Madison-area Urban Ministry
“Neighbors Working Together for Social Change”
Love, Justice and Community: Life-Sustaining Values
Madison-area Urban Ministry Celebrates 42 Years
Madison-area Urban Ministry (MUM) is a voice for justice. Supporters will gather on May 20th to celebrate 42 years of advocacy and action for social justice. MUM’s work sustains the values of love and justice in our community. When serving as an incubator for innovative ideas for social change, when providing direct services for neighbors in need, or when stepping forward as advocates, MUM stands with the poor and hurting of Dane County.
MUM provides services for families and individuals affected by the criminal justice system. The Mentoring Connections program matches children who have a parent in jail or prison with adult mentors who are sensitive to the special challenges these children face. Family Connections takes children to visit their mothers at Wisconsin’s Taycheedah prison for women. Volunteers in Reading Connections make videos of incarcerated moms and dads reading books to their kids. The books, DVD and a letter from their parent are sent to each child. MUM staff members reach into Wisconsin prisons to work with incarcerated people who are planning for their return home. In the community, MUM’s Journey Home, Circles of Support and other reentry programs link returning prisoners with resources.
Just Bakery, a new MUM enterprise, is a 16-week vocational training program that prepares men and women with employment barriers to work in food service and commercial bakeries. The program includes life skills, employability training, math tutoring, basic food and ingredient knowledge, and hands on training in commercial kitchens. Students learn food production, baking, customer service and communication. Program graduates earn professional credentials. Proceeds from product sales provide continuing support for the program, which is so successful that Just Bakery now employs some of its own graduates.
In response to the real and evident need for homeless people to receive medical respite care, MUM is collaborating with congregational partners, local hospitals and businesses to open Healing House within the coming year. Open 24/7, this facility will give care during recuperation and a case manager to assist families to obtain stable housing. By offering rest and shelter to families where an adult or child needs to recuperate, Healing House will ameliorate the current situation in which patients are released from the hospital directly back to the streets.
MUM’s 42nd annual celebration and fundraiser--Love, Justice and Community: Life-Sustaining Values--will be at the Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa Street in Madison, on Wednesday, May 20, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $42 and are available at the MUM office in the Villager on South Park Street, or can be purchased online at www.emum.org . (For online purchases, write “ticket” in the memo.)
MUM welcomes all to join the celebration. Community support is crucial to MUM’s continued presence in Dane County. Questions? Contact Linda Ketcham, Director at
Madison-area Urban Ministry, 2300 South Park St., #2022 Madison, WI 53713
MUM office is located in the Atrium building at the Villager mall
Phone 608-256-0906 Fax 608-256-4387 Web www.emum.org