The Story of Bronzeville

The conception of this nonprofit organization is quite unique. Both directors Keyontis and Chidera grew a bond over their deep love for the city of Milwaukee, with Keyontis growing up in it and Chidera living there for years. Looking around they saw growing issues of hunger and homelessness and knew they had to do something to help, no matter how little. They started off by routinely getting leftovers from restaurants like Taco Mikes and Ian’s Pizza and handing them out to people in need at shelters!

As they continued to handout leftovers one thing they were often told was “Wow you guys are so young!”. It made them ask, why aren’t there more people like us doing this too? At that moment, their mission became clear. Not only did we want to end hunger, but also wanted to inspire other young people like themselves to do so too. From there the organization took on a new focus, organizing youth and young adult events to fight hunger. They want their events to be a place where people can feel a sense of community and form new relationships while also making an impact. They’ve already come so far, and are excited to take things to the next level!

At this point, all that was missing was an organization name. They chose the name Bronzeville, because back in the day, Milwaukee was known just as that. Bronzeville symbolized a time in which poverty was at an all time low, entrepreneurship was at an all time high, and everyone looked out for one another. There had never been a stronger sense of community. Naming it the Bronzeville Foundation conveyed the faith they truly have in the city to improve their care of the less fortunate. After receiving generous sponsorships, acquiring agreements between restaurants and shelters, and assembling a passionate team, they were finally ready to put our vision to the test. They are so blessed to have so much support from the downtown/greater metro area community. With all their help, they can change lives, one plate of food at a time.