Dane County UW Extension

Join us in welcoming Sarah Cowen as our new Clerk! With over 15 years of administrative experience and degrees from Madison College, Sarah brings expertise and dedication to our horticulture, human development, community development, and natural resources teams. She’s also a proud U.S. Army National Guard veteran. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys camping, hiking, concerts, and sporting events! Read her full bio here: https://lnkd.in/ghD5fCF6

This summer 13 Dane County youth, along with youth from across Wisconsin, gathered at the UW-Madison campus for the annual Summer Academy event, hosted by UW-Madison Extension’s Positive Youth Development Institute and 4-H. The youth chose one of six college/career track options to explore: agriculture, expressive arts, health, baking, transportation, or biological sciences. They engaged in goal-setting and visualization activities to help them make plans for their future. Youth leadership was also front and center, with our Wisconsin Leadership Council youth leading small groups and supporting participants throughout the experience. Dane County youth Molly said: "This academy exposes us to cool and different experiences that I never knew about. I can't wait to come back next year and learn about more career pathways to consider." Summer Academy focuses on youth from 8th to 11th grade. It helps youth hone their leadership skills and look deeper into their post-secondary journey.?

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced that Madison would join Bloomberg Philanthropies’ new Youth Climate Action Fund, which has provided technical assistance and funding for young people to design, produce, and govern urgent climate solutions in cities across the globe. Madison joined the Fund alongside cities from 38 countries across six continents, representing over 62 million residents. This year, youth members of the BYFY program, coordinated by Dane County Extension and partners, served as a grant review committee for the Youth Climate Action Fund. They reviewed twelve applications and distributed $5,000 each to eight youth-led and youth-implemented climate initiatives aligned with the City of Madison’s?Sustainability Plan. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gxbu-e_S

Each summer, WIC families and eligible seniors can access discounted fresh produce through the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). Participants receive vouchers that they can redeem for produce at participating farmers’ markets from June 1 to October 31st annually. Accessing a farmers’ market isn’t always easy or convenient, especially for seniors facing mobility or transportation barriers. One solution to support seniors in accessing produce and redeeming their FMNP vouchers is to bring the farmers’ market to them. This past year, Claire Mance, Healthy Communities Coordinator, has collaborated with senior centers, local farmers, and the Dane County Area Agency on Aging to coordinate pop-up farmers’ markets at senior centers. Instead of navigating a busy market, seniors can visit their local senior center. In this environment, they are already comfortable and use cash or vouchers to purchase produce from local farmers. The general public is also welcome to attend. Upcoming markets include: Middleton Senior Center - Wednesday, September 18th, from 9-11 am We are still recruiting FMNP vendors for the market! If you are an FMNP vendor (or would like to become registered) and are interested in joining this market, please get in touch with Claire Mance, FoodWIse Healthy Communities Coordinator, at?[email protected]

Join our Planning AHEAD course. Planning Ahead is a?7-session?research-based program that will help participants understand how to prepare for the end of life for themselves or a loved one and understand the importance of having a plan in place. Attend this free course in person or virtually. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gZjVx_c4

Join our Rent Smart course.?Rent Smart focuses on the knowledge and skills essential for a successful renting experience.?This is a six-module class that challenges participants to know and understand their rights and responsibilities as tenants and their landlords. Emphasis is on forming a strong partnership between the tenant and landlord. Establishing a positive rental history is much like having a positive credit report, and?Rent Smart?starts participants on the right path for success. Classes are on Mondays & Fridays and FREE to join! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gGe9aPGQ

The Dane County FoodWIse program currently has two openings for nutrition educators. Do you have a passion for teaching others to eat and live healthy? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. Applications close on Aug 26th for the Hmong Bilingual position and Aug. 29th for the part-time position! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g_3HuFCN

Strategic planning is key for small organizations to align their boards and staff. Volunteer boards can become stagnant, and new members may feel like outsiders. Strategic planning helps evaluate your organization's current state and future direction, creating a clear, adaptable plan for the year. Often, Extension offers this facilitation free or at a reduced rate for small groups. If your environmental organization in Dane County is interested, contact Natural Resources Educator Wade Moder. Email Wade Moder here to learn more: [email protected]

The Dane County Regional Housing Strategy has launched a four-year action plan, "A Road Map to Solving Dane County’s Housing Crisis," to address the housing shortage caused by rapid population growth. The plan aims to create 139,000 new housing units by 2040, with annual goals of 3,300 owner units and 3,700 renter units. Municipalities like the Village of DeForest, with help from Sharon Lezberg, our Community Development Educator, are working to understand local needs. Join the workshop on Sept. 26 at DeForest Village Hall to discuss strategies for tackling the housing shortage. Read more about this action plan here: https://lnkd.in/gAUEjkpT

Join our team as a FoodWIse Nutrition Educator. Our Nutrition Educators are peer educators who co-learn with community members and adapt teaching to honor cultures and experiences. Learn more about this position here: https://go.wisc.edu/sl41a3