Milwaukee County extension officials told the County Parks and Culture Committee on May 6 that University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension programming in 2024 reached hundreds of young people and supported community gardening, nutrition education and financial training across the county.

"We're the outreach arm of UW–Madison," Jerry Bratz, area extension director for Extension Milwaukee County, said as he summarized the office's 2024 work. He described Extension's mission as bringing university research to residents and community partners across Wisconsin.

The presentation grouped multiple programs under the single Extension umbrella. Athena Mays, 4‑H associate educator, said the county's 4‑H partnerships operate inside Milwaukee Public Schools and with community organizations. "Some of those programs are chess, we do robotics, we do STEM, we do creative writing and expressions," Mays said. She told the committee 4‑H served about 400 young people in 2024 and listed ZIP codes where programming is concentrated.

Extension staff also described a youth-led site called the Beehive at Fifth and Beecher that combines food production, place-making and employment. Committee materials show the Beehive received roughly $800,000 in additional funds over the past six years from two multi‑year federal grants described in the presentation as "community use at risk" and "families at risk" grants; Extension staff said the money supported raised beds, fruit trees, murals and paid summer internship slots.

Martin Ventura, urban agriculture and community garden specialist, told supervisors the Extension program maintains secure land tenure on county property through formal agreements. "We have a five‑year lease with the county on six sites for a little under 68 acres, and it's very meaningful to the over 4,400 families which our program serves," Ventura said, summarizing the program's scale. He said the program served just under 400 household plots last season, reaching more than 1,000 individual residents, and operates an "incubator" micro‑farm option that lets small growers test commercial production without buying land.

Ventura described a beekeeping certification course that draws sustained interest: 22 people enrolled last year, 18 completed the course and participants worked in apiaries through the season. He said the urban‑ag team emphasizes soil health, reduced mechanical disturbance, cover cropping and invasive‑species control.

On chemical use, Ventura said the program discourages pesticide use and does not allow regulated chemicals that require an applicator license. He estimated commercial growers represent "within 5 percent to 10 percent" of gardeners and said Extension follows UW–Madison guidance on integrated pest management.

Jill Van Ayersdale, FoodWIse program administrator for Milwaukee County, described federally funded nutrition education programs that target SNAP‑eligible audiences. "Our program provides nutrition education across Milwaukee County to a very, broad audience," Van Ayersdale said, noting classes that range from early‑childhood to senior programs and multi‑week series designed to reinforce new eating behaviors. She said FoodWIse is funded by USDA SNAP‑Ed and EFNEP federal dollars and requires partners to sign eligibility agreements ensuring participants are SNAP‑eligible.

Tanya Aguirre, a human‑development educator, described Rent Smart and financial‑capability training delivered inside reentry programs. She shared a participant testimonial—"in my 57 years, I have never created a budget"—to illustrate program impact on housing stability and post‑release outcomes.

Erica (last name not specified in the presentation), an educator focused on entrepreneurial financial wellness, said a six‑week cohort curriculum covering cash flow, pro formas and tax planning has reached about 40 entrepreneurs and that the program helped secure a $200,000 WEDC grant to provide up to $10,000 per participating entrepreneur upon completion.

Extension staff told supervisors their programs rely on a mix of federal, state and county funding: FoodWIse is primarily federal (USDA) funds; urban agriculture positions are state‑funded; 4‑H and other programs use a combination of sources including grants and local partnerships. Presenters emphasized collaboration with Parks, community organizations and colleges, and several supervisors suggested expanding partnerships with local banks and workforce programs to scale education and finance offerings.

Committee members asked about site partners and program capacity; presenters said the Extension office is a small team with limited staff and that many efforts depend on collaborators such as schools, community centers, the Xerces Society and local nonprofits.

Extension officials asked supervisors to consider outreach partnerships and noted they will continue to seek sites and partners for summertime programming and aging partner‑staff transitions.