Having An Impact During Difficult Times

by
Lizzy
Bagniefski
March 24, 2026

UEC community

Volunteering

When looking at the world around us today, we might feel like we have no way of making a change big enough to matter. As a young college student, it’s hard to wrap my head around what I can do to help my community. But just like anything, taking the first small step matters more than you can imagine.  

I find that inspiration blossoms within myself and those around me through small acts of kindness and initiative. When we take one seemingly small step—like volunteering, supporting a neighbor, shopping locally, cleaning up a local park, donating to those in need, or simple acts of kindness—we set everlasting change in motion.  

Not knowing where to start is understandable, but looking for opportunities is a great first step. To help you get started, here are a couple ways I like to support our local community:  

  • Volunteer during your extra free time – On a weekend when I find myself with little to do, volunteering at a local shelter, food bank, or community center is a great way to spend it. Volunteering brings joy and hope to others in our community, while fostering those same feelings within ourselves. I often find I meet some pretty cool people as well!
  • Connecting with family, friends, and neighbors – Connecting with neighbors and friends helps us strengthen our bond as a community. It allows us to share our resources, support one another, and create a sense of belonging. We can further the impact of our individual actions by nurturing our relationships with others.

Impactful Opportunities at the UEC

Taking care of our local environment and educating others on the importance of maintaining a safe and healthy ecosystem is just one step to inspiring everlasting change. The Urban Ecology Center offers unique opportunities for us to make change through volunteer programs that reflect a love for fun and local outdoor experiences.  

As someone who loves the outdoors, having an opportunity to be outside and make a change is truly rewarding. Some great direct opportunities for volunteering at the UEC include:

  • Restoring Our Outdoors Together (ROOT) – ROOT is a great opportunity the UEC offers to help with environmental maintenance.  
  • Park Rangers – This program provides you with a chance to help pick up trash in the parks managed by the UEC.  

The UEC puts together many programs and events for us to connect with others. Some great opportunities for community impact include:  

  • Mindful Mending – Mindful Mending is a free program that runs every Wednesday night at our Riverside Park branch, where you can simply relax and come together to sew worn clothes.  
  • Game Night and Potlucks – The UEC offers free monthly game nights at Washington Park and potlucks at Riverside Park that are open to everyone.  
Left: Community Potluck, Right: Friends and Family Game Night

Although game nights, potlucks, and fun evening events might not come to mind when we think of impactful change, they are wonderful opportunities to meet neighbors and strengthen our community—and that has a more powerful impact than we realize!  

These actions may seem small but change needs to begin somewhere. Everything starts when you and I decide to make one small change, but it has a truly profound impact when we do it together.  

Other Local Resources and Opportunities

If you’re looking for more opportunities to make a positive change in our community, below are a few helpful links to start, and continue, your search for opportunities!  

Groundwork Milwaukee, Fathers Making Progress, and the Milwaukee Domes are continuing partners with the Urban Ecology Center and share the UEC’s goals of focusing on local initiatives and positive change within our community.  

  • Groundwork Milwaukee Volunteer Information – Groundwork Milwaukee is an independent branch of the Groundwork USA not-for-profit network. Groundwork Milwaukee has many volunteer opportunities from helping to plant trees and working in local gardens, to short term volunteer work you can do on your own time.  
  • Fathers Making Progress Donation Link – Fathers Making Progress is a local team of fathers dedicated to creating a safe space to teach, support, and encourage other dads so they can create a strong foundation for their families and community. Consider donating to causes like Fathers Making Progress that support our local community.  
  • Milwaukee Domes Visitor Information – If you’re looking for something fun to do with family, friends, or simply something to do on your own, consider visiting our local Milwaukee Conservatory Domes! The Conservatory Domes aims to inspire people through plant life and community support, all while educating community members on environmental conservation.  
Lizzy
Past Employee
Guest Author

My name is Lizzy and I’m super excited to be working with the Urban Ecology Center this spring! I’m a junior at UW-Milwaukee and I’m majoring in English with a minor in Anthropology. I’m from La Crosse WI, but I’ve loved getting to know the Milwaukee community. In my free time I love to read and spend time with my family and friends. As a family, we love to go camping and visit national parks. Out of all the national parks we’ve been to, Zion National Park is my favorite. I also really love animals, and back home we have two dogs named Bean and Biscuit. Throughout the next couple of months I’ll be working with the Evaluation and Development teams on their upcoming projects. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you!

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