Neighbor News
Celebrate Spring by Volunteering!
Here are a few ways to volunteer this Spring, Earth Day and Arbor Day.
Spring is in the air, and you can celebrate by making our community a better and greener place to live in. Volunteer Milwaukee, a service of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee, features a calendar full of events, one-time and ongoing. Here are a few opportunities in April and May.
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Lead or Join Adopt-a-Beach
Find out what's happening in Milwaukeefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Lead or join a group that has already organized an Adopt-a-Beach™ cleanup. In addition to picking up debris, volunteers record what they find to help guide education and solutions;
April and May dates.
Open to individuals and groups.
Find out what's happening in Milwaukeefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Grant Park Beach: April 14, 9:00 a.m.-noon.
- Bradford Park Beach: April 21, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- McKinley Park Beach: April 21, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Schlitz Audubon Center Beach: April 22, 10:00 a.m.-noon.
- Big Bay Park Beach: May 5, 10:00-1100 a.m.
Learn more details at greatlakesadopt.org.
Discovery World
Earth Day Celebration
Assist with traffic control, welcome guests in and out of the theater for presentations, clean up Lakeshore State Park and more Sunday, April 22; 4 hour shifts between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Number of volunteers: 40
Contact Kelly Christman at volunteer@discoveryworld.org or 414-765-1978
Friends Of Boerner Botanical Gardens
May-October: In-Garden Volunteering
Pick up twigs, leaves, and debris; add compost and mulch to flower beds, weed and cut back plants. Weekdays 8 a.m.-3 p.m. or weekends 8-11 a.m.
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact: Paul Vandermeuse at PVandermeuse@fbbg.org or 414-525-5659
Friends of Wehr Nature Center
Tuesdays Year-round: Wheel-n-Chip Society
Chip trails, trim bushes, mend fences, burn prairie. 9-11 a.m.
Number of volunteers: 5
Mondays Year-round: Phenology Walkers
Walk trails and park. Look for seasonal changes in plants and birds; 8:30-11 a.m.
Number of volunteers: 5
Contact: Mary Gaub at mary.gaub@ces.uwex.edu or 414-425-8550
Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful
Great American Cleanup Kick-off
Set up, register volunteers and pass out supplies Saturday, April 21 9:00 a.m.-noon for the start of the spring cleanup season (through May 31).
Open to individuals and groups.
Great American Cleanup
Join this nation-wide cleanup and choose any day in April and/or May to clean up a neighborhood, park, or river near you! Supplies are
provided.
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact: Betsy Bolte at betsy@kgmb.org or 414-272-5462 Ext. 301
Arbor Day Tree Planting
Plant a tree in your neighborhood, local park or elsewhere in Milwaukee Friday, April 27. Contact us with a plan of location and number of trees. This is a great group activity.
Contact: Joe Wilson at jwilson@kgmb.org or 414-272-5462.
Milwaukee Recreation Department
Hawthorn Glen Park Cleanup
Help out with trash clean up around the property and remove invasive species or any other special projects Saturday, April 21; 9 a.m.-noon.
Open to individuals and groups.
Earth Day Cleanup
Participate in the Historic Concordia neighborhood spring clean-up by picking up trash, sweeping out debris and more Saturday, April 21; noon-2:30 p.m.
Number of volunteers: 45
Contact: Tasha Parker at tparker@nh-milw.org or 414-933-6161 ext.142
Park People Of Milwaukee County
Spring Weed-Outs
Remove garlic mustard in Milwaukee County Parks Saturdays; 9 a.m.-noon.
- Doctor’s Park, April 28 - Number of volunteers: 38
- Hoyt Park, May 5 – Number of volunteers: 8
- Menomonee River Parkway, May 12: Number of volunteers: 37
- Cudahy Nature Preserve, May 19: Number of volunteers: 36
Open to individuals and groups. Contact us for complete Park schedule.
Contact: Dawn St. George at dawn@parkpeoplemke.org or 414-273-7275
Penfield Children’s Center
Outdoor Beautification
Penfield needs a team of 4-6 to trim bushes, sweep and rake, pick up trash, tidy up playground area and wash outside windows Thursday, April 19; 2 hours in morning or afternoon.
Number of volunteers: 6
Contact: Ellen Anderson at ellenanderson@penfieldchildren.org or 414-345-6376
River Revitalization Foundation
Fostering Our Riparian Biodiversity
Remove invasive species, establish native plants and trees and maintain trails to improve habitat surrounding Milwaukee's river basin; Monday and Friday afternoons and Saturdays in spring, summer and fall months.
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@riverrevitalizationfoundation.org at or 414-271-8000.
Running Rebels Community Organization
Harambee Community Clean Up
Pick up trash and clean up the Harambee neighborhood Saturday, April 21, 9:00 a.m.-noon and then enjoy the after-party and picnic at Clinton Rose Park.
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact: Sharon Cross at volunteer@runningrebels.org or 414-316-5222.
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Restore and Preserve our 185-acre Classroom
Remove invasive species on the shores of Lake Michigan in northern Milwaukee County with our Conservation Team; Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings. Fill out an application.
Open to individuals and groups.
World Migratory Bird Day Festival
Assist with indoor children’s art & craft activities, bird call bingo and an outdoor bird relay game Sunday, May 6; 2 shifts between 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Number of volunteers: 10
Contact: Marie Honel at MHonel@schlitzaudubon.org or 414-352-2880, ext. 144.
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers
Kinnickinnic Spring River Clean Up
As part of the Environmental Health program, clean up Pulaski Park, the river, and the surrounding neighborhood by picking up trash Saturday, April 21; 9 a.m.-noon.
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact: Stephanie Mercado at stephanie.mercado@sschc.org or 414-897-5596
Urban Ecology Center
Earth Day of Service
Clean up and add wood chips to trails, remove invasive species, pick up trash in parks and more at one of three Urban Ecology Center locations Saturday, April 21; 9:00 a.m.-noon.
Number of volunteers: 15 at each location.
ROOT (Restore Our Outdoor Treasures)
Help replace invasive species with native plants, trail maintenance, erosion control and more during spring and summer months; morning and afternoon shifts. Choose from one of three Urban
Ecology Center locations.
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact Menomonee Valley: Chris Steinkamp at csteinkamp@urbanecologycenter.org or 414-431-2940
Contact Riverside Park: Taylor Valencia at tvalencia@urbanecologycenter.org or 414-964-8505
Contact Washington Park: Ben Barker at bbarker@urbanecologycenter.org or 414-344-5460
Victory Garden Initiative
Fruity Nutty Blitz
Plant fruit and nut trees in residential yards and community spaces throughout the Milwaukee area April 19-22; morning and afternoon shifts. Register here.
Number of volunteers: 160
Victory Garden Blitz
Help construct raised garden beds so Milwaukee residents can have access to healthy, affordable food. May 12-26. Register here.
Number of volunteers: 560
Farmhand for Urban Farm
Compost food waste, water crops, pull weeds, harvest produce, plant seeds, dig, mulch, etc. Drop in volunteer days are on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; noon-4:00 (weather permitting).
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact: Eric Anderson at Eric@VictoryGardenInitiative.org or 414-431-0888.
Wellspring
April and beyond: Land Steward - Grooming the Grounds
Groom Milwaukee River frontage walking trails and ponds. Weekdays, evenings or weekends.
Open to individuals and groups.
Contact: Mary Ann Ihm at wellspring@hnet.net or 262-675-6755
Visit VolunteerMilwaukee.org to find additional opportunities to make our community a better place!
