 5310 W. Capitol Drive.
The two-mile walk will begin at 10 a.m. and will include festivities such as live entertainment, fun activities, prizes and food for all registered participants.
The purpose of the walk is to raise funds and awareness for Next Door's early education and family programming services.
There will also be special guests including walk leader Keith E. Wandell, the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc., and former Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green.
"We are so happy to welcome Mr. Wandell as our Walk Leader and Mr. Green as our special guest and thank them for their commitment to our 25th Annual Walk for Children," said Next Door Executive Director Carol Keintz. "We appreciate the longtime support from Harley-Davidson and all of our sponsors for this event to raise funds for our early education programming."
For more information about Next Door and to register a team for the Walk for Children, visit nextdoormil.org/NextDoor/Walk-for-Children.htm or email Kimberly Nerone at knerone@nextdoormil.org.
If you have something else planned for May 17th, there are still plenty of ways to help. Next Door is currently in the middle of their book drive. They are looking to collect 5,000 new or gently-used children's books—particularly infant-toddler picture books—by May 15th, which will then be distributed to over 1,600 children.
Beyond the walk and the book drive, Next Door welcomes more volunteers.
Next Door works with thousands of children and families throughout the city of Milwaukee to give central city families the skills they need to achieve sustainable success.
Some of Next Door's programs include adult education, early head start, books for kids, health services and more, all aimed at helping kids grow in a positive, sustainable environment.
Jason McDowell grew up in central Iowa and moved to Milwaukee in 2000 to attend the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
In 2006 he began working with OnMilwaukee as an advertising designer, but has since taken on a variety of rolls as the Creative Director, tackling all kinds of design problems, from digital to print, advertising to branding, icons to programming.
In 2016 he picked up the 414 Digital Star of the Year award.
Most other times he can be found racing bicycles, playing board games, or petting dogs.
