The Goodman Center Family Newsletter 🍂 Fall 2023

Welcome to a new school year at Goodman Community Center!

We're so excited to have you and your children with us this year. This newsletter is filled with important info about what's happening with our children and youth programs this fall and winter.

Pay close attention to the Thanksgiving Basket section (the second below). Every year, we provide thousands of local families with Thanksgiving groceries. Early registration to receive a basket is open for Goodman families right now. Please don't hesitate to sign up if you could use a little extra help this year!

Don't Miss Out

Fall Family Fun Night: Lights On Afterschool

Thursday, Oct. 26, 5:30 - 7pm

Ironworks building, 149 Waubesa St.

Later this month we host our first Family Fun Night of the school year — a Lights On Afterschool event in celebration of after-school programs and their importance in our community.

Join us for dinner at 5:30pm and STEM-themed fall activities starting at 6pm. All GCC participants and families are invited to this free event where you can get to know fellow Goodman families, students, staff, volunteers and community members.

For the past 35 years, the Goodman Center has provided Thanksgiving Baskets to thousands of families throughout Dane County. Each basket contains all the food you need to prepare a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner, including a frozen turkey, veggies, stuffing, pumpkin pie and all the fixings.

As a youth program participant, you’re eligible for early online registration at the link below. Please do not share this link. Registration opens to the general public Oct. 16-27.

After you register, you will receive an orange postcard in the mail with a specific date and time assigned to pick up your basket. Basket pickup occurs Saturday, Nov. 18 through Monday, Nov. 20 at our Ironworks building, 149 Waubesa St. Please bring your orange postcard with you to move quickly through check-in.

Interested in helping us fill 4,000 Thanksgiving Baskets? Learn more about how you can help.

Children's Programming

Child care is still enrolling for the 23/24 school year

Do you know a family who's looking for full-day child care for their 3- to 5-year-old? Or maybe someone who still hasn't figured out after-school care for their elementary-age student? Goodman still has open spots for this school year! You know how amazing Goodman is. Please help us spread the love and fill our classrooms!

There are limited elementary spots available — elementary students must attend Lowell or Emerson. Please contact Ashley at ashley@goodmancenter.org.

Upcoming Closures

Children's Programming

Preschool, 4K & Elementary school

Friday, Oct. 20: Closed for staff development day
Tuesday, Oct. 31: Mid-day release from MMSD; Goodman will pick elementary schoolers up early
Friday, Nov. 3: Closed for family/teacher conferences
Wednesday, Nov. 22 - Friday, Nov. 24: Closed for fall break
Wednesday, Dec. 20 - Tuesday, Jan. 2: Closed for winter break

LOFT Teen Center

Middle school & high school

Friday, Oct. 20: MMSD closed; Goodman half-day program for middle school; TEENworks all-staff meeting
Friday, Nov. 17: MMSD closed; Goodman half-day program for middle school; TEENworks all-staff meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 22: MMSD closed; Goodman half-day program for middle and high school
Thursday, Nov. 23 - Friday, Nov. 24: Closed for fall break
Wednesday, Dec. 20: MMSD closed; Goodman half-day program for middle school; TEENworks all-staff meeting
Thursday, Dec. 21 - Thursday, Jan. 4: Closed for winter break

Good News

Middle School

Fall Bike Rides

Middle school is partnering with Lussier Family Heritage Center to go on two scenic fall bike rides to immerse youth in the beautiful changes of autumn. In September, 12 youth went on a ride with Education Coordinator Angela Rivera around the Madison area's gorgeous bike paths and across the Lake Waubesa boardwalk into McFarland. In October, another group will ride with city of Madison Pedestrian and Bicycle Outreach Specialist, Colleen Hayes.

Preschool & 4K

Nature Wonder Story Time

Madison Public Library’s Naturalist in Residence visited our preschoolers for a very special story time. Agriculturist, mixed media artist, writer and doula Qwantese Dourese Winters read Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn and helped the kids create their own art from leaves and plants.

Elementary School

Exploring the Gold Room

Every afternoon, kids are able to explore the Gold Room’s maker space, science center and dramatic play area after the groups’ family meeting time, aka “Ice Cream on the Rug.” The classroom mascot, Fred, is always present. The kids talk about their days and have a chance to express all their feelings, and Ms. Nicole or Ms. Carol get a chance to read a story while the kids listen and color, braid hair or just chill after a long day at school.

LOFT Teen Center

Cooking Club,

Led by High School Teens

This year, our middle and high school teens are collaborating on our popular cooking club! Four high schoolers will create their own menu to cook up with Chynna's (Youth Culinary Career Coordinator) help and expertise. Then the older teens will help lead the middle schoolers through each recipe.

In preparation for the official start of the series, our middle schoolers whipped up some scrumptious peach tarts.

More news from Goodman:

Goodman youth leaders Arthur Morgan and Shantrice Solis were recently honored with awards from Madison Out of School Time with their LOFT team members by their side. Read more about their achievements here.
Each Wednesday, teens in our TEENworks program host the East High School football team's weekly pasta dinner, preparing and serving an amazing amount of food to hungry student athletes 💪
On Mondays, Mya Williams from the YWCA is facilitating a Restorative Justice Circle with middle school youth. These circles offer students — particularly Black- and brown-identifying youth — an opportunity to discuss their experiences, feelings and the responses of others to their actions in an equitable and judgement-free space, building community and providing support.

Get Involved

Check in with Letesha

Thursday, Oct. 12, Noon, Virtual

Introducing Check In with Letesha, office hours with Goodman CEO / Executive Director Letesha Nelson. In this first session, Letesha will talk about our Living Wage Initiative — how it's been going and her vision for the future — and answer your questions.

This event will happen via Zoom and will be recorded. RSVP here. Amie Hoag, Director of Communications, will email you a link to the Zoom meeting by Wednesday, Oct. 11.

Photo: SV Heart Photography

Children's Programming

Goodman Parents Newsletter

Parents of children in Goodman's child care program have created a newsletter by and for other Goodman preschool and elementary school parents. Sign up here to be kept informed of upcoming events, helpful resources and opportunities to help out.

Fit Youth Initiative

Mondays and Wednesdays, Dec. 4 - 20

FYI is offering three-week skills sessions in volleyball and basketball to support players with experience in leveling up their game. These twice-weekly sessions are a mix of drills and scrimmages. Click here to learn more and register.

Volleyball: 4th - 12th grades
Basketball: K - 5th grades

Program Kitchen

What We're Eating This Fall

A changing of the seasons means a changing of menus by our program kitchen. Our kitchen staff are excited to debut a few new items as a part of the fall/winter rotation, including chickpea curry, Cajun chicken pasta and arroz con pollo. Learn more and view October's menu here.

Goodman Resources

Fritz Food Pantry

Goodman Community Center's food pantry is open three days a week to anyone who needs it. We provide a mix of fresh produce and dairy products, eggs, meat, cheese and dry goods. As much as we can, we try to meet special dietary needs for low-sugar, low-salt and gluten-free foods.

All are welcome. No pre-registration required.

Hours:

Tuesday 9:30am – noon, drive-thru 1-2pm
Wednesday 6 – 8pm
Thursday 12:30 – 3pm

Questions? Contact Francesca at francesca@goodmancenter.org or

608-204-8049.

Need more options for food assistance? Check out the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Emergency Food Assistance Program.

Older Adult Programming

Goodman's older adult program serves ages 50+ with a regular calendar of activities and resources for living well, including affordable weekday lunches, fitness activities designed especially for older adults and fun social opportunities. See our upcoming calendar of activities for older adults, or click here to learn more about the program.

Community Resources

Finding affordable, quality child care is a challenge that many Wisconsin families face. The Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy program invests in eligible working families to help make quality child care more accessible and affordable.
For utility assistance, the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) assists eligible households with their heating and electric bills.
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Madison Public Library is hosting a series of events throughout the rest of the year celebrating Hispanic and Latino American culture. They've also compiled Latinx book lists, including Spanish language picture books and Hispanic and Latine Fiction for YA Readers.
Monroe Street Art Center offers weekly free art-making sessions on Friday evenings through Dec. 15. Pre-registration is required.