Missions

Rooted & Rising Washington Park

Rooted & Rising—Washington Park believes in the dignity, potential and worth of all people and is dedicated to helping individuals and families meet their basic needs, establish stable foundation, and pursue their dreams. We had meaningful interaction with 2,067 individuals from the community, including 1,366 individuals for whom it was their first engagement with Rooted & Rising.

MONTHLY MISSION FOCUS Rooted & Rising Washington Park Dream realized in 2024 Housing built: Back in 2008, the agency had the bold vision to develop a beautiful new building that would include twenty–four (24) 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartments and space for its offices, community food pantry, and community space. That development was facilitated by low-income housing tax credits (LITHC) and investments from other public and private sources. In 2024 Rooted & Rising acquired the ownership stake of our tax credit investor., BMO Bank, and is now the sole owner of this incredible building. The building has become central to our agency’s work and mission.

Rooted & Rising initiated the development of four new single-family homes that will be sold exclusively to teachers and administrators in the field of early childhood education. We want to ensure that those who care for and nurture our youngest learners have access to affordable, quality housing in the community they serve.

Food for Sustenance and for the Soul: Food insecurity steadily increased throughout 2024 and Rooted & Rising’s Community Food Center continued to meet the growing demand with unwavering commitment. Rooted & Rising made a tremendous difference by serving 3,630 households, a 605 increase from the previous year—support a total of 10,675 individuals.

We provide families with access to healthy, nutritious food, hygiene essentials, and other in demand necessities such as winter outerwear and diapers. The rapid growth of this program not only highlights the increasing need in our city, but also reflect the power of community in responding to that need.

Volunteers and Partnerships make more possible: More that 3,000 hours of volunteer service to our Community Food Center included pickups and deliveries, sorting and stocking, shopping with residents and cooking demonstrations. Volunteers prepared and cooked 24 meal demonstrations in our kitchen for Food Center customers providing a rand of healthy meals using produce, meats and ingredients from our inventory.

Along with volunteerism, partnership is the key to the successful functioning of our Community Food Center. A few of those partners included Hunger Task Force, Emmanuel Community UMC in Menomonee Falls and our many other UMC church partners, the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, Trader Joe’s, Festival Foods, and the West Allis Farmer Market, among many others!

Supportive Housing: The U.S. Bank—sponsored Access Home Program, hosted at Rooted & Rising in partnership with Acts Housing and other partners, empowered 32 aspiring first-time homeowners through a 12-month certified homebuyer counseling and savings program. In 2024 five families achieved their dream of purchasing their home, marking a milestone in building generational wealth and neighborhood stability.

Our Supportive Housing Program continues to set the standard, achieving sustained 100% occupancy in 2024 and ensuring that our 72 resident families have access to safe, quality and affordable housing and supportive services throughout the year. Nearly half of our households (48%) have lived her for three or more years, reflecting both the appeal and the lasing impact of our programs.

Growing Tree for early education: Our newly completed nature-based playscape has become a vital part of our nature-focused learning curriculum. It offers children hands-on experiences that ignite their curiosity and promote exploration in an environment that truly embodies the essence of the great outdoors. Additionally, development and credentialing are highly prioritized for the Growing Tree teachers. We are proud that 805 of staff hold a Career Level 10.