Milwaukee, WI
Here are the Milwaukee area schools hosting summer meal programs
With summer beginning, Milwaukee Public Schools and some suburban Milwaukee area school districts are providing summer meal programs for families in need.
Some programs provide breakfast, lunch and dinner. Others provide just one or two of those meals.
Most districts use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program, which is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The program reimburses school districts and other organizations that operate meal sites in low-income areas.
Here’s where programs are being held this summer, based on districts’ responses to the Journal Sentinel’s requests for information.
Brown Deer School District
The district is participating in the Summer Food Service Program and is providing breakfast and lunch to children 18 years old and younger. Dates are June 17-18, 20-21, 24-28; and July 8-12 and 15-19. No meals will be offered June 19 due to Juneteenth and during the week of July 4.
Meals can be picked up at either Brown Deer Elementary School’s cafeteria or Brown Deer Middle/High School’s South Commons. At Brown Deer Elementary, breakfast will be served from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. and lunch will be served from 12 to 12:30 p.m. At Brown Deer Middle/High School, breakfast will be served from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Germantown School District
The district is providing breakfast to children ages 2 to 18 in the Germantown community at Kennedy Middle School. The program runs June 17-July 19 from 7:30 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday, but not the week of July 1.
Meals must be eaten at Kennedy Middle School and cannot be taken home, according to Germantown Superintendent Chris Reuter.
Greenfield School District
The district is hosting its community free hot lunch program through the Summer Food Service Program for all children 18 years old and younger at Maple Grove Elementary School from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays June 17 through Aug. 1.
No meal service will be provided on Fridays, nor will meals be provided on July 4 or 5. Questions can be referred to Greenfield Food Service at (414) 281-3357.
Kettle Moraine School District
The district is not hosting summer meals, but families can use the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, an income-based program that helps families buy food during the summer by providing them with $120 in benefits for each qualifying child. Those benefits can be used anywhere that FoodShare benefits are accepted, such as “most grocery stores, many convenience stores and some farmer’s markets,” according to the district’s website.
Families living in the district whose children already receive free or reduced price meals do not need to do anything to get access to the program. Families wanting access can apply for free and reduced price meals and will receive access if approved before Aug. 29. The district recommends visiting access.wi.gov to learn more about the application process. Participants can also apply directly for the Summer EBT program by visiting summerebt.wi.gov.
Milwaukee Public Schools
The district has numerous sites for summer meals for children 18 and under, regardless of what school they attend, at sites that provide Milwaukee Recreation Summer programming. Meals must be eaten at the program’s location and are not intended for carryout, the district’s website said.
To find a meal site near you, visit mpsmke.com/summermeals.
The Hunger Task Force also has information about meal sites around Milwaukee County at www.hungertaskforce.org/what-we-do/summer-meals.
South Milwaukee School District
South Milwaukee High School is hosting meal service through the Summer Food Service Program for children and teens June 18 through July 25, from 12 to 12:45 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
No sign up or application is needed, and children from neighboring communities are also welcome. Info on food items will be available at sdsm.nutrislice.com or by calling South Milwaukee School Nutrition at 414-766-5135.
Waukesha School District
The district has six sites providing free breakfast and lunch to all children 18 years old and younger, Monday through Friday from June 17 through July 12 during summer school. Children do not need to be enrolled in summer school programs to have meals. No meals will be served July 4 and 5.
The four elementary school sites are Banting, Bethesda, Hadfield and STEM Elementary Schools, which serve breakfast from 7:30 to 8:05 a.m. and lunch from 12 to 12:30 p.m. The middle school site is Horning Middle School, which serves breakfast from 7 to 7:35 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Waukesha North High School is the high school site, which serves breakfast from 7:30 to 8:05 a.m. and lunch from 12 to 12:30 p.m.
West Allis-West Milwaukee School District
The district is offering its meals through the Summer Food Service Program, which offers families lunch and dinner at Liberty Heights Park, West Milwaukee Park and LaFollette Park from June 10 to August 16, Monday through Friday. Lunch is served from 12 to 12:45 p.m. and dinner is served from 4 to 5 p.m. There are no requirements to participate.
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.
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Let’s clear the haze on exactly how smoke from Canadian wildfires is affecting air quality in Wisconsin. Here are answers to common questions.
A 12-year-old was shot and injured during the afternoon of July 17, and Milwaukee police are asking the public for information.
The shooting happened around 6:35 p.m. on the 5600 block of North 60th Street, according to the Milwaukee Police Department. The child was injured and transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-fatal injuries.
Police said the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
Milwaukee police continue to seek unknown suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call 414-935-7360 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or the P3 Tips App.
Adrienne Davis is a general assignment and breaking news reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.
Milwaukee, WI
‘You can see God’s hand in it’: How Milwaukee women are building a double Dutch community through sisterhood and fitness
On Milwaukee’s North Side, women 40 and up are coming together to jump double Dutch. Members say that beyond the ropes they are building a sisterhood, strengthening their health and becoming confident in aging.
40+ Double Dutch Club is a nonprofit founded in Chicago by Pamela Robinson in 2016 that uses double Dutch and other fitness activities to encourage wellness, sisterhood, mental health and more for women over 40.
“It amazes me how God can use something as simple as a plastic clothesline to connect women all over the world,” said Robinson, who is also the group’s CEO and board president.
Robinson, 55, launched the organization after discussing the idea with her friend Catrina Dyer-Taylor. At the time she was battling depression.
“My husband and I were about to get divorced, my oldest kids were grown and I just had my youngest one in the house,” Robinson said. “I needed to find a happy place.”
She promoted the meetup on social media, and many of her friends and community members came out to support her.
“I remember telling (Dyer-Taylor) that if no one came then we’d tie the ropes to a fence and jump together,” Robinson said. “However, we never had to do that because our friends came out.”
Since being founded, the organization has expanded into hundreds of subclubs nationwide, including Milwaukee’s.
“I knew that God wanted me to do something and it’s given me purpose and he has put me on a path where 40+ Double Dutch is a part of that,” said Angela Scott, captain and founder of Milwaukee’s double Dutch subclub.
Launching the Milwaukee subclub
Scott, 54, established the 40+ Double Dutch subclub in Milwaukee in 2024 after discovering the organization on Facebook. She took weekend trips to Chicago and sometimes Texas to participate with women of the club.
“The feeling I got from the ladies when I entered the gym was like I’ve known them all my life,” Scott said.
As a breast cancer survivor, Scott said she was glad to have found something that brought her comfort that wasn’t a traditional gym space.
“Double Dutching is a full body workout, and I don’t like the gym, but I knew I needed something to keep my body moving and to keep cancer out of my body,” Scott said.
Once officially joining 40+ Double Dutch, Scott talked to Robinson about bringing a subclub to Milwaukee.
“She said that they had been wanting one in Milwaukee, they just had no one that was interested and committed,” Scott said.
Milwaukee’s subclub now consists of 37 members. Among them is Scott’s mother, Shirley Tomlinson, 76, who is the first and oldest member.
“I feel like my family has grown here and that’s a very positive thing for a person my age,” Tomlinson said. “It helps keep me feeling young, and there’s a lot of support in it.”
Tomlinson said she joined the club after hearing about her daughter’s Chicago experience and watching the film “Beyond the Ropes: The 40+ Double Dutch Club Documentary.”
Though Tomlinson doesn’t jump double Dutch, she does other things for the subclub like record keeping, videography, planning birthday celebrations and more.
“I do everything I can because I’m my daughter’s ride or die,” she said.
Reliving childhood memories
Scott said double Dutch gives her a joyous nostalgia from growing up, especially as she learned how to double Dutch from her aunt who was like a big sister.
“If you were a girl that jump-roped, then you know it takes you back to that space,” Scott said.
When the Milwaukee subclub appears at local events like the Juneteenth parade, residents typically will jump in the ropes with smiles and recall memories as they walk down the streets.
“As you watch us grow, you can see God’s hand in it,” Tomlinson said.
The women of Milwaukee’s subclub meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday at Abundant Faith Church of Integrity, 7830 W. Good Hope Road.
The meet typically begins with a stretch, then leads to open play that includes dances and songs to let them double Dutch, hula hoop or play a rhythmic game.
One fitness activity recreated by 40+ Double Dutch is African Hopscotch, which includes members jumping to a song called “Double Dutch Bus” by Frankie Smith and sometimes holding pompoms.
To end the session, members close with a double Dutch hymn followed by a circle of prayer.
“We hold hands and then we sing the song,” Scott said. “Regardless of what meet you go to each one will have the same format.”
Building a strong sisterhood
Scott said the relationships being built at the club remind her of the organization’s mission.
“Part of the mission is friendship, fitness, fun and fellowship,” she said. “All of those things resonate with me and in my spirit because it’s a sisterhood that’s based on God’s direction.”
When away from the ropes, members try to support each other in different ways.
“There are several of the ladies in our club that have businesses, and we’ll do anything to support them,” Scott said.
For Tomlinson, who experienced a few health crises this year, it brought relief knowing that there was a sisterhood standing behind her.
“They reached out to me and let me know they were praying for me,” she said. “It’s like having a big family of daughters.”
Achieving long-term goals
Within the next few years, Scott hopes to see the subclub grow in membership and the women begin to intentionally take more time for themselves.
“I truly believe that a healthy and strong woman makes a healthy and strong world because we are the mothers of this world,” she said. “If the woman is not healthy mentally, physically or spiritually, then the world is not healthy.”
Another goal of hers is to visit with incarcerated women.
“For whatever reason that they’re there, I just want to take them out of that space for just 30 to 40 minutes,” she said.
Tomlinson said it amazes her to see her daughter lead, receive support from the community and promote health to other women.
“It’s been wonderful watching her grow and watching how dedicated she is because that’s a big responsibility,” she said.
How to join 40+ Double Dutch Club
If you are a woman over 40 and interested in joining, click here to find a subclub near you and find details about weekly meetups.
Membership is $120 and includes a digital ID card, access to all nationwide subclubs, subclub support and more.
Scott said the summer has been the busiest time for the organization and wants to remind women that you don’t have to jump to be a part of it.
“People are starting to realize we’re in the city and we like it that way because the more women that know then the more that can be impacted by what we have to offer,” she said.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/milwaukee-women-double-dutch-jump-rope-club-community-sisterhood-fitness/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://wisconsinwatch.org”>Wisconsin Watch</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/wisconsinwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/cropped-WCIJ_IconOnly_FullColor_RGB-1.png?fit=150%2C150&quality=100&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>
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MILWAUKEE — It’s well known that Milwaukee is famous for beer, brats, the Bucks, and the Brewers. But let’s put some respect on the comedy scene here.
The Laughing Tap features weekly stand-up performances with nationally touring acts. They opened up their new venue at 761 N. Jefferson St. in Milwaukee back in March.
Since then, they’ve had dozens of acts perform. Now, they are putting on a new type of comedy show, The Milwaukee Comedy Challenge.
According to the website, the challenge is: “A friendly battle of wits with over $2000 in Cash Prizes, more than 2.5 hours of Paid Gigs awarded, and the chance to challenge yourself to be the best comic you can be. This isn’t about competing with your fellow comics, it’s about challenging yourself to write great material, get bigger laughs, and become a better comic.”
The first round has finished. The challenge continues on July 22 with the start of the second round. The remaining 20 comics will perform a four-minute set. Only 10 will make it to the next round. There will be four more rounds afterwards. In the finals, comics will have to perform 20-minute sets with completely new jokes. The winner will be receive a paid headliner gig at The Laughing Tap, a spot in the 2026 Milwaukee Comedy Festival, and $1,000.
If you think you’re pretty funny, you can get on stage for The Laughing Tap’s weekly stand-up open mic on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Every aspiring comic gets about three to four minutes.
Milwaukee comedy club The Laughing Tap hosting comedy challenge
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