Versiti on King has officially opened its doors in Milwaukee’s Bronzeville district, where it will serve as a community resource inside the ThriveOn King hub.
Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin opened a blood center and community resource center — called Versiti on King — on Tuesday inside the ThriveOn King building, located at 2153 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Versiti held an open house for community members looking to give blood, connect and learn more about the services offered at Versiti on King.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Medical College of Wisconsin president and chief executive officer John Raymond also visited Versiti on King to donate blood Tuesday afternoon.
Versiti on King does not only serve as a site for blood donations. It offers education about diseases that commonly affect people of color, such as sickle cell, lupus, cancer and organ failure. Versiti on King also provides a community health navigator — a liaison between members of the community and health or social service organizations — as well as basic social services.
There is also a training center onsite for Versiti staff to learn elements of phlebotomy, and this "creates economic vibrancy for the community," Versiti CEO Chris Miskel said.
Versiti recognized a deficit in collecting blood in Black and brown communities, which limits the ability to serve patients with sickle cell disease and other blood disorders, Miskel said. This possible service to the community contributed to Versiti's presence at ThriveOn King, he said.
"There are other things here, but having a health care anchor was something that was really important to the leaders of ThriveOn," Miskel said. "If you live in this zip code, your life expectancy looks different than if you're at a zip code very much close by. The idea that we can do something that can impact patient wellness, first and foremost, was really important and inspiring to all of us."
ThriveOn King has been designed to serve as a community hub that currently houses Versiti on King, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s offices, the Medical College of Wisconsin’s community engagement programs, JobsWork MKE and Malaika Early Learning Center. The ThriveOn Collaboration, which is a partnership between the MCW, the GMF and Royal Capital, has led the development of ThriveOn King.
"We've made a long-term commitment to be here because we're inspired to lift this community," Miskel said.
The Tuesday opening of Versiti on King was incorporated into a broader ThriveOn King open house. The fall-themed event included trick-or-treating and other family activities on the first floor.
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