MILWAUKEE — After several Milwaukee Public Schools were forced to close due to dangerous lead levels, a local grassroots organization is stepping up.
Metcalfe Park Community Bridges is leading a community-wide effort to ensure families, especially those with young children, have access to clean, safe drinking water.
On Saturday, they launched their first community BBQ of the year, combining voter education, art, and live music with lead filtration systems.
“We’re not going to wait,” said Executive Director Melody McCurtis. "We're going to come together, we're going to keep us safe no matter what... and we're also going to demand what we deserve, which is lead-free communities, lead-free schools, lead-free water."
Volunteers with the group are preparing to go door-to-door in the coming weeks, offering free under-the-sink filtration systems to families in the neighborhood. Their goal is to distribute all 480 units to households with children under six, who are most vulnerable to lead poisoning.
The event also featured a working model of the filtration system, so residents could see how it functions before signing up.
Community member Monifa Johnson said signing up for the filter was an easy choice.
"We're already hearing a lot with MPS and lead that's going on in the schools," Johnson said. "I figured that it's always important to have this lead filter under our kitchen sink because I know we have kids."
Organizers said that this is just the beginning and they’re calling on city leaders to take more action to invest in historically under-resourced neighborhoods like Metcalfe Park.
Families interested in getting a filtration system can reach out to Metcalfe Park Community Bridges or stop by future events, where filters and information will continue to be shared.
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