Greetings!

I love summer at the Goodman Community Center. Every square inch of space here is bustling with summer camps, innovative high school classes, food pantry offerings, community cooking groups and older adult activities. Here are some of the really great things happening here, thanks to your support.
 
Becky Steinhoff,
Executive Director

Photo: Dr. Rob San Juan



Children in our summer programs are prepared to go back to school

GCC's students are getting exercise, healthy meals and field trips this summer ---  but most importantly ---  they are learning. Our priority is to bridge the summer learning gap so that low-income students can enter their schools in the fall with the core subject and STEM skills necessary to compete with their higher income peers.

Our highest hope is that every student will do better in school because of these projects. But we will also pay attention to what works so we can do it again, and watch where it falls short so we can change, adjust, and try again. 

In our summer middle school program, students are taking innovative math lessons through Kahn Academy, an online personalized learning resource, facilitated by a school district math teacher. These students are taking these e-courses because they like learning. 

   GCC's older adult program provides balanced, nutritious meals each weekday in addition to a
variety of health and wellness activities.
 
Our older adult programs help seniors stay healthy, mindful and connected.  

  

Thanks to phenomenal efforts by our older adult program manager, Gayle Laszewski, our senior program has added an array of wellness options aimed at strengthening the lives and health of GCC's seniors.

Your contributions of time or dollars help program staff and volunteers offer food for low-income seniors,
mindfulness classesphilosophy discussionsgentle exercise and most critically ---  connectedness.

Mary, an older adult who comes for weekday meals shared, "I live alone and if I didn't have the Goodman Center to come to two days a week, I don't know what I'd do. It's no fun living alone and it's no fun cooking for one person, so I really  appreciate it. The [manager], she does a wonderful job, and the people that come here, come for the same reason I do."

As an added testament to our staff's dedication to securing futures for GCC's seniors, I'd like to share an anecdote about Gayle's commitment to supporting the older adults in her program. Gayle and other staff at the Center have worked tirelessly over the past year to secure housing for a number of homeless seniors, some of whom struggle with mental health issues and others who were hit hard by bad luck. After many meetings with housing authorities, our staff was proud to help these seniors move into new homes and appropriate assisted living facilities. The incredible dedication of our staff makes stories like this possible.
 
Click here to learn more about our older adult program at the Center. 


University of Wisconsin basketball phenom Nigel Hayes
(in red) grabs an ice cream with GCC's middle school boys group.
Badgers give back to GCC

Badger Athletics is giving back to the Center in a big way, inspiring program participants with life lessons, organizing our food pantry, hanging our shade sail and even cleaning our classrooms!

On June 10, half of the Badger football team arrived at the Center to help us prepare for summer programs. Student-athletes wiped down mats in our early childcare classrooms, stocked our food pantry and helped out with many other odd jobs. New coach Paul Cryst was on hand to assure us that his players would work "really hard."

Throughout the year, Badger student-athletes have been dropping in to our middle school study halls to reinforce the importance of academics and good study habits. Thanks to Nigel Hayes (pictured left) for topping off a visit with some ice cream.

Additionally, former Badger basketball star Mike Bruesewitz led a free basketball clinic on June 6 for elementary and middle school students at GCC. Almost 60 youth basketball players came out for the clinic, with coaching assistance from women's basketball standout Taylor Wurtz, and former Princeton player Jimmy Sherburne.

During the clinic, Bruesewitz stressed the importance of having fun while working hard. When he challenged participants to try things that might be a little uncomfortable, both on and off the court, campers responded with enthusiasm.




Summer splashing
GCC's splash pad is a popular neighborhood attraction, cooling our community this summer thanks to a generous donation from the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Foundation.

Feel free to stop by between 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. this summer, weather permitting!



Hero tales for families
We know you've heard about Spiderman, but what about Anansi the West-African spider and his six superhero sons?

Join Saddarri & Company for an interactive showcase of whimsical characters from around the world on Tuesday, July 28 at GCC, with a drum circle to follow in the gym.


Ironworks Cafe, daily
The Ironworks Cafe at the Goodman Community Center is now open every day, serving fresh, local food as part of our teen education and employment program, TEENworks.

The cafe is open:
M-F > 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Sat-Sun > 8:30 -2 p.m. 

Visit the Ironworks Cafe page for menus and more information.

If you would like to make a gift to the Center
to support our incredible programming, please give today.
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