COA’s HIPPY Program was a Lifesaver for Teresa’s Family
Teresa is a mother of three who participated in COA’s 2019 HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program with her daughter Rosa. Teresa became aware of HIPPY during a presentation led by HIPPY staff at her daughter’s school. Teresa signed up on the spot, and soon received a call from HIPPY to enroll [...]
COA’s Tom Schneider Wins Nonprofit Executive of the Year Award!
We’re excited to announce Tom Schneider, Executive Director of COA Youth & Family Centers, won BizTimes Media’s 2020 Nonprofit Executive of the Year Award! The prestigious award was presented by BizTimes Media at their 7th Annual Nonprofit Excellence Awards, held virtually on Friday, November 6, 2020. Each year, the Nonprofit Executive of the Year Award [...]
COA’s 2020 Annual Meeting Celebrates Unprecedented Year of Resilience and Success
COA Youth & Family Centers held its annual meeting on October 5, 2020 - celebrating an unprecedented year of resilience and success. The virtual event united COA’s Board of Directors, staff, and supporters to reflect on COA’s accomplishments over the year, induct new board members, and honor outstanding partners. Longtime Board President Christine McLaughlin opened [...]
Juneteenth Celebration at COA Promotes “Social Justice Through a Child’s Eyes”
On Friday, June 19, COA Youth & Family Centers held a Juneteenth celebration in Moody Park, adjacent to COA’s Goldin Center in Amani. An estimated 100 people joined together for a fun and uplifting day full of community-centered activities including COA staff, children and families, volunteers, residents, and community members of all ages. Juneteenth is [...]
Expanding COA’s Food Pantry & Opening a Free Meal Program in Milwaukee’s Amani Neighborhood
COA Youth & Family Centers is responding to COVID-19 by making sure children and families in Milwaukee’s low-income Amani neighborhood have access to healthy foods. COA is expanding its food pantry - which experienced a 618% increase in the number of people served in March. COA is also partnering with Hunger Task Force (HTF) and [...]
12-Year-Old Lailaa Crockerhan Inspires Her Peers at COA
Each year at COA’s Oscar Night Hollywood Gala, we honor one amazing participant from across all COA programs with the Rising Star Award. This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate what it means to reach their greatest potential. This year, we honor Lailaa Crockerhan for her incredible leadership and growth in COA’s youth program. Through her [...]
COA’s “Real-ationships” program builds trust, respect between youth and police officers in Amani
When COA’s Community Engagement Director Nicole Franklin first learned about a new program taking shape focused on strengthening youth-police relationships in Moody Park, she was skeptical the program would work. Relationships between law enforcement and youth in the park were often strained; youth felt targeted, and police felt they could not relate or get any [...]
COA’s Kilbourn-Kadish Park nominated for 2020 MANDI Award
Picture a littered, vandalized and vacant ‘park’ in the central city overlooking the skyline. This was Kilbourn Park in the early 2000s, before COA Youth & Family Centers engineered its remarkable turnaround. Once an underutilized area and hotbed of crime bordering an abandoned railroad along the Milwaukee River, today Kilbourn-Kadish Park is a 24-acre grassy [...]
Jocelyn finds her voice at COA
Jocelyn is a 16-year-old junior at Riverside University High School. Raised on Milwaukee’s North Side, Jocelyn began attending COA’s teen program at the Goldin Center in 2017. She came every day after school to receive homework help. When she first began in the teen program, Jocelyn was closed-off, anti-social and distanced herself from her peers. [...]
COA’s STEM Expo Makes STEM Exciting for Kids!
On Friday, November 8th COA celebrated National STEM Day with our 3rd Annual STEM Expo held at our Goldin Center (2320 W. Burleigh Street). Over 120 youth ages four to 14 from multiple COA sites attended the Expo to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. 18 themed stations lined the gym at the Goldin Center, [...]