Governor Tony Evers Visits Next Door Milwaukee
On February 13th, 2025, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, accompanied by Department of Children and Families Secretary Jeff Pertl and WI State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde, visited Next Door Milwaukee’s Capitol Drive location as part of his statewide tour of Head Start organizations.
The visit aimed to highlight the importance of early childhood education, the impact of critical Head Start and Child Care Counts funding, and to understand the challenges and successes of programs serving the community, like Next Door.
To provide more insight into the visit, here are some of the key topics and questions that Next Door leadership discussed with the Governor.
Governor Evers spent time with our students in the Brewers Gross Motor room.
Q: What was the purpose of the Governor’s visit?
- A: Governor Evers aimed to learn more about Head Start services, focusing on high-quality education for children from birth to age five. He also sought to understand the impact of the federal funding freeze on our work, the importance of the Child Care Counts program, and ways his office can support our critical efforts.
Read with Me volunteers were able to meet Governor Evers after the program concluded.
Q: What were the highlights from the tour?
- A: The tour included visits to our Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms, observing children and teachers in our indoor play spaces, watching children prepare Hush Puppies in our Kids’ Kitchen, and seeing learning and play in our STEAM lab. Governor Evers also witnessed home-based socialization on-site, the Read with Me program where volunteers read one-on-one with children, and had conversations with staff, children, and volunteers.
Students in the Kid’s Kitchen showed Governor Evers the proper technique for making Hush Puppies.
Q: How many children do we serve across Next Door?
- A: To date, we serve just over 1,000 children, with the capacity to continue growing.
Governor Evers and WI State Representative Moore Omokunde pose for a picture with a Head Start student.
Q: Where do you serve them?
- A: Next Door serves children across our two Center Based programs (Capitol Drive and our 29th Street location), in our Home Based program (the largest in the state), and in the nine Milwaukee area Child Care Partnership sites we support, which include:
- COA Youth and Family Centers
- JO’s Learning Academy
- La Causa
- Malaika Early Learning Center
- Neighborhood House
- St. Joseph Academy
- TenderCare Christian Child Care Center
- Train up a Child Learning Center
- YMCA
Next Door staff member Patrice Knox, Director of our Home Based Programs, was able to tell Governor Evers more information about our Home Based programs and the families we serve.
Q: How important is Child Care Counts and what do we do with the funding?
- A: Child Care Counts is critical for recruiting and retaining a passionate workforce dedicated to serving families and ensuring children are ready for school and life success. We invest in our staff’s skills, knowledge, and credentials through our Pathways program and commit as much funding as possible to staff compensation and benefits.
Governor Evers visited our STEAM lab, where students learn and play with toys related to science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.
Q: What additional supports or programming is available for working families?
- A: Through our Child Care Authorization program, we are able to offer extended hours of education-based childcare for students and families who qualify. We also set goals with families, such as finding medical homes, dental homes, and mental health supports.
Governor Evers, DCF Secretary Jeff Pertl, and WI State Representative Supreme Moor Omokunde are pictured with members of Next Door’s leadership team and staff.
Q: Did the federal Head Start funding freeze impact your organization, and how so?
- A: Yes, the freeze impacted us in how we had to plan and strategize for potential short and long-term unknowns in how operations, staffing, and services may be impacted. We did not have access to our Head Start funding for over two weeks, without assurance of when funds would be restored. Despite this, we were proud to continue opening classrooms and welcoming new children to keep our work and mission moving forward for children and families.
The Importance of Early Childhood Education
Governor Evers’ visit underscored the bipartisan importance of early childhood education. We were proud to showcase our engaged staff and volunteers, the joy and learning of our children, and the beautiful spaces at our Capitol Drive location. The visit highlighted the critical need for continued support in addressing issues such as the local lead epidemic, access to medical services, funding for children with exceptional needs, and mental health supports.
At Next Door, we are committed to providing the highest quality early childhood education and family support services. We are grateful for the recognition and support from Governor Evers, and we look forward to continuing our mission to make a difference in the lives of children and families in our community. Every child deserves a strong start in life – and we are here to partner with families to ensure that happens.