Bending the Arc

The Fond du Lac Public Library will soon be powered by the sun.

Installation has begun on an array of 500-watt solar panels on the roof of the library. When complete, 240 solar panels will harvest energy from the sun, providing power to the Fond du Lac Public Library.

“We are excited to have this project started,” said library director Jon Mark Bolthouse, who spearheaded the solar project. “After almost three years of planning and fund-raising, the solar panels were delivered to the library Thursday.”

These solar panels are expected to be installed by April 4 and integrated into the library’s electrical system by the end of May.

The library will remain easy and safe to access throughout the project.  Equipment and materials will remain far away from both the south entrance adjacent to the parking lot as well as the north entrance by Sheboygan Street. Chapter 52 Bookstore, which is the library’s bookstore located next door, also will not be impacted. The library will remain open for its regular hours throughout the duration of the project.

When the installation is complete, the new solar panels are expected to generate up to 400 kilowatts a day, which is enough electricity to cover more than 25% of the library’s electrical needs. Library leadership expects the project to save the Fond du Lac Public Library more than $17,000 a year.

“Every dollar saved is another dollar that we can use toward vital services and materials for the Fond du Lac community,” Bolthouse said.

The library’s collection serves every age group, from picture books for pre-readers to a robust equipment collection, and much more. Online services supported by the library include a streaming service for movies and series (Kanopy); an e-book, audiobook, and online magazine app (Libby); a language learning app (Mango), and much more.

Eventually, visitors to the library will be able to literally see the savings. A special display will be installed later this year near the library’s south entrance; it is expected to display live updates about how much electricity the panels are generating for the library and more.

Financial support for the solar project was provided through a combination of Capital Improvement funds from the city of Fond du Lac and funding from the Friends of the Fond du Lac Public Library, as well as private donations from community members. [press release]

Dusty Krikau, president of the library board, added “Knowing that this project has been supported in large part by community donations in addition to the tax dollars from the City’s Capital Improvement fund, shows that when funds are needed for initiatives that make our library better for the planet, people will come forward to make it happen!” 
 

Later this month, athletes, sports fans, and many others will convene in Green Bay for the NFL Draft. To highlight awareness of human trafficking, the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT) and Catholic Sisters in Green Bay have planned a series of activities in Wisconsin.

• Join this online webinar to understand how major sporting events intersect with human trafficking on April 8, 2025 at 1:00 pm CT. Register here.
• On March 25, join the march against human trafficking on Green Bay’s City Deck from 11 am - 12 pm. https://downtowngreenbay.com/go/citydeck
• Attend the Symposium at St. Norbert College on April 25 from 6 to 8 pm CT, featuring: WI Rep. Jerry O’Conner; Katie Boller Gosewich, E.D. of AEHT; and Sister Sally Ann Brickner, St. Francis of the Holy Cross. Location: Cassandra Voss Center, 311 Grant St. in De Pere, WI 54115
• April 24-26, join a 48-hour, round-the-clock vigil to pray for the survivors of human trafficking and those committed to stopping it. This will happen at Resurrection Catholic Church, 333 Hilltop Drive in Green Bay. Visit the Facebook event at Adoration Against Trafficking or Sign up here.

Then on Sunday, April 27, the Alliance to End Human Trafficking will be making a stop in Fond du Lac at Marian University at 4 pm. Featured speakers will talk to college and high school students, faculty, staff, families, and the local community. This free event will take place in the Stayer Auditorium. No registration required.

It is with great pride and excitement to announce that students at Fond du Lac High School have submitted an entry to the Alliance to End Human Trafficking video contest and they have given CSA permission to share their creation! You can watch the student’s video here.

Contest winners will be announced on April 30. Let’s give thanks and cheer on our local team of students!
 

In the United States, a significant amount of food goes uneaten, with estimates suggesting that 30-40% of the food supply is wasted annually, costing the economy billions and impacting the environment. We can - and must - do better!

April 7-13 is Food Waste Prevention Week across America. Anyone can join this movement by visiting or becoming a partner at https://www.foodwastepreventionweek.com/ 

On the website, you will find valuable webinars and information on in-person events happening throughout the country. One resource offered is a fun and easy-to-use calendar of daily tips for preventing food waste. Visit CSA’s Facebook page to follow along at https://www.facebook.com/csasisters 

A Laudato Si’ Action Platform goal for CSA in 2025, year 4 of our 7-year commitment to the Plan, is to Increase Landfill Diversion Efforts. We know that food waste in landfills produces methane, a harmful and potent greenhouse gas. Motherhouse Sisters and staff have already been finding creative ways to reduce food waste, but they have started to deposit their food waste more appropriately. Last fall, CSA began a food waste pickup service with Organix, d.b.a., Denali. Every other week, food waste is diverted from landfills and turned into compost and renewable energy.

New this Spring, CSA will be offering our retreatants at the hermitages an opportunity to collect their food waste and depositing it in the outdoor compost tote here at the Motherhouse. An informational brochure and compost bin will be offered to all guests who stay in our hermitages. This is one among several ongoing efforts to increase our landfill diversion efforts throughout the community.

Late last month, the Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip. Mr. Glossip’s case attracted broad support after the state’s top law enforcement official revealed prosecutorial misconduct. What’s even more incredible about this case is that Glossip had been scheduled for execution nine times. He was hours from being executed in 2015 when prison officials discovered they had received the wrong lethal drug, a mistake that led in part to a six-year moratorium on executions in the state. Read the full story here: https://archive.ph/HjiHm 

In response to the overturning of Mr. Glossip’s execution, Abraham Bonowitz, Executive Director of Death Penalty Action, issued a powerful statement for us all to think about. He wrote, “Richard Glossip had three last meals. We must not forget how close he has been to an execution. The courts in Oklahoma were perfectly fine with killing Richard Glossip. Numerous others have been executed with evidence of innocence even more compelling. This is a remarkable rebuke to the ideas that new evidence is irrelevant and there comes a time when finality is more important than getting it right.

However, the truth is that for this moment to come, it took a film to catch the eye of someone with the ear of right wing pro-death penalty legislators who put their careers on the line once they understood the truth. It took numerous long-form journalists writing about this case over the years.  It took massive resources, including a private law firm tasking dozens of lawyers reviewing every shred of evidence in the case. It took unusual voices like those pro-death penalty legislators, Dr. Phil, the pro-execution Oklahoma Attorney General and at least one major political donor influencing whether that AG would even take the meeting ("you are the only reason I'm here," said OK AG Gentner Drummond). Truly, it took an alignment of the stars.

Good for Richard Glossip and his family. We applaud and congratulate the legal team and everyone involved in reaching this moment. But we must also ask, what will it take for every other death-sentenced prisoner with a reasonable innocence claim to get a similar level of intense scrutiny?  How many innocents have been killed or will be killed because no filmmaker happened upon their case?  What is there for Rocky Myers, Toferest Johnson, Thomas Lane and others in Alabama, Anthony Apanovitch and the Lucasville Five in Ohio, Tommy Ziegler in Florida, David Wood, Rodney Reed and others in Texas, etc?

Some will say this proves the system works, but that's the wrong lens.  It proves the system is broken, but less so if you get lucky and attract the massive support necessary to overcome injustice. Given that, how long will we allow executions?  We must abolish the death penalty. Just sayin'.”

You are encouraged to follow the work of Death Penalty Action. Sign petitions, call Governor’s offices, join prayer vigils. HELP ABOLISH THE SENSELESS, INHUMANE, UNJUST DEATH PENALTY.

Head Start programs across the country focus on promoting the school readiness of children ages 3 and 4 by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development. They provide a learning environment that supports a child’s growth in language and literacy, general knowledge, physical development, and health. In Fond du Lac County, the program currently serves 202 children with locations in Fond du Lac, North Fond du Lac, Markesan, and Ripon.

Head Start relies on federal funding, but in a recent interview with Greg Stensland on Radio Plus, the director of Fond du Lac’s Head Start program, April Mullins-Datko, reported the program had been locked out of their federal funding last month. They were not reimbursed for January, but remained open because they had a line of credit and the board of directors is committed to keeping the organization open as long as possible. Without federal funding, Head Start programs would have some very tough choices to make. Closing Head Start will not only affect the children and families, but would impact 75 staff.

In an email to ADVOCAP’s Executive Director on February 26, 2025, Tanya Marcoe reported that funds that were due to their Head Start program were finally released after a delay. Funds that were hitting their account within 48 hours of submitting a request are now taking 7-10 days. While they are adjusting to this change, the agency is still very fearful of what cuts are coming. Staff are being fired at the federal level. Project 2025 implies that Head Start programs will be cut out of the budget completely.

93% of Head Start parents in Fond du Lac are working or in school. If Head Start were cut from the federal budget, it would displace parents from the workforce because there is either not enough childcare available or they could not afford it. The ripple effect would have a devastating outcome on our community, and communities across the country in similar situations.

When asked about the matter in a radio interview with Greg Stensland last week, Wisconsin Representative Glenn Grothman stated he believes Head Start is not intended for any cuts. However, the current budget resolution that recently passed the House, and Grothman voted to approve, is calling for $2 trillion dollars in cuts to programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and ACF (Administration for Children and Families) programs. ADVOCAP and others now wait to see what the Senate will do and if ACF will pull their cuts from Head Start.

Read bipartisan information about the bill

Head Start and the families they serve are asking for our help. Please consider calling Representative Grothman, Senator Johnson, or the congressmen and women in your states and ask them to save and protect Head Start programs from the chopping block. 

Call and call often.  Tell Congress to prioritize families and protect safety net programs in the budget resolution.

For Wisconsinites, call Senator Johnson at 202-224-5323. Senator Baldwin’s direct line is 202-224-5653. To reach Representative Grothman, call 202-225-2476. For all other states, you can call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121 and ask to be transferred to whichever office you need. Or use https://myreps.datamade.us/ to search by address.

I cannot emphasize the importance of making regular calls, even once a day, about the issues that are most important to you. These cuts will affect nearly every program we can imagine, many of which you are currently in ministry with, or have been involved with at some point in your life. Imagine a country without Medicaid? In Wisconsin alone, there are more than 1.2 million Medicaid recipients! A call only takes 1-2 minutes. All comments and concerns are recorded, so know that you have the power to make a potential difference. It’s time for all hands on deck!

In the words of Pope Francis, “Those services which society offers to its citizens are not a type of alms, but rather a genuine ‘social debt’ with respect to the institution of the family, which is foundational and which contributes to the common good.”
 

The work of engaging with companies through socially responsible investment is often a multi-year process of dialogue and engagement. It requires diplomacy, patience, commitment, and perseverance. Corporate engagement and proxy voting affect lasting changes that are beneficial to people and the planet for generations to come. 

As You Sow is the nation’s leading shareholder advocacy nonprofit, with a 30+ year history of advancing solutions that create win-win solutions at some of the biggest companies on Earth. They share from the impact that they have had this year. 

• Amazon replaced 95% of its plastic air pillows with 100% recycled content.
• Citigroup agreed to disclose the climate transition progress of its energy and power clients.
• Keurig Dr Pepper announced a new plastic-free coffee pod.
• Hormel agreed to form a new industry working group to advance circular packaging policy.
• International Paper agreed to adopt the Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework.

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility has been active since 1971 in promoting the shared values of justice, equity, and belief in the right to a level playing field where everyone can achieve their full potential. This year ICCR reached agreements for eighty-four proposals. The majority of these are centered on climate change and racial justice.

Seventh Generation Interfaith, located in Milwaukee, is concerned with a myriad of social, environmental, and corporate issues, including climate change, labor conditions in the clothing industry, and responsible sourcing. They list their issues as:

• Climate crisis – science-based targets, deforestation, methane emissions
• Corporate governance – lobbying & political spending, pay disparity, separation of board chair and CEO.
• Food justice – sustainable agriculture & forestry, access to nutrition, food wastes, antibiotics
• Health equity – healthcare access & affordability, affordability of medicines, youth smoking, e-cigarettes
• Human rights – human trafficking, responsible sourcing, immigration justice, tobacco workers, fair chance hiring 

The Sisters of St. Agnes were once members of ICCR and Seventh Generation Interfaith. Seventh Generation was originally a group of religious communities brought together by Fr. Michael Crosby, OFM Cap for the work of socially responsible investing. CSA still sponsors their annual conference and continues its commitment to sustainable investment in collaboration with its financial manager. 
 

Football may be America's favorite pastime, but its environmental impact is anything but small. When it comes to sustainability, it’s time to step up the playbook.

The average NFL game generates over 80,000 pounds of waste per stadium, accumulating to 44.6 million pounds. Much is single-use plastic waste. Fans, teams and media traveling to games create a significant carbon footprint with travel emissions. Stadiums require immense energy for lighting, screens, and operations, with older venues often relying on nonrenewable energy sources. Super Bowl ads don’t just promote products, they encourage overconsumption. While the NFL has made strides to improve sustainability, such as recycling programs and renewable energy use, there’s a long way to go to offset the broader environmental impact of football culture.

Some football stadiums are getting (touch)down with sustainability. Most notably are our 2025 Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. Their stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, has set the bar for stadium sustainability. Lincoln Financial Field diverts 100% of its game day waste from landfills, using a combination of recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy conversion. In 2023, the stadium transformed 718.4 tons of waste into biomass energy, demonstrating how sports facilities can reduce their impact while entertaining massive crowds. (Source: Integrity Energy)

Learn what other stadiums are doing, and more, in this video from Sustainable Jungle: The impact of American football is bigger than you think.

Learning to read after school can be tricky enough when the lights are on, but imagine trying to do your homework without any light at all.

This is the situation school children in rural parts of Africa can find themselves in, with some families having to burn expensive and polluting oils in lamps so their children can learn at night.

Now an organization is using that energy to help children read after dark in Tanzania, by using their backpacks to power a reading light - and they’re using solar power, that’s gathered free from the sun! 

Read the BBC article

Read the CNN article

On January 26, 2025, two migrant shelters for legally processed asylum seekers were forced to close in Pima County, Arizona, following sweeping changes to federal border enforcement policies implemented by the Trump Administration. One of these shelters is Casa Alitas, Tucson’s largest migrant shelter, and where Sister Eileen Mahoney, CSA had been working for over five years.  

Sister Eileen reports, “No more migrants have been permitted to cross the border. Approximately 500,000 asylum seekers whom our diocesan program served are in the US now hoping to complete their asylum process. Many are still in Mexico. A special group who have been waiting in Mexico for up to one year for their CBP One mobile app (Customs and Border Patrol app) are now stranded. Effective January 20, 2025, the functionalities of CBP One™ that previously allowed undocumented aliens to submit advance information and schedule appointments at eight southwest border ports of entry is no longer available, and existing appointments have been cancelled.

Pima County had secured over $117 million in federal funding to support temporary sheltering programs. Read more here. Without government reimbursements, the county would be responsible for funding operations. Sister Eileen and others have made this work their ministry. Their resilience and faith are finding new ways to support the inherent worth and dignity of those legally seeking safety and shelter. Some, like Sister Eileen, are looking at ways to assist migrants on the Mexican side of the border with groups like the Kino Border Initiative. 

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona is reassuring the public that the organization’s broader efforts would continue, with Elena Dwyre, CEO of Catholic Community Services, saying “through our wide range of programs—including housing support, behavioral health services, care for families and seniors, and assistance for those experiencing homelessness—we will continue to meet the pressing needs of our community.”

The USCCB also issued a statement in response to actions taken by the Trump Administration where they say, “Human dignity is not dependent on a person’s citizenship or immigration status.” 

Read more here
 

President Donald Trump is withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement — again. His reasoning is that the climate agreement “undermines the U.S. Economy and puts the U.S. at a permanent disadvantage.” His solution: “Drill Baby, Drill.” However, per a recent Independent article, U.S oil producers are not all that interested. Read more.  

Under the international climate accord, first negotiated in 2015, countries around the world agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to limit global warming and forestall the worst impacts of climate change.
Trump has argued the agreement imposes unfair burdens on the American economy, and he withdrew the U.S. during his first term in office. The U.S. officially rejoined under President Joe Biden in 2021.

On January 20, 2025, just hours after taking office, Trump started the process over again, signing an order onstage before supporters at the Capital One Arena.

The Paris Agreement stipulates that any nation's withdrawal takes effect one year after an official notice has been submitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. In the case of the United States, the earliest effective date of official withdrawal is, therefore, sometime in January 2026.

In this video, the UN Confirms US Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement

  (the sigh and exhale from the WION reporter at the 0:13 mark says it all).

But, a hero re-emerges… After Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal, billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that his philanthropic foundation will cover the financial contribution the U.S. will not. According to Zack Budryk of The Hill, it will also provide the agreement’s reporting requirements for emissions associated with climate change. Bloomberg was quoted to say: “Philanthropy’s role in driving local, state, and private sector action is more crucial than ever—and we’re committed to leading the way.”

The commitment marks the second time Bloomberg has stepped in to help uphold the country’s funding and reporting commitments under the Paris Agreement after the Trump administration’s decision to leave the accord, and includes covering the funding gap left by the United States to UN Climate Change and upholding the country’s reporting commitments. Read more here.

The implications of US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in President Trump’s first term are outlined in this document, and are largely the same today.

One of President Trump’s first executive orders placed federal DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) staffers on administrative leave as work began to dismantle their departments.

The pullback on DEI in the private sector began before Trump took office. A slew of companies - including Meta, Walmart, and McDonalds - either reduced or ended their own DEI initiatives. Some had been targeted by conservative activist groups. However, amid the tensions, some executives are taking a public stance in supporting their firms’ DEI policies. Costco is one of those businesses.

Former Costco International Division Senior Vice President Roger Campbell, claims DEI is not a new thing for their business. He recently shared with Fox News, "The term DEI didn't even exist to us, it was the way we ran our business...It's who we are.” Campbell, who spent 29 years working at Costco, told Fox News that Costco never had an official diversity program, the company has just always strived to employ people at their warehouses who reflect the demographics of where their store is located.

Campbell, who said he is a conservative, also told Fox News that Costco has never denied someone a job because they are a white man. He said that if two people with equal qualifications were up for the same job then they would take diversity into account.

Per this Business Insider article, the list of CEO’s voicing support for their companies’ DEI initiatives is growing. In addition to the big names on the list, other well-known DEI supporters include: Apple, Delta, American and Southwest Airlines, Meijer, Kroger, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, TJ Maxx, and Walgreens. 

Learn more

ADVOCAP has recently launched The Opportunity Center, a vital resource for low-income individuals in Fond du Lac. Open since mid-November, the Center has already assisted over 100 people, seeing around 30 people per day on average. It addresses immediate needs while fostering long-term pathways out of poverty, empowering individuals to achieve stability and independence.

The Opportunity Center provides comprehensive support services tailored to help individuals overcome barriers. These include:

• Basic Needs: Connections to FoodShare, medical insurance, and phone and email registration.
• Shelter Assistance: Support in finding temporary shelter for those at risk of legal issues when sleeping in public spaces.
• Employment: Resume building, job search, interview prep, and skill development for economic stability.
• Mental Health: Access to services addressing mental health, trauma, and substance use disorder.

OPEN HOUSE

January 28
4-6 p.m. 
Advocap Opportunity Center (19 W 1st St, Fond du Lac, WI 54935)

How You Can Help?

The Center’s work relies on private donors, but growing demand necessitates additional community support. Ways to contribute include:

1. Donate Items: Organize drives or drop off items from ADVOCAP’s specific needs list.
2. Financial Contributions: Enable personalized assistance with monetary gifts or gift cards (Amazon, Walmart).
3. Volunteer: Support operations at the Center, from restocking items to front desk registration.
4. Donate Meals: Help provide breakfast and lunch for individuals in the Center. The CSA JPIC Office has created this spreadsheet for volunteers to sign up for at least once weekly lunch items. Several CSA Associates have already signed up and/or brought in lunch items.
5. Spread Awareness: Share ADVOCAP’s mission widely with your connections
6. Attend the Open House: Join on January 28 from 4:00–6:00 PM to meet staff, tour the Center, and learn more about ADVOCAP’s impact.

Earlier this month, CSA Associate Carol Rawlins and her great niece brought a food collection to ADVOCAP. Carol was able to connect with Brenda Hull there, who told her where the loading dock was to make an easy transfer of items. Once there, Brenda offered to show Carol the three rooms that were recently made available for the Opportunity Center guests. Carol said, “The rooms are comfortable and spacious to move around or rest, watch TV, or snack when they are available. Since they don't have funding for food Brenda was very grateful that CSA is reaching out to them. It is great to be able to help some in need knowing there is a place they can go to feel safe and supported.”

For more information on how to support the Opportunity Center, please reach out to Brenda Hull at ADVOCAP: Brenda.hull@advocap.org or 920-957-0295 (cell). Together, we can work to eliminate barriers and empower individuals to achieve stability and independence, allowing them to pursue the dignified life they deserve.

On Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Gov. Evers signed Executive Order #254, creating a statewide Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, and announced that he is directing $10 million for the Office to begin its work and administer grants supporting violence and gun violence prevention efforts statewide.

Gov. Evers also announced his 2025-27 Executive Budget will provide his most robust and comprehensive gun safety reform efforts to date in addition to providing sustainable, ongoing state funding to make the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention a permanent office in state government.

“Just weeks ago, we had a heartbreaking, deadly school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School here in Madison. As a father, a grandfather, and as governor, it is unthinkable that a kid and an educator woke up and went to school that morning and never came home. That should never happen. Not to any kid, not to any educator, not to any person or family—not in this state or anywhere else in this country,” said Gov. Evers today at a press conference in Madison.

“I have said from the beginning that I would never accept gun violence as a foregone reality or stop working to change it. Violence, including gun violence, is a statewide problem, with statewide consequences for people and families across our state,” Gov. Evers continued. “This issue has long deserved a comprehensive, statewide response, and that’s what we’ll be taking on with our new Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention.

“But our Office of Violence Prevention is just one part of the work ahead. While we’ve recently seen other violent crime rates decline, rates of gun deaths in Wisconsin have increased significantly over the last decade. Comprehensive, commonsense gun safety reform is a critical part of reducing crime, including gun violence, statewide, and this issue must be a shared priority that transcends politics and partisanship. We must work together to address the cycle of violence, prevent crime, and keep our kids, our families, our schools, and our communities safe,” concluded Gov. Evers.

Among other critical responsibilities, Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention as created by Gov. Evers will work to:

• Connect the dots between state and local government agencies, including law enforcement agencies, to ensure a whole-of-government approach to prevent violence, including gun violence statewide; 
• Support and provide technical assistance to local violence prevention and intervention efforts;  
• Administer and award grants to school districts, firearm dealers, law enforcement agencies, non-profits, and government agencies to support violence reduction and prevention initiatives;  
• Develop public education campaigns to promote safer communities; and  
• Identify opportunities to improve statewide policies or laws. 

Additionally, Gov. Evers is directing $10 million in federal funding to ensure the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention can begin its important work without waiting for the conclusion of the biennial budget process while also supporting grants aimed at reducing crime, preventing violence, including gun violence, and efforts to improve community safety across Wisconsin:

• Through Gov. Evers’ directed investment in the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, the office will administer grants to eligible entities including school districts, law enforcement agencies, nonprofits, firearm dealers, and government agencies to support violence and gun violence reduction initiatives. 
• Applicable entities will be able to apply to receive funding for eligible expenses and initiatives aimed at interrupting, reducing, and preventing violence and promoting community safety. 
• Examples of eligible expenses for relevant entities will include but are not limited to: 
  • Supporting multi-agency law enforcement investigations; 
  • Using crime gun intelligence tools; 
  • Implementing suicide prevention education to identify individuals in crisis, including at the point of sale for firearms; 
  • Implementing or improving threat assessment training;  
  • Promoting and administering safe storage and gun buyback programs;  
  • Providing technical assistance and support to help design, implement, and/or staff evidence-based community policing, crime reduction initiatives, and gun violence crisis response teams;  
  • Implementing or enhancing domestic violence prevention programs; 
  • Implementing school-based programming, including suicide prevention and firearm safety training; and 
  • Supporting mentoring and after-school programs and other efforts aimed at keeping kids out of trouble and out of harms way. 

More details and information about eligible entities, expenses, and application processes for the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention’s statewide violence prevention grants will be forthcoming.

STATISTICS ON VIOLENCE AND GUN VIOLENCE IN WISCONSIN

Over the last six years, Gov. Evers has worked with dedicated advocates and organizations across the state to address the root causes of violence. According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, violent crimes like homicide, robbery, and assault are down from just a few years ago across the state. Additionally, according to the Milwaukee Police Department, homicide rates in the city fell for the second year in a row.

However, over the last decade, the rate of gun deaths in Wisconsin has gotten worse. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, the rate of gun deaths has increased 54 percent from 2014 to 2023 in Wisconsin, compared to a 34 percent increase nationwide over that same time period. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that, as of 2020, firearms have been the leading cause of death for kids in America—surpassing car accidents and cancer—with gun death rates in this age group increasing by 106 percent over the last 11 years. In every year since 2019, there have been more mass shootings than days in the year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

Additionally, End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin also showed that in 2023 Wisconsin saw the second highest rates of domestic violence deaths in the state since they began tracking this data more than 20 years ago, 78 percent of which involved firearms.

Further, in 2022, there were more than 48,000 firearm-related deaths in America, the second-highest year on record, with more than half of those deaths being suicide. That’s true here in Wisconsin, too, where nearly 60 percent of all suicide deaths are firearm-related.

Gun violence does not just affect only the largest cities and urban areas in Wisconsin. A recent analysis on Gun Death in Wisconsin, firearm suicide rates have remained higher in rural Wisconsin compared to urban areas, and the majority of firearm deaths in rural areas of Wisconsin are suicide deaths.

As gun violence in particular continues to persist in communities across the state, especially in Wisconsin’s rural areas and communities, a commitment to comprehensive community violence prevention as well as robust investments in mental and behavioral health services, crime victim services, coupled with commonsense gun safety reform has never been more important.

BACKGROUND ON GOV. EVERS' EFFORTS TO REDUCE CRIME AND KEEP KIDS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES SAFE

Over his tenure as governor, Gov. Evers and his administration have worked to address the gun violence epidemic and have sought to enact commonsense gun safety reform to address these harrowing statistics. In October 2019, the governor called a special session of the Wisconsin State Legislature to address gun violence in the state of Wisconsin and proposed two critical proposals relating to universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders. Despite the fact that a majority of Wisconsinites, including gun owners, support the implementation of commonsense measures like universal background checks (79 percent) and extreme risk protection orders (81 percent), Republicans ignored the will of the people and refused to take up the governor’s special session bills.

Gov. Evers has also proposed commonsense community safety and gun safety measures in all three of the biennial budgets he has introduced to date. In his 2023-25 Executive Budget, the governor proposed:

• Making gun safes, barrel locks, and trigger locks sales tax exempt to encourage safe, secure, and responsible storage of firearms when they are not in use;
• Requiring, with certain exceptions, that any firearm transfers be done through federally licensed firearm dealers, including background checks conducted on recipients; and
• Creating an extreme risk protection injunction process similar to the existing domestic violence injunction for law enforcement and concerned loved ones to use where a court, after a hearing, may order an individual to refrain from possessing a firearm for up to one year if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that he or she is substantially likely to injure himself or herself or another by possessing a firearm. 

Republicans in the Wisconsin State Legislature removed these proposals in the biennial budget process and have largely declined to take action on commonsense gun safety measures or pass other meaningful investments to make Wisconsin’s communities safer. Nevertheless, since 2019, Gov. Evers and his administration have been working to keep Wisconsinites and local communities healthy and safe, including taking action to prevent gun violence through commonsense gun safety reforms and working to invest directly in violence prevention and intervention.

In recent years, Gov. Evers has directed more than $100 million of the state’s allocation of ARPA funds toward community safety and violence prevention efforts. In 2021, the governor announced an initial $45 million investment to address the root causes of violence by investing in programs and interventions being spearheaded by organizations already working in local communities, including investing $25 million into violence prevention efforts and $20 million to support victim services in Wisconsin, such as: 

• $6.6 million to the Medical College of Wisconsin’s (MCW) Violence Prevention Project, which is housed in their Comprehensive Injury Center. These funds are being used to support research, data collection, education, and community engagement efforts around violence prevention as a public health issue; 
• $10.4 million also to MCW’s Violence Prevention Project to administer a competitive grant process to support violence project efforts statewide. Ten communities and organizations were selected to receive these funds in June 2023.   
• $8 million to the City of Milwaukee’s Office of Violence Prevention to respond to the pandemic-related uptick in violence and trauma with projects that take a public health approach to violence prevention; and 
• $20 million to support Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant recipients, as the state has seen critical cuts to federal VOCA funding over the last several years and an increased need for services.  
  • Gov. Evers later signed 2023 Wisconsin Act 241, which directed $10 million to support violence prevention and crime victim and survivor services, including providing funding for sexual assault victim services, domestic abuse grants, and child advocacy grants.  

To continue to build on these efforts to support safer communities, in March 2022, Gov. Evers announced an additional more than $50 million investment of ARPA funds in community safety and crime prevention initiatives, including:

• More than $19 million for a statewide law enforcement grant program that provided an allocation to every local and Tribal law enforcement agency in Wisconsin, enabling agencies to address the unique needs facing their communities, including training, recruitment bonuses, community policing needs, and technology investments;  
• $1 million for the Wisconsin Technical College System to support part-time police academy programs in Wisconsin;  
• Nearly $20 million to Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee for criminal justice system initiatives and community safety projects; and 
• More than $16 million toward reducing the pandemic-related backlog of criminal cases statewide. 

Gov. Evers has also signed multiple bills that improve on his administration’s ongoing efforts to prevent reckless driving and improve road safety in Wisconsin, including signing 2023 Wisconsin Act 1, which was the first bill enacted in the governor’s second term and aims to curb reckless driving by allowing counties and municipalities to enact ordinances authorizing law enforcement to impound a vehicle if its owner is cited for reckless driving and has a prior conviction for reckless driving and has not paid the imposed forfeiture for that offense. In May 2023, Gov. Evers also signed two bills to help address reckless driving and carjacking in the state by increasing penalties for both and creating a new “carjacking” section of the criminal code. Additionally, in December 2023, Gov. Evers signed 2023 Wisconsin Act 86, a bipartisan bill aimed at reducing reckless driving and improving road safety by expanding access to driver education. Finally, in March 2024, Gov. Evers signed 2023 Wisconsin Act 226, which increases the penalty for fleeing or attempting to elude an officer and creates a mandatory minimum sentence if it results in death or great bodily harm.

In addition to direct investments in community safety and violence prevention, Gov. Evers has also made addressing mental health a cornerstone issue of his administration. Having declared 2023 as the “Year of Mental Health” as part of his 2023-2025 biennial budget, Gov. Evers proposed approximately $500 million to expand access to mental and behavioral health services across Wisconsin. While a majority of Gov. Evers’ innovative proposals to address mental health were rejected by Republicans in the Legislature, the final budget signed into law by Gov. Evers included $30 million to continue funding for school-based mental health modeled on the governor’s “Get Kids Ahead” initiative, helping schools provide needed mental health services to their pupils through community partnerships, as well as directed $10 million to establish two crisis urgent care and observation centers for individuals in crisis and $200,000 to support farmer mental health assistance programming at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Gov. Evers has also previously directed more than $10 million to support veteran services in Wisconsin, including $4.5 million to support veteran mental health initiatives, such as access to community-based programs, emergency services, and peer support programs. The governor, most recently, awarded nine nonprofit organizations across the state $600,000 in funding through the Veteran Mental Health Community-Based Organization Grant program.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law, making the state the second to hold fossil fuel companies financially accountable for environmental damages. Modeled after the 1980 Superfund law, the legislation mandates major fossil fuel firms, responsible for most carbon emissions since 2000, to pay $3 billion annually for 25 years. Climate advocates called it a "massive win" for workers, youth, and the environment, as the law seeks to address the long-term impact of corporate pollution and fund necessary environmental cleanup efforts. 

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The Vatican’s seven-year Laudato Si’ Action Platform calls the worldwide Catholic community and “all men and women of good will” (LS 3) to publicly engage in the work of transformation through integral ecology.

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes and the Associate Community USA publicly commit to the seven-year process of transformation by strategically engaging the seven goals of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. We invite you and all members of the universal Church to join us and the Vatican on this Laudato Si’ journey. 

As we come to the end of the third year of this commitment, the final report with the results of our efforts in 2024 is now available.

Read the Report

Read Previous Reports

The second annual Emergency Gun Violence Summit was held in Milwaukee, WI on October 10, 2024. CSA was a community nonprofit sponsor. Three CSA Associates welcomed community leaders from Fond du Lac and Milwaukee to their table.

The summit was organized by WAVE - Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, Forward Latino and the 80% Coalition. General sessions and breakout sessions featured medical professionals from the Medical College of Wisconsin, John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, Children’s Hospital; the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention; city and state officials to include Gov. Tony Evers, AG Josh Kaul, City of Milwaukee Ald. Jose Perez, Mayor Cavalier Johnson, DA John Chisholm, WI Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Rep. Deb Andraca and more. Interfaith leaders led prayers and workshops.

Several students from area schools were also in attendance. It was reported that gun violence is the leading cause of death in children, ages 1-17. An ER physician from Milwaukee Children’s Hospital, reported the youngest patient he treated with a gunshot wound was 2 years old. Why are we not investing in ways to keep our kids safe?

According to the City of Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety, many are taking a Public Health Approach to violence. Each year, millions of individuals, families, and communities bear the physical, mental, and economic costs of violence. As a leading cause of injury, disability, and premature death, this issue compromises health and safety. Merely witnessing violent incidents can result in psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Violence discourages economic development in troubled areas, thereby affecting the accessibility of jobs, healthy food, and safe housing. The physical wellbeing of residents, who stay indoors to avoid violent behavior in their community, can exacerbate health problems. Fortunately, violence is a learned behavior and is preventable with community-wide prevention services and common sense gun laws.

In a Marquette Law School poll in 2018, Wiscosinites were asked if new gun laws would reduce mass shootings. 65% of Republicans and 19% of Democrats said not at all, yet 76% of Republicans and 41% of Democrats said they were very concerned about crime. Other results from the poll showed that 85% of the total survey were in favor of red-flag laws but only 43% of Republicans favored the ban of sales of AR-15 style semi-automatic rifles, while 87% of Democrats favored the ban.

Why so much discrepancy in common sense gun laws amidst a public health crisis? Many speculate that gun manufacturers and lobbyists have much to do with this, essentially buying the vote of many politicians. But what are average, everyday gun owners saying? I challenged myself to attend a breakout session which was a panel of gun owners to hear their perspectives. The panel was moderated by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigative reporter, John Diedrich.

My takeaways from the gun-owning panelists were these: 1) Gun owners feel a need to own guns (often multiple) to protect themselves and their families. They use their firearms for safety and sport. 2) Gun owners want non-gun people to know they can be safe with proper training and storage. 3) Gun owners do not trust the government and feel that common sense gun laws would eventually come after their guns. When I asked the gun owners if they’ve ever had to use their weapon to protect themselves, none of them had, but they likened the peace of mind from their weapon to that of having auto or life insurance - “you hope you never have to use it, but it is there if you do.” In this same session, a father shared his efforts to keep guns out of their house to protect his family. His son had mental illness and they were able to protect him for 18 years, until he was able to purchase a gun himself and kill himself. 56% of guns deaths are suicide. Access is a major problem to gun violence. While leaving the session a little frustrated, I also imagined a possibility in gun laws that would protect people and gun owner rights if people advocated with their hearts and minds and not their wallets.

Mr. Diedrich investigated the full extent of firearm deaths in Wisconsin and the efforts put in place to prevent them in his recent “Behind the Guns” project. For more details, visit: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/special-reports/2023/12/06/behind-the-gun-read-the-entire-project-here/71814275007/ 

Adelante Mujer is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women through education and opportunity. Founded by Sister Ann McKean, CSA, in 2009, Adelante Mujer continues to provide assistance to women studying to become healthcare professionals in Central and Latin America. Adelante Mujer has significantly transformed countless lives in Nicaragua by empowering women to become doctors. According to their most recent Impact Report, “With dedication, in 2023, we had 71 women successfully become doctors, significantly increasing the number of female physicians in Nicaragua.”

Currently, Sisters Doris Klein, CSA, and Diane Bauknecht, CSA, serve on the board of directors as well as CSA Associate, Joan Schilke.

Starting January 2025, they hope to expand programming in Guatemala, adding three nursing school students to fund, two medical students to fund, support for an on-site coordinator, and US travel opportunities to visit the project in the winter and fall.

On Thursday, September 26, the public is invited to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Adelante Mujer at Marian University’s Stayer Center (National and 2nd Street, FDL), 5:00-7:00 pm. There will be hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar with a short presentation. RSVP appreciated by emailing Barb Senn at barbsenn74@gmail.com or dir@womanadvance.com.

How else can you be part of this incredible work? 

• Sign up for their monthly newsletter at www.womanadvance.com 
• Sponsor a young woman’s journey to becoming a doctor in Nicaragua. 
• Give specifically to their program in Guatemala and help support their growth and development there. 
• Donate to the greatest need. 
• Pledge to give regularly (monthly or annually) so that they know they can count on your donation. 
• Join the Adelante Mujer Legacy Circle.

Adelante Mujer was founded by Sister Ann McKean, CSA. She passed away in April of 2020, but her legacy lives on thanks to the steadfast leadership of other sisters like Diane Bauknecht, CSA, and donors like you! Sister Ann always said that their biggest challenge was letting more people know about the good work and systemic change their donations make. Please help spread the word, consider your support, and stay connected.

Helena Maleno Garzón is a researcher, investigator, journalist, and activist who stands up for the rights of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and victims of human trafficking who attempt to reach Europe by sea and land. In her reporting she has denounced human rights violations on the Spanish Southern Border and works with migrant communities in defense of their rights. In 2002, Helena founded Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders), an organization that rescues sea vessels carrying migrants that are in danger of sinking and provides support for them once they arrive in Europe. It is estimated that she has saved at least ten thousand lives through her work relaying the locations of sinking sea vessels to Spanish naval authorities. Helena continues to do this work despite ongoing judicial harassment and threats from the governments of Morocco and Spain, who have criminalized her efforts.

In 2022, UNANIMA International (UI) selected Helena as their annual Women of Courage Award recipient. Since 2008, UI has been selecting women who demonstrate courage in the face of adversity and whose actions reflect and support the values and principles promoted by the UN. Helena was finally presented her award last month when UI Executive Director, Jean Quinn, DW traveled to Madrid. It was a great celebration that included some unexpected dancing, but Jean was a tremendous sport about it!

Just weeks after Jean’s visit, Helena found herself seated in Pope Francis’ home in Santa Marta where she was invited to come talk about border victims and their families. Helena said, “He is genuinely concerned about their situations and encourages us to keep fighting despite the difficulties and persecutions. I am grateful to him for following closely my case concerning the criminalization of the rights of immigrants by the Spanish and Moroccan states. We will not stop demanding justice and fairness.”

This isn’t the first time a UI Woman of Courage awardee has gone on to have greater recognition. Last year, 2018 Woman of Courage recipient, Maria Herrera Magdaleno, was selected as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023.

Nominations for UI’s 2025 Woman of Courage Award are now being accepted. Please read the nomination criteria, see past recipients, and consider nominating the next courageous, well-deserving woman. Contact tabler@csasisters.org with any questions.