Project Description
The sun is shining bright as I step outside COA Youth & Family Centers and make my way towards the block party on Burleigh. The Wobble blares from the DJ’s speakers as children run past me laughing, racing to the bounce houses, eager to enjoy this beautiful day.
I see Mr. David, rocking his Milwaukee Bucks apron with the biggest grin on his face as he puts more burgers on the grill. It feels like summer and there is no place I would rather be to celebrate its beginning than at COA’s Safe Summer Kick-off.
COA’s 2022 Safe Summer Kick-off
Every year, COA Youth & Family Centers brings the Amani community together for Safe Summer Kick-off, a block party extravaganza first created to celebrate healing, recreation, and safety in the Amani Neighborhood. Safe Summer Kick-off brings people together to enjoy great food, music, and company, while participating in a wide variety of family-friendly activities.
This year, children enjoyed everything from face painting, to bouncy houses, to riding their bikes on the street. They interacted with the Milwaukee Fire Department while learning the importance of having a plan to escape in case of a fire and met Milwaukee Police Officers and their horses. They played games with COA’s STEM Program Coordinator, Lina, and wrote their own ultrashorts with ExFabula staff.
Amani community members had opportunities to interact with many vendors and learn more about community resources and services such as Wellpoint, Educators Credit Union, Teens Grown Greens, Bellies & Babees, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Dream Bikes, and more!
Lorenzya Polnitz, Director of Community Services and organizer of the 2022 Safe Summer Kick-off Event, loves how the gathering brings the Amani community together. She shared, “Safe Summer Kickoff is an event for the community that provides much-needed resources to families, including summer opportunities for children. Safe Summer Kickoff is also a safe space for families to connect with one another, foster healthy relationships amongst a transient community, and is the building block for learning about different community members and community partners’ service offerings.”
What does Lorenzya love best about the event? Other than the delicious food, smiling residents, and great music, she loves that it’s a free event for the community. She shared, “Having free activities is the most significant reward of the event. Often a lack of financial resources creates barriers to engaging families, and providing these free activities increases turnout, promotes social change, and embodies family well-being.”
Thank you to all of the COA staff, community volunteers, and Amani residents who helped make this event one to remember!
A special thank you to all vendors who came to the event:
Ace, Aiden’s Famous Lemonades, Amani Unitied/Fit4You, Bellies and Babees, BMO Harris, BaJai’s, Breaking Barriers, Jayda’s Prenatal Care Services, LLC, Charizma Beauty, Chessbox Corporation & Academy, Children’s Hospital, City Of Milwaukee’s Health Department, COA Youth & Family Centers’ STEM, HIPPY, and Camp Helen Brachman, Community Advocates, Covington Concessions, Creations by Ryane, Educator’s Credit Union, Familia Dental, Fathers Making Progress, Franciscan Peacemakers, Hope Street Ministry, Inc., Issa Blackout, Jai’s Sno-cones, Jayda’s Closet, Key Creations, Kreative Fruitz by Imani Raiyne, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Linking All Women, Lola’s New Beginnings, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Mariah’s Family Care Home, MC’d DJ Homer Blow, MHD Fatherhood Healthy Start, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Excellence Charter School, Nova High School, Peaces of Love LLC, Power Moves MKE, Reaching for the Stars, Revitalizing Milwaukee, Riverworks Development Corporation, Riverworks Development Corporation, Rierworks Financial Clinic, Safe and Sound, Soulful Juice, Teens Grow Greens, Tiaj Classic Braidz, Triple Threat Urban Appareal, Twisted Plants, Vibez Creative Arts Space, and Wellpoint Care Network.
COA’s Kadish & Moody Park bring people together through year-round programming and events such as the Skyline Music Series, Safe Summer Kick-Off, Beyond the Bookbag, and Community Fun Nights.
Are you interested in joining us for the next community event? Learn more about COA’s Skyline Series!