Walnut Way Conservation Corps

Walnut Way is no longer the best kept secret in Milwaukee.

In September, the organization won the Wisconsin Ideas Award from the University of Wisconsin. Walnut Way co-founders Sharon and Larry Adams accepted the award at the Chancellor’s Awards Banquet Sept. 20 in Madison. Read about the event and the award.

In August, a film crew from Wisconsin Public Television visited Walnut Way to create a video that was aired at the award ceremony. View the 6-minute video with Real Media Player or Windows Media Player.

This grassroots neighborhood organization serves a neighborhood bounded by North Avenue, Walnut Street, Fond du Lac Avenue, 12th Street and 20th Street. Since its incorporation as a 501(c) 3 in 2000, it has taken ownership of six properties in the neighborhood, including houses to rehab and vacant lots to garden.

Among Walnut Way’s urban agriculture projects are an urban orchard and production garden.
Walnut Way spearheaded the first infill Tax Incremental Finance District that provided 10,000 forgivable loans for housing rehab or new construction. The $2.6 million in funding came from the Local Initiatives’ Support Corporation (LISC), primarily financed privately from funds from a group of local financial institutions. At year-end 2006, 268 loans had been originated. These loans leveraged over $19 million in private investment.More than one hundred houses have been built in the neighborhood.

In the summer of 2007, Walnut Way created a “Gardens to Market” program to teach local teens how to raise and market food locally. Two groups of young people participated in the project. Youth Corps Members, ages 13 to 15, participated in garden and marketing work, and earned a small stipend upon successfully completing the program. Youth Corp Leaders, ages 16 to 18, took on a larger share of the work and earned a larger stipend.

An additional summer program for children ages 9 to 13 introduced children to gardening activities in addition to their regular recreation and educational activities.

The Walnut Way community winds up the summer production season with a Harvest Day celebration in October.

For more information, see their MUAN member profile page, and check out the Walnut Way website at http://www.walnutway.org.