Dozens of organizations unite to help vulnerable population on city’s north side

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- More than 25 different community organizations came together Thursday morning to help the city of Milwaukee’s most at-risk residents.

Community health care workers and volunteers were hard at work assembling boxes of food for the area’s most vulnerable population.

“Unity in the community identifies the you in me,” said Jarvis West, a community health worker with Independent Care Health Plan.

Dozens of health care workers and volunteers gathered at Ephesians Missionary Baptist Church on the city’s north side.

Twenty-five local organizations banded together for Feed the Need MKE, building boxes of food for residents in an area hit hard by COVID-19.

“Disparities happen here on the north side here with our African American community,” said Bria Grant, the founder and executive director of Unite MKE. “However, this is not uncommon when it comes to disparities in communities of color."

The virus is particularly dangerous for African Americans, because they’re affected by higher rates of preexisting conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma -- making the danger of catching the virus even more concerning.

“There are people that don’t want to leave the house just because of the pandemic. So we bring the food to them,” West told us.

That's why Thursdays boxes are headed to the homes of the elderly and immunocompromised.

Volunteers wore masks and gloves as they prepared the boxes to show their community they care and are here to help.

“We want to make sure that people know that other people are thinking about you during this time,” said Grant. “They want to make sure you’re well, they want to make sure your needs are taken care of, and we are all in this together.”

They’re planning on delivering about 200 meal boxes or more.

If you know someone who needs help or would like to sign up to volunteer, you can do so here.