The beleaguered Social Development Board reopened to the public on Monday after seven months of closure, as it continues to grapple with how to grow in the face of major financial challenges. , offering limited services.
SDC attorney William Sulton said the organization is still working through technical issues, including reconnecting its phone system and accessing email and online platforms.
Caspian Technologies, SDC’s information technology service provider, cut off access to SDC’s website, email, or electronic data this summer for failure to pay service fees.
Still, Sulton heard positive feedback from staff about the agency’s first two days of operation.
“Everything is moving in the right direction. I give all the credit to the board for wanting to reopen, serve and move forward,” Sulton said.
As a quasi-governmental community action agency, SDC has provided a variety of programs and services to meet the needs of Milwaukee County’s low-income residents, but in late April it ceased services and laid off employees.
After months of meetings to determine the agency’s next steps, SDC’s committee announced in November that SDC would restart the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and its career services, child care and housing programs in December. The plan was announced.
family in crisis
Sulton estimated about 25 people walked into the SDC headquarters at 1730 W. North Ave. on Monday.
“We heard that people were coming in. They were asking questions. They were able to get services or were directed to other community services,” Sulton said.
Jorge Franco, SDC’s interim CEO and chairman of the board, said the reopening is necessary.
“I attended the opening ceremony and within minutes people came in who were in crisis and needed help,” Franco said.
Franco said the mother and son, worried about losing their home, came to SDC seeking rental assistance.
SDC does not offer rental assistance, but staff can redirect you to another service provider, such as Community Advocates, that has a rental assistance program.
“Those connections are important,” Sulton said.
“Dedicated to SDC’s mission”
Franco said about 10 staff members were on duty Monday, some arriving as early as 7 a.m.
“They are extremely dedicated to SDC’s mission, and it is a great honor for me to work with such outstandingly talented people,” he said.
The Social Development Commission’s main office now has a new sign saying it is “under new management” and preparations are underway for its grand opening.
SDC, located at 6850 N. Teutonia Ave., is not yet operational or open to the public, Franco said.
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Meredith Meland is a neighborhood reporter with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms about undercovered issues and communities. Report for America has no role in editorial decisions in NNS newsrooms.
