By Kathy Gaillard
Traditionally, SOS means a call or request for help or rescue, but in Milwaukee the SOS Center is an acronym for Strength of Savior. And, rather than requesting help or rescue, the SOS Center offers youth both as part of its after school initiative. What’s more it’s free!
Located at 4620 W. North Avenue, the SOS Center is a non-profit social services agency that was founded by Ken and Arlene Greves in 1982. The organization facilitates Christian care, provides educational instruction, and offers afterschool programming and life skills activities for children and families in the Milwaukee community.
Lydia Beasley, a staunch supporter, volunteer, and cheerleader for the SOS Center, first became involved with the Center in 2015.
“I’m an accountant and when a friend, Johnnie Fields, told me that SOS Center needed a treasurer, my somewhat flippant response was, ‘Good luck. I hope you find one.’ Sometimes when you are anointed to do something, people don’t argue with you, so I was encouraged to just attend one board meeting, which I did. I found it to be an encouraging space, so I started out as a treasurer, then I got involved with the after school program,” said Beasley.
Now “all in,” Beasley can’t say enough good things about the Center’s afterschool program and Saturday activities for youth. The after school activities are mostly geared to youth 7 to 12 years old (i.e., first grade through seventh grade), but the Saturday activities are geared to older youth. The afterschool program is open Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m., and Saturday activities are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“On Saturdays, we have a range of activities from playing chess, to sewing and baking, and arts and crafts activities. We purposely have open activities so youth can explore new and different things. We will soon have a media room computer hub, so parents who bring their children can work on computers, while they wait for them,” said Beasley.
During the summer, the SOS Center also offers vacation bible school, but they do it differently than most churches.
“We have a five-week vacation Bible School, and we are thinking of expanding it to six weeks this year. We partner with other churches, so they each take turns coming in with Bible Study and activities. This past summer 60 youth participated in our program, which runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We provide breakfast, lunch and snacks. We also participate in the City of Milwaukee’s Earn & Learn program, so youth workers and volunteers help us with the children,” said Beasley.
Beasley has truly found her calling, working with youth in the SOS Center, and she is committed to expanding it and encouraging others to get involved.
“One of my goals is to provide youth with life skills so they can use their skillset to earn money; maybe even turn it into a side hustle or a business and save money for college.
“I believe in the potential of kids. I also want to leave space for others to take over these programs. I try to put the younger people in leadership roles because I know there is a lot they can do. We are in a state of emergency with our youth, especially black youth. I want them to know that there is nothing they cannot do. There are people out there who care, love them, and believe in them. We have gems. We have little diamonds all throughout our community. We just need to dust them off and watch them shine,” said Beasley.
For more information about the SOS Center, visit the website at https://soscenterinc.org
Leave a Reply