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Safe and Sound tells youth commission it reached thousands last year and seeks more youth partners
Summary
Representatives from Safe and Sound briefed the Milwaukee County Youth Commission on May 21 about neighborhood teams, youth and resident leadership programs, drug take-back activities and requests for youth involvement; presenters said the organization reached almost 10,000 youth last year.
Bridget Whitaker (executive director, not present) and Teneen Rucker and Danielle Johnson of Safe and Sound described the nonprofit's neighborhood-based violence-prevention and youth-empowerment work for the Milwaukee County Youth Commission on May 21.
Safe and Sound's mission, presenters said, is to "unite residents, youth, law enforcement, and community resources to build safe and empowered neighborhoods." The group operates neighborhood teams, youth programs and a Neighborhood Safety Coordinator (a civilian role embedded in police districts) to coordinate residents, police and city departments.
Program highlights presented included a six-week resident leader training (which youth can join), youth-focused programs such as the Natural High curriculum and a youth substance-prevention summit, and outreach efforts such as barbershop Monday and the Smile & Slay self-care program. Presenters said Safe and Sound partners with the Milwaukee Police Department and other agencies on National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day events; they reported that an April take-back collected 46 pounds of unused and expired medication and reached about 700 people with educational materials.
Teneen Rucker and Danielle Johnson invited commissioners to volunteer and partner. Presenters said Safe and Sound works in five of the city's seven police districts (Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7) and described a collective-impact model that brings district attorneys, the police department, the city attorney's office, department of neighborhood services, community-based organizations and youth-serving agencies into a single coordinating table.
Commissioners asked how the youth commission could help. Safe and Sound suggested volunteering at summer events and Juneteenth activities, joining resident-leader training, amplifying youth-led community empowerment events, and collaborating on school-based programs. Presenters also noted that the organization has expanded programming to Racine.
Ending: Safe and Sound encouraged commissioners to contact staff for opportunities to volunteer at events, to join training, and to discuss youth-led proposals for neighborhood programming.
