How Rooted & Rising is Building a Stronger Future in Washington Park

September XX, 2025

Rooted & Rising’s annual Back to School Pop-Up & Resource Fair empowers families with school supplies, vital services, and community support — proving real change happens when we work together.

Near 35th and Lisbon in Milwaukee’s Washington Park neighborhood, sits an unassuming, vacant lot.

As the summer winds down and families begin to prepare for the school year ahead, this lot turns into a vibrant, bustling event that families and agencies come together for, enjoying good food, fun, and conversation. The event, the Washington Park Back to School Pop-Up and Resource Fair, has become a staple to the neighborhood. 

For the past five years, Rooted & Rising – Washington Park has coordinated the Washington Park Back to School Pop-Up and Resource Fair, a one-day event designed to prepare students and their families for a successful year ahead. But the event goes beyond sharpened pencils and new backpacks. It’s a chance for neighbors to come together in a celebration of community, resilience, and opportunity.

Rooted & Rising – Washington Park, a social service agency in the Washington Park neighborhood, is dedicated to helping individuals and families meet their basic needs, establish stable foundations, and pursue their dreams. The agency takes a holistic approach in its mission and in coordinating the event, connecting families to resources that support academic success and overall well-being. Dozens of local organizations and volunteers contribute to the event, from law enforcement providing food to local ministries offering braiding services. This year, Rooted & Rising collaborated with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County’s Backpack Coalition for the distribution of backpacks. 

“We were a little low on supplies this year,” said Adrian Spencer, Deputy Director at Rooted & Rising. “And we received an e-mail from United Way asking if we could use book bags for back to school. It was such a timely email. The answer was absolutely, yes.”

Partnership is at the heart of the event’s success. Alongside backpacks, families find free haircuts and braiding services, after-school program sign-ups, tutoring opportunities, job support for parents, sports physicals, immunization clinics, dental care, and mental health services. While Rooted & Rising coordinates bringing these resources together, they remain grateful for the efforts of every organization that takes part in the event, including Community Smiles Dental, Fathers Making Progress, The Parenting Network, Community Advocates, AchieveMKE, and many others.

“Not one of us can do it alone,” said Executive Director Bill Schmitt. “Collaboration is how we do everything.”

The location in the vacant lot is intentional, too — nestled between two elementary schools, a high school, and a youth-serving organization — making it easily accessible to local families. Parents can feel confident that the needs of their children are met as they head into a new school year.

“We listen to what parents, teachers, and administrators tell us their students need,” Adrian explained. “Sometimes that’s a scientific calculator for a high schooler, sometimes it’s making sure shot records are up to date, so kids don’t miss school.”

Rooted & Rising’s partnership with United Way has extended beyond back-to-school for a few years. With support from United Way’s Safe & Stable Homes initiative, they help families secure and maintain affordable housing, operate with compassion-first property management practices, and distribute lead-safe kits to protect children’s health. 

“Safe & Stable Homes allows us to make decisions in the best interest of families,” Bill said.

For the hundreds of children who left the Washington Park Back to School Pop-Up and Resource Fair with a new backpack, a fresh haircut, and a connection to vital resources, the event was more than a community gathering in a vacant lot — it was a reminder that they are supported, valued, and ready for the year ahead.

As Adrian put it: “Everybody loves a full book bag. But even more than that, we want our kids and families to feel prepared, confident, and connected. That’s what this is all about.”

 

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is proud to support Rooted & Rising – Washington Park in their mission to build a nurturing, thriving community, where all people feel a sense of belonging. Real change happens when we work together. Their ongoing partnership with many local organizations embodies our belief that to build a strong community, we must do it United.

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