Community - Youth Education

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Khris Middleton Hosts Big Brothers, Big Sisters At Palermo's

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Andis Foundation have partnered to host six “Barbershop Mondays” with Bucks’ community partner Safe & Sound to foster open conversations with young men about building social and emotional confidence, leadership and how youth can develop positive mentor relationships.

Through the Barbershop Mondays, Powered by Andis program, community rooms in Milwaukee neighborhoods will transform into pop-up barbershops, offering free haircuts to young men between the ages of 10-23. Facilitated by Safe & Sound, these six sessions are more than just a haircut as the barbershop chairs provide the casual setting for open communication and dialogueamong attendees.  

“The Andis Foundation is excited to partner with the Milwaukee Bucks for our new Barbershop Mondays, Powered by Andis program,” said Laura AndisBishop, Co-President of Andis Company. “Neighborhood barbershops have long played a critical role in their communities, providing a safe place for young men to gather and talk about issues with a positive role model – their barber. This innovative program is an extension of that important relationship.”

The first Barbershop Monday program was held last week, with five more events slated throughout February and March. Bucks players are scheduled to attend at least two of the remaining sessions. More details on those visits will be announced at a later date.

Andis Foundation, Inc., a 501c-3 organization, was founded in 2015 and is the charitable giving arm of Andis® Company. Funded by Andis Company, its mission is to build strong families, develop thriving kids and foster a vibrant community in which to live. Since its establishment, Andis Foundation has provided over $500,000 in aid to organizations working to bring about positive change in their communities. For more information see andis.org.  

Andis Company, a family held business founded in 1922, is a leading manufacturer of handheld tools to trim, cut, curl, straighten and dry hair. Headquartered in Sturtevant, Wis., the company’s products are purchased in more than 90 countries by barbers and salon professionals, consumers, hotels, motels, resorts, small and large animal groomers and shearers. For more information visit andis.com.

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Milwaukee Bucks and the Andis Foundation Partner to Host Six 'Barbershop Mondays' With Safe & Sound

The Milwaukee Bucks, City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) have officially launched a first-of-its-kind partnership – MENTOR Greater Milwaukee – to provide support to mentor organizations and programs across the city and to help meet the demand for quality mentors in Milwaukee.

MENTOR Greater Milwaukee (MGM) is the 25th affiliate of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, a national organization that operates in collaboration with local affiliates to serve the mentoring field and young people across the country. MGM is the first of the 25 affiliates to have an NBA team, the city it’s based in and the primary school district in the state, partnered together.

“Mentoring is of the utmost importance to the entire Bucks organization,” Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum President Peter Feigin said. “We aim to use our platform to engage our corporate and community partners to join in the mentoring movement and to make a lasting impact across Milwaukee and Wisconsin. We look forward to seeing what MGM can accomplish in the near and long-term future.”

MGM will provide the necessary infrastructure to improve the quality of mentoring programs across Milwaukee by recruiting and supporting more mentors, fostering new collaborations, influencing public policy, increasing philanthropic support for mentoring and by collecting data to describe the impact of mentoring and identifying gaps in the range of services needed. MGM has set an initial goal of generating 1,000 new mentors in Milwaukee by the end of 2020. 

Alicia Moore, a Milwaukee native and Marquette University graduate who has worked in non-profit organizations for more than 10 years, has been named the Executive Director of MGM and will spearhead these efforts.

“The City of Milwaukee is pleased to announce MENTOR Greater Milwaukee, a partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks and Milwaukee Public Schools, which will work to increase the number of mentors to benefit our young people,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “Mentorship is an important way to connect our youth with someone who can guide them, keep them engaged and invest in their futures.”

“We have the power to change someone’s trajectory simply by pouring positivity into their lives,” said Milwaukee Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton. “This is why I believe mentoring is powerful, and this power should be at the center of our efforts to create a better Milwaukee.” 

“Mentors not only serve as role models, but they help students feel valued and empowered,” said MPS Superintendent Dr. Keith P. Posley. “We look forward to engaging with mentors across the city who will support our students now and look to them as leaders in the decades to come.”

Since 2014, mentoring has been a focus of the NBA thanks to former President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. The NBA partnered with MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership in late 2014 and made a commitment to help recruit 25,000 new mentors over five years. The NBA hit that mark in 18 months and since has doubled its overall commitment to 50,000 new mentors.

For more information on MENTOR Greater Milwaukee, or to find out how to get involved as a mentor, visitwww.milwaukeementor.com.  

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Milwaukee Bucks, City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public Schools Launch MENTOR Greater Milwaukee

In support of National Mentor Month, and as part of the organization’s larger year-long mentor platform, this January the Milwaukee Bucks will host a variety of events with Bucks players, front office staff and community organizations to promote the importance of mentoring, while encouraging members of the community to become mentors in real life.

Events planned this month with Bucks players and community organizations include Sterling Brown meeting with Operation Dream, Pat Connaughton meeting with youth from Journey House, Malcolm Brogdon and Thon Maker teaming up with the Bucks front office staff to host students from Marquette University Education Opportunity, and the Bucks hosting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee’s annual Volunteer/Mentor appreciation mixer at Fiserv Forum with an appearance by Khris Middleton.

This month will also include the formal launch of MENTOR Greater Milwaukee, a first of its kind partnership between Milwaukee Public Schools, the City of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Bucks, on Jan. 9 at Fiserv Forum.

“We understand the importance and impact mentoring can have on someone and are proud to make mentoring a core part of our culture throughout the entire Bucks organization,” said Bucks Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Arvind Gopalratnam. “We’re thrilled to launch MENTOR Greater Milwaukee next week and to once again be a part of National Mentor Month to bring visibility to the need for mentors in our community.”

Since 2014, mentoring has been a focus of the Bucks and the NBA thanks to former President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. The NBA partnered with the National Mentoring Partnership in late 2014 and made a commitment to help recruit 25,000 new mentors over five years. Impressively, the NBA hit that mark in 18 months and doubled its overall commitment to 50,000 new mentors.

Outside of National Mentor Month, the Bucks also host numerous year-long mentor initiatives including Bucks Career Nights, weekly outbound mentoring and an annual sports-based youth development coaches training. Details on future mentor events the Bucks have planned in January with players, front office staff and community organizations, and MENTOR Greater Milwaukee, will be announced throughout the month. Bucks fans can learn more about mentoring opportunities across the region by visiting www.milwaukeementor.com.

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Milwaukee Bucks to Partake in National Mentor Month

Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova is launching the second year of the Delly’s Deer reading program at Our Next Generation (ONG) following a successful first year of the program in 2017-18. Delly’s Deer reading program seeks to increase student interest in reading among middle school and elementary school youth at ONG through an incentivized ticket program. 

“Our Next Generation is an amazing organization that builds a future of opportunity for youth in the Milwaukee community through educational programming,” Dellavedova said. “My wife, Anna, and I look forward to building on our continued relationship with ONG through Delly’s Deer, a reading program created to support literacy initiatives and make reading fun.”

Last year 100 ONG students participated in the program, reading a total of 656 books, while every student attended at least one Bucks game along with members of their family. Dellavedova also partnered with Wisconsin Vision, Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin to help students undergo eye exams, and outfitted nearly 70 students who needed improved vision with glasses.

This year’s program will again set reading goals for ONG students, with students who meet and exceed those goals receiving with tickets to a Bucks game at Fiserv Forum, transportation to the game and a meal voucher, courtesy of Dellavedova. 

The Bucks organization also got involved with ONG last year by hosting students at the team’s front office every Thursday throughout the school year as part of ONG’s Outbound Mentoring Program. The Bucks front office staff will continue to mentor ONG’s youth this academic year as well. Dellavedova and his wife will continue to mentor and spend time with ONG students at its facility in addition to volunteering alongside the Bucks front office staff throughout the year.

A tip-off event for the second year of Delly’s Deer reading program at ONG will be announced at a later date.

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Matthew Dellavedova Launches Second Year of Delly's Deer Reading Program at Our Next Generation

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Thon Maker Reads To Students

The Milwaukee Bucks, BMO Harris Bank and SecureFutures have partnered to bring a best-in-class financial literacy program to Milwaukee area high school juniors and seniors. The goal of the program is to invest in Milwaukee’s youth to prepare them for managing money and to help change their behaviors about spending money at an influential age. 

“Our partners at BMO Harris Bank share our passion and vision for positively influencing youth in our community,” said Bucks Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Arvind Gopalratnam. “This joint commitment allows us to expand access to SecureFutures financial literacy curriculum as well as connect local professionals within our organization to more youth across Milwaukee area schools.”

“We believe in supporting financial literacy education and promoting financial wellbeing among our younger generations because we know the impact financial decisions have on individuals and communities,” said Jud Snyder, President, BMO Harris Equipment Finance Company, and BMO’s Senior Executive in Milwaukee. “We encourage all eligible students to take advantage of the program to learn about financial matters and develop skills that will be essential throughout adulthood.”

Together, the Bucks and BMO Harris Bank will give a $25,000 grant to SecureFutures to implement their program at 11 Milwaukee locations. SecureFutures is a nonprofit agency that empowers teens with financial education skills and mentors. The Bucks and BMO Harris Bank will also work with SecureFutures to provide financial mentors to students in the program. In addition, the Bucks will give six tickets to every home game at Fiserv Forum this season to incentivize students in the program.  

“This generous commitment will allow us to reach 2,000 more teens over the next two years, equipping them with the financial fundamentals they need to secure their futures,” said SecureFutures President and CEO Brenda Campbell. “It's encouraging to see visionary corporate leaders like the Milwaukee Bucks and BMO Harris Bank investing in the concrete needs of the community, transforming lives through the power of financial literacy and education. 

The financial literacy program will be implemented at the following locations: Milwaukee Bradley Technology and Trade, James Madison High School, Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Barack Obama SCTE, Milwaukee North Division, Milwaukee Reagan, Milwaukee Pulaski, Milwaukee Vincent, Carmen, SaintA and Employ Milwaukee.

BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through nearly 600 branches and fee-free access to over 40,000 ATMs across the United States. BMO Harris Bank’s commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet. Banking products and services are subject to bank and credit approval. BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a highly diversified financial services provider with total assets of CDN$765 billion (as of July 31, 2018), and more than 45,000 employees.

Community ‑ Youth Education