Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation transformed the former Bethesda corporate headquarters into a multi-purpose community hub, called The Collective, through a $22 million redevelopment project.
The foundation, which serves residents of Dodge and Jefferson counties, in 2022 purchased the former office building and 80 adjacent acres along the Rock River. The Collective opened in summer 2023, addressing community needs such as housing, child care, mental health and capacity building for other nonprofits.
Spanning 55,000 square feet across three floors, The Collective includes a child care and early education center, a YMCA, Jefferson County Head Start and coworking spaces utilized by several businesses and nonprofits. It also serves as the foundation’s new headquarters.
A second campus building was repurposed into a crisis stabilization facility. A housing development will also be added to the campus. The rent that the foundation collects from tenants at the Collective will be reinvested into community projects.
“In communities where resources are limited, progress only happens when we put our personal agendas aside and focus on shared outcomes. That spirit, the humility, generosity of our partners is what makes this work not just possible, but powerful.”
– Tina Crave, chief transformation officer, Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation
Finalists:
Kinship MKE
The Kinship Community Food Center created a workforce development program that offers an innovative, trauma-informed approach to tackling the root causes of long-term poverty.
The program is embedded within the Kinship Café, which opened in November 2024 on the first floor of the ThriveOn King development at 2153 N. King Drive in Milwaukee. Trainees learn valuable culinary skills and are paid for their time, allowing them to invest in their personal growth without sacrificing financial stability. Revenue generated through Kinship Café is reinvested into the program.
Kinship Café is open Monday through Friday for breakfast and lunch. It also sells coffee drinks and grab-and-go food items.
In 2024, Kinship served more than 16,000 members of the community, logged more than 24,000 volunteer hours and made more than 470 referrals for families in crisis. The nonprofit also distributed 322,000 pounds of food and 45,000 pounds of high-demand items.
Formerly known as Riverwest Food Pantry, Kinship was founded in 1979 and became a 501(c)(3) organization in 2013. The organization was renamed Kinship Community Food Center in 2022. Vincent Noth serves as Kinship’s executive director.
St. Vincent de Paul of Waukesha County
St. Vincent de Paul of Waukesha County currently operates the third-largest thrift store in the U.S. by square footage.
A decade ago, it operated a small Waukesha thrift store, generating $175,000 in surplus for community support. The opening of its first large-scale store on Sunset Drive marked a turning point, enabling greater community support.
In 2024, the organization’s in-kind donations to those in need surpassed its total profit from 2014. St. Vincent de Paul of Waukesha County reinvested over $2 million into the Waukesha County community, including $600,000 in rent assistance last year.
Through partnerships with parish conference groups, the nonprofit provides thousands of individuals with free clothing through its Care Card program. In addition, its St. Dismas Ministry provides formerly incarcerated individuals with essentials like bus passes, clothing and rent assistance to reduce recidivism.
St. Vincent de Paul of Waukesha County plans to launch a recycling initiative to repurpose goods and generate revenue for the organization and its partner.
In 1953, a building in Waukesha was donated to St. Vincent de Paul to house donations. Today, the organization has stores in Waukesha, Oconomowoc and Pewaukee. Bob Glowacki currently serves as its chief executive officer.
