St. Mark’s participates as a member organization of Common Ground of Southeast Wisconsin, a group of nonpartisan, proactive, everyday citizens in Southeastern Wisconsin, dedicated to identifying pressing social problems facing our community and bringing about creative solutions. Common Ground is comprised of 51 congregations, neighborhood groups, non-profits, schools, small businesses and unions. Members live in the four counties in Southeastern Wisconsin; all of the member organizations combined consist of about 40,000 individuals.

Common Ground seeks to develop solutions to our communities’ toughest problems—together. This work is accomplished through Common Ground’s Issue Campaigns, which aim to bring the concerns of the city and the suburbs together. The various task forces of Common Ground identify issues, conduct research, develop specific and thoughtful action plans, and produce winning solutions. Common Ground is a growing force for social change in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Some of Common Ground’s Issue Campaigns include:

  • Increasing police presence in Milwaukee neighborhoods
  • Working with the City of Milwaukee to add 3,000 jobs to the Youth Jobs Program
  • Securing $31 million in commitments from five of the world’s largest banks for the maintenance and rehabilitation of foreclosed properties in Milwaukee
  • Addressing the healthcare crisis by creating our own healthcare cooperative
  • Working to make sure all of our children get a quality education

Common Ground and its members build long-term relationships with a wide range of people and organizations—business leaders, elected officials, school leaders, other community groups—because we need to work with others to achieve our goals.

Water Drop Alerts

Common Ground’s Watershed Team has set up a system to alert the public when reduced water use is indicated. Working together with MMSD and local media, they’ve set up the Water Drop Alert system. MMSD indicates when water levels in the Deep Tunnel are becoming an issue, then local media broadcasts an alert during their radio and TV weather reports asking the public to reduce water use until it stops raining (e.g., delay laundry, delay running the dishwasher, take shorter showers, etc). If you’d like to receive a personal Water Drop alert just text WATERDROP to 797979.

If you would like to become active in the St. Mark’s chapter of Common Ground or to hear more about the Common Ground projects that are currently underway, contact Deacon Michelle Mooney for meeting times of our Core Team. All are welcome.

For further information, contact the Rev. Michelle Mooney.