Mayor Mason’s administration has made tackling longstanding disparities and inequities a priority. The City has spent the last 2.5 years building partnerships and growing programs that will help address disparities in our residents’ educational attainment, access to careers in the trades, financial stability, homeownership, and home enhancement and repair.
Thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the City has seized a once-in-a-generation opportunity to dramatically scale these programs and catalyze these investments in our residents and our community.
GROW Racine is the City’s way of saying directly to our residents: we believe in you, we believe you are worthy, and we believe in you and your family’s future. The GROW Racine effort is managed by the City’s Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Community Partnerships, Vicky Selkowe.
GROW Racine consists of the following major initiatives
Helping Adult City Residents Earn Their High School Degree
In the City of Racine, we want our residents to know that, whatever happened in the past does not have to prevent them from succeeding in the future. We’ve partnered with the YWCA SEW to invest in their highly successful 5.09 High School Equivalency Degree (HSED) program. And, for a limited time, we’re offering City of Racine HSED scholarships to help support City adults who enroll in and graduate from the 5.09!
Start a Career in the Trades
The building & construction trades provide great career paths, with family-supporting jobs and upward mobility. The City of Racine wants to help ensure that our residents have access to education, training, and supportive placements to explore and launch careers in the trades. The City is proud to partner with WRTP/Big Step and the Racine Family YMCA to help our residents complete pre-apprenticeship training and education. And, for a limited time, the City is offering Pre-Apprenticeship Scholarships to help support residents who enroll in and complete these partners’ programs.
Become Financially Empowered
When it comes to money and finances, we all could use some coaching. That’s why the City of Racine launched the Racine Financial Empowerment Center (FEC). In partnership with Housing Resources, Inc., the Racine FEC offers all City of Racine residents professional, confidential, 1:1, financial counseling for FREE. Whether you want to improve your credit score, build up your savings, tackle your bills and debts, learn how to budget, get connected to resources to help meet your needs, or access safe & affordable banking products, the Racine FEC’s certified financial counselors can help you with any or all of that, and more!
Repair & Enhance Your Home
The City of Racine believes everyone deserves a safe and habitable place to live, and we want to support homeowners in investing in their homes. We’ve created new programs to help homeowners fix up and re-invest in their homes.
Grow your future success, Racine! Make plans to attend the Career Fair at Knapp Elementary tomorrow, Wednesday, 3/22 from 4-7pm. Come learn about and apply for great careers with the City of Racine, On the lake, Racine Unified Schools, and Racine County Wisconsin.
#GROWRacine #cityofracine #racineSave the date and share!
Racine County, in collaboration with the City of Racine, On the lake and Racine Unified Schools, is hosting a Career Fair on March 22, 2023 from 4-7 p.m. at Knapp Elementary.
When you consider everything Racine County has to offer including the salary, the benefits, the ongoing training and support, and most importantly the impact you’ll have on the lives of others in your community; it will be the right opportunity for you and someone you know!!
*Save the date*
If your company or business would like to be a part of this hiring event please contact:
Michael Holden at Michael.Holden@rusd.org ... See MoreSee Less
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We're so proud of these City of Racine residents who just graduated from WRTP / BIG STEP's pre-apprenticeship program! These residents now have skills & connections that we hope will lead to great careers in the construction and building trades!
These residents also received GROW Racine Pre-Apprenticeship Scholarships of up to $1,500 each to help pay the bills while they were making progress in the program!
Learn more about these (limited time!) City scholarships and the City's pre-apprenticeship program partners. www.growracine.org/careers-in-the-trades/
#cityofracine #racinewisconsin #GROWRacine ... See MoreSee Less
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We're so excited about all 29 of the nonprofits who will be receiving a GROW Racine Mini-Grant to help meet unmet community needs in Racine! The City is proud to make these investments in our residents and our community partners.
Congrats to all of the selected organizations, including: The main project and cafe on state, BeLEAF Survivors, Inc., Women's Resource Center - Racine, WI, Racine Literacy Council, John XXIII Educational Center, Hispanic Roundtable of Racine, Black Arts Council of Racine, Mahogany Gallery & Artspace by Scott Terry, Hospitality Center (Racine), The LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin, Racine Friendship Clubhouse, Health Care Network, Inc., NAMI Racine County, Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps, Racine County Food Bank, Root River Council, RUGN: The Racine Urban Garden Network, Professional Women in Trades, SAFE Haven of Racine, Women's Resource Center - Racine, WI!
Follow this page to get more updates on the City of Racine's #GROWRacine's initiatives aimed at opening doors to opportunities and empowerment for City of Racine residents! #CityofRacine #Racine ... See MoreSee Less
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In-person orientation to answer your questions and get you started on your path to earning your high school equivalency diploma! Help spread the word to City residents you know who might be ready to take this step towards their futures!
#GROWRacineWant to earn your high school credential but need some more information???
WELL DO WE HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR YOU!
Attend an IN-PERSON orientation on March 9th to learn more about YWCA Southeast Wisconsin FREE 5.09 HSED program. ... See MoreSee Less
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QueenSavage Wright this is the article with all the information you need
Help spread the word about this Scholarship opportunity! #GROWRacine #cityofracineAre you a high school senior graduating this year? Apply for the first annual Rosa Parks Transit Equity Scholarship from RYDE Racine: forms.gle/UpUGJqiWQGBNvkBT7 ... See MoreSee Less
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The City of Racine, On the lake's new Youth Employment Program is a terrific example of how the City is investing in our residents through our GROW Racine programs!
If you are interested in receiving updates about this summer’s Youth Employment Program, text your name and “youth jobs” to 262-276-2692 OR click here: slkt.io/WGp8
Share this post to help other residents learn about this great program.𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬?
Last year, the City of Racine, On the lake employed 39 youth in the Youth Employment Program, an initiative run by our Youth Employment Officer, Kischa Buford.
Each of the youth worked for a city department, learning about their government and what it means to serve the public.
This morning, our senior leadership heard about plans for the second year of this important program. I can't wait to work with the ambitious, civically minded young people who apply this summer.
Stay tuned to our page when the application is released. ... See MoreSee Less
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