LISC is an integral part of the rebirth of some long-distressed Milwaukee neighborhoods, working with community partners to create neighborhoods of opportunity and choice. Building Sustainable Communities is their core approach.
They consider the built environment but also look beyond it to the kinds of programs that help children learn, help families build assets, help local businesses thrive, and help residents lead safer, healthier lives. In Lindsay Heights and Clarke Square, for instance—two of the first neighborhoods identified in a $50 million Zilber Family Foundation commitment to 10 Milwaukee communities—LISC is drawing on the powerful assets, skills and energy of residents to bring about comprehensive revitalization. Neighbors, business leaders, and other stakeholders collaborate to identify their communities pressing needs and create blueprints for increased prosperity. They pursue catalytic projects to improve local infrastructure and foster cohesiveness. Hallmark initiatives for LISC Milwaukee include building family income and wealth, healthcare partnerships, green development, and community safety programs. Building Sustainable Communities is a strategy that works and the impact is already being felt in neighborhoods across the city.