MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee's Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC) has been hosting Bloom and Groom events across the city during the month of May.
During each event, NIDC partners with neighborhood organizations to help bring discounted flowers to residents. On Thursday, Bloom and Groom was in the Metcalfe Park neighborhood.
"Every year we do the annual Bloom and Groom where community members can come and get flowers, to not only beautify their porches, but their entire community," said Deputy Director of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges Melody McCurtis.
Residents could pick out annuals or perennials, and there were even some vegetable plants to choose from like tomatoes.
"It's important to be able to shop for these things in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, we don't have a nearby huge flower far or a huge store you can get flowers from. You have to travel outside [the neighborhood]. So we're making it convenient and we're making it affordable in their community, in their community spaces to get these flowers," McCurtis said.
Most importantly, organizers of this event said it's all about bringing out the community and taking pride in their neighborhood.
"This is a way for those neighbors to connect, especially during a pandemic, to go out in your yard and while you're doing your yard, your neighbor is doing their yard. So, it's really for us a connection and culture thing," McCurtis said.
There are two more days of Bloom and Grooms coming up:
- May 28th
- Southside Organizing Center, 1031 S. 9th Street, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Century City Triangle Neighborhood Association, 29th & Melvina, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- June 4th
- Hartung Park Community Association, 3400 Menomonee River Parkway, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
- Centruy City Triangle Neighborhood Assocaition, 29th & Melvina, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Capitol Heights, 4059 N. 64th Street, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
- Near West Side Partners Inc., 3215 West State Street, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
