Voces de la Frontera, Inc. has launched a $1.6 million fundraising campaign to open a new headquarters on Historic Mitchell Street on Milwaukee’s south side.
The immigrants rights group has outgrown its current office space at 1027 S. 5th St. in the Walker’s Point neighborhood, according to executive director Christine Neumann-Ortiz.
“Anyone who walks into our current office sees a beehive of activity and will immediately notice how cramped and limited the space is, especially for community-driven programs like our highly regarded citizenship classes,” she said. “After a six-year search, we believe we have found our new home, in the heart of the Latinx community in the near southside.”
Voces announced the launch of its ¡Sí Se Puede! New Casa Campaign at its annual gala fundraiser on Oct. 25.
The group plans to move into the new building, at 733 W. Historic Mitchell St., early next year.
“Voces’ vision is to continue to be a welcoming center for Wisconsin’s immigrant, refugee and Latinx families, youth and allies, and expand our current programs and services,” Neumann-Ortiz said. “A larger headquarters will provide more space to increase the number of community members served through our renowned citizenship program and legal clinic, better accommodate families, expand the creative endeavors of our artist collective, Voces de los Artistas, and allow for more space to hold large workshops and meetings for our adult and youth mass membership base.”
Voces is working with Melissa Goins, president of Milwaukee-based Maures Development Group, and Joanne Sabir, co-owner of The Juice Kitchen and co-developer of Sherman Phoenix, through their consulting firm Freedom Endeavors on the pre-development phase.
Voces plans to have additional tenant spaces available within the building for nonprofits and businesses that complement its mission.
An anonymous donor has pledged to match $3 for every $1 donated toward the campaign, up tot $400,000, through Dec. 31.
“We are so excited to embark on this next chapter of our organization’s growth,” said Anna Dvorak, development director for Voce. “This generous contribution speaks to the recognition of our critical work in the Latinx and immigrant rights movement in Wisconsin and nationally as well as a belief in the vision and impact of what Voces can achieve in the future.”
