From boys to men, leading by example

Watch a video of Charles' story.

The corner of 25th Street and North Avenue is nothing to look at. Bordered by a dollar store, a vacant lot and a neighborhood filled with condemned homes, it paints a dismal picture of urban Milwaukee.

While it may not feature much in the way of scenery, there is something special about this Milwaukee intersection. It is the home of Children's Family and Community Partnerships' Region 1 office and neighbors the childhood residence of Charles Greer, Safety Services supervisor.

When a report of child abuse or neglect is received, Safety Services helps keep kids safe by providing families with intensive in-home services. The program's goal is to keep the family unit intact and prevent children from being placed in foster care.

Unlike many of the children his program serves, Greer is able to credit his personal
and professional success to the structure his parents put in place. "I always saw my
mother and father go to work every day," he explained. "When I came home from school, I was expected to change out of my school clothes, do my homework and then eat dinner."

An avid athlete, Greer played basketball, ran track and dreamed of becoming a profes-sional football player. A football scholarship to Concordia University in Chicago fueled his hopes of athletic stardom. His dream was crushed two years later when an illness in the family summoned him home to work in construction.

Greer later finished his degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and got his feet wet at a shelter called New Beginnings. In the 17 years since, he has devoted his career to strengthening children and families but admits he's not done making a difference in his community.

"I think it's important for black men like me to be seen in the city," Greer said. "Kids need to know that it's OK to go to school and have a job. They don't have to be
professional athletes or in prison. There is something in between."

When he's not on the job, Greer spends time coaching seventh and eighth grade basketball in the neighborhood where he works.

When he started coaching basketball, Greer noticed some disturbing – but not surprising – trends. His players were missing practices because they had to baby-sit their younger siblings, were suspended from school or didn't have transportation.

"Out of 13 boys on the team, only two kids had fathers involved in their lives," Greer said, recalling his first season as a basketball coach. "These kids came with so much
baggage. Many of them were depressed and had very little self-esteem. I was a new entity to them."

Needless to say, Greer's job as a basketball coach involves much more than teaching plays and shooting technique. "If a kid has an opportunity in life, it is our responsibility to give it to him," said Greer, who has been known to buy basketball shoes for players in need.

He also spends a lot of time transporting his players from their homes to games in Milwaukee suburbs. "A lot of these kids never have been out of our community.
I don't want them to miss opportunities to see other parts of the area like Elm Grove and Waukesha."

During his visits to the local barbershop, Greer discusses the situation with his peers. "We all agree that we have a responsibility to tell young African American men whatever we can to help make a difference," he said. "That one contact may mean so much for their futures."