Wellpoint Care Network Working to Reach More Dads Within Milwaukee Community
Honoring fathers, giving support and building relationships.
Those were the goals of the recent ‘Donuts with Dads and More’ event hosted by Congress School in Milwaukee.
“This event aligned with my thought that a dad’s presence is very vital in the community and within their family,” said Andrew Bonner, Wellpoint Care Network Community Engagement Coordinator.
That’s why Bonner was quick to agree to partner with Congress School for their event and excited to have the opportunity to share resources about Wellpoint Care Network’s programs.
“Oftentimes, dads are overlooked, so we want to bring them to the forefront and give them the resources they need to shine, to grow. At Wellpoint Care, our goal is to empower people. This is one of the populations that I personally feel strongly attracted to. Being a father myself, I know the importance of having support from another father versus another person that may not understand the struggle.”
Because of Bonner’s passion for helping dads in Milwaukee, he is also helping to organize a ‘Diapers for Dads’ event in partnership with the Milwaukee Diaper Mission.
“One of the goals is to give 100 diapers to 100 dads. We want to let dads know that they’re supported, because there’s not a lot of resources out there specifically designed for them. We’re going to bring them out and show them that as an organization, we care about them, we value their presence, we value everything that they do.”
A diaper collection will take place throughout the month of November, with a distribution event being held in Wellpoint Care’s Social Hall on December 15.
“We are going to be giving dads wipes and diapers, of course,” said Bonner. “But we’re also going to have employment resources there. We’re going to have different men’s groups. We’re going to have child support liaisons there. We’re hoping to get some felony expungement agencies there as well. The overall view is, yes, we’re giving away the diapers, but we also want to give them the resources to help them get a good job, help them maintain a good job, figure out what issues or what barriers are preventing them from excelling to the best of their abilities.”
At Wellpoint Care Network, we know that unresolved trauma often can lead to ongoing instability in a few key areas of life. We call those areas the Five Pillars of Stability: Employment, Education, Housing, Health and Caring Connections.
When any of these needs go unmet, it’s impossible for a person to truly thrive. Leading with empathy, compassion, respect and transparency, we partner with families and individuals to help them achieve stability and reach their fullest potential.
“One of the things that I love about Wellpoint Care is that we work to meet people where they are at,” added Bonner. “Our growing team is out in the community. We’re having those conversations. ‘What is it that you need?’ Because not every family is struggling with food. Not every family is struggling with education. We cannot use a cookie cutter approach. We have to be specific. The only way we can get specific is to have conversations with the people that we’re saying we’re here to help. We’re trying to dig our roots deep into the community so that we can make an impact.”
