Robles Center Petition

We need your help! Petition to reopen the Robles Center location. Read the petition, then fill out the form below it to sign it. Take Action Now!

January 21, 2010

Secretary Karen Timberlake
Department of Health Services
1 West Wilson Street
Madison, WI 53702
Phone: (608) 266-1865

Dear Secretary Timberlake:

The undersigned oppose the closure of the Robles Center at 1673 S. 9th Street. We collectively request that the Robles Center be re-opened immediately.

Our reasons for making this demand include:

Failure to communicate with the community: The closure of the Robles site was never publically announced. The Department of Health Services failed to gain an understanding of the community or the diversity of its people. It failed to notify applicants and recipients. Every day people still visit Robles to apply for benefits and other assistance.

Cultural Competence: The Robles Center was named in honor of a Latino leader. Milwaukee County provided translation services on site for people of limited English proficiency. Closing the site resulted in a loss of linguistic and culturally relevant services for Latinos and other ethnic groups. This raises serious legal concerns of "access" and "equity."

Travel barriers for applicants: Applicants for entitlement benefits need an accessible location. They should not be asked to walk 2 miles to UMOS or be sent across town to the Coggs Center on Vliet Street.

Loss of Program Access: Applicants for FoodShare and Medical Assistance need an accessible application site dedicated to their needs. Welfare reform agencies are dedicated to employment placement. Older adults, people with disabilities, undocumented citizens, non-English speakers and working poor people need food, health care and childcare and they should not have to be screened by job center staff to get the help they need. Besides, job center staff is not trained to relate to and assist individuals with these needs.

Economic Impact: The Robles Center is located on Historic Mitchell Street. People conducting business at the Robles Center also frequented the stores and businesses on Mitchell Street. Closing the Robles Center hurts economic development on Mitchell Street and contributes to a less robust south side community.

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Petition

First Name * Last Name *
Title Affiliation

Signatures

Name	Title	Affiliation	Signed On
Glenn Danz	Reverend	United Church of Christ	03/08/2010
Caroline Klinker	Concerned Citizen		03/08/2010
Alexandra Banks	High School Student	Concerned Citizen	03/08/2010
adrian currie	concerned citizen	frieden's community ministries	03/08/2010
Doriann Pyant	Interim Site Manager	Frieden's Community Ministries	03/08/2010
Michael Stratton	Social Justice Advocate	Archdiocese of Milwaukee	03/06/2010
Amatullah Mahmoud		concerned citizen	03/03/2010
Yvonne Lumsden-Dill	Social Justice Advocate	Milwaukee County	02/26/2010
Kendra McMillan		Milwaukee Resident	02/26/2010
Antinisha Smith	Concerned Citizen	South Side Resident	02/25/2010
Jack Rongstad	Resident		02/25/2010
Michele Ortiz	Concerned Citizen	Milwaukee Public Worker	02/23/2010
Margery Theiss	Sister	School Sister of St. Francis	02/19/2010
Diana Bagley	Concerned citizen	South Side resident	02/19/2010
Lucas Zimmermann			02/19/2010
Elizabeth Janairo	concerned citizen	Milwaukee area resident	02/18/2010
Lorrie McConologue	concerned citizen	human race	02/18/2010
Kenneth Bruckbauer		Milwaukee resident	02/18/2010
Marian Rezel		Milwaukee resident	02/18/2010
Susan Fox			02/18/2010
Margaret Flynn	Concerned citizen	Milwaukee resident	02/18/2010
Sarah Quick	Concerned Citizen		02/18/2010
Vincent Howard	Concerned Citizen		02/18/2010
Amy Szuta			02/18/2010
Sue Leister	Concerned Citizen		02/18/2010