The Greater Milwaukee Foundation has made a new online resource for measuring the economic health of metropolitan Milwaukee available for the community. Vital Signs tracks and provides analysis for unemployment, food stamp usage, foreclosure filings and W-2 payment cases in the four county area. The service will also provide information on calls made to 211@Impact for food assistance and shelter in Milwaukee County.

“Through our grantmaking process, we are well aware of the continuing, and in some cases the growing need the economic downturn is causing throughout all of metropolitan Milwaukee,” said foundation president Doug Jansson. “We may all be familiar with the statistics, but don’t understand the impact on our neighbors and communities. Vital Signs can help us understand what the facts and figures mean, as well as provide information about programs that are successfully addressing the issues facing us and ways people can help.”

Data is collected and analyzed monthly by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute. The information is then posted on the foundation’s website on or about the middle of each month. In addition to providing the data in six key areas of economic health, Vital Signs also provides in-depth analysis on one key topic each month through interviews with local experts.

“We fully expect that Vital Signs will become a primary source of information for individuals and organizations who want to understand the human impact of current economic conditions in the greater Milwaukee area,” said Marcus White, the foundation’s director of community partnerships. “Our convenient online access, easy-to-read charts, and comprehensive analysis create a valuable tool for the community.”

The foundation is also partnering with WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio, which will provide additional analysis of the findings each month through its on-air and online reporting.

Vital Signs can be found on the foundation’s homepage: www.greatermilwaukeefoundation.org, and does not require the user to login to view the information.

The American Red Cross is seeking nominations for its 2010 Brave Hearts: Heroes Among Us awards. Awards will be given in the following categories:

All nominated acts of courage and kindness must have occurred in, and the nominees must be a resident of, either Dodge, Milwaukee, Ozaukee or Waukesha counties. To nominate an individual or corporation for an award visit www.redcrossinsewis.org/bravehearts or call (414) 345-8674 to have a nomination form sent to you. Deadline for submission is Monday, Nov. 30, 2009.

Ronald McDonald House of Charities of Southeastern Wisconsin and 5-year-old D..J. Harper and his family will celebrate McHappy Day and the house’s 25th birthday today. The celebration will take place at the Wauwatosa McDonald’s located at 6631 W. North Ave., beginning at 11 a.m. 

D..J. and his family have been staying at the Ronald McDonald House since July, when D..J. was rescued from a burning SUV.

Customers will have the opportunity to sign an oversized birthday card that will be presented to the Milwaukee Ronald McDonald House, and $1 from every sale of all breakfast and beef sandwich extra value meal will go to Ronald McDonald House Charities.

McHappy Day is an international celebration, that was formerly called World Children’s Day. More than 100 countries participate in McHappy Day by hosting fundraising events and activities at McDonald’s restaurants to raise funds and awareness for critical children’s issues. Over the past seven years McDonald’s and its restaurant owners have raised more than $150 million for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

More than 100 countries will participate in McHappy Day, by hosting fundraising events and activities in McDonald’s restaurants to raise funds and awareness for children’s issues.

Erica Conway, co-owner of Milwaukee-based C2 Graphics will guest bartend at AJ Bombers tonight from 5:30 until 10 p.m. to benefit the Comet Dog's efforts with troops in Iraq. Drink specials include $2 PBR Pounders and special Comet Dog drinks. Three dollars from each Comet Dog Drink will go to support Team Comet Dog and its efforts to purchase travel pillows for injured soldiers being transported from Iraq to Germany. Each $3 donation buys one pillow.When (AJ Bombers) asked me about guest bartending for charity, I realized that  I am not truly passionate about any major charities," Conway said. "I know Bill and 
the Comet Dog, and I am passionate about what they're doing to 
increase the comfort of the troops, especially now that our mutual 
friend is in Iraq as a nurse. If I can make the lives of those 
soldiers a little better with a small effort like this, it'll also 
benefit (her), which makes it a joy to do."
 Conway has a goal of raising enough money to purchase 500 pillows during her shift. Customers can make a donation directly or by purchasing a drink. To learn more about the Comet Dog and his efforts check out BizTimes Milwaukee's exclusive interview with him and Bill McGinnis here: www.youtube.com/watch or visit his website: www.TheCometDog.com

Walmart Foundation recently awarded 2-1-1 @ IMPACT referral system a $25,000 grant to assist the system in keeping up with the increased number of calls from Milwaukee County residents seeking assistance with family, health and social services.

The grant will be used to redesign IMPACT’s 24-hour call center and add to its staff of professionally trained community resource specialists.

Arrival of the seasonal flu, the H1N1 virus as well as increasing numbers of unemployment figures are expected to drive call numbers up during the fourth quarter.

“We were on pace to handle six to seven percent more calls than we did in 2008, but that was before the H1N1 calls began,” said Vickie Boneck, IMPACT’s director of marketing and communications. “At this point there is no telling how the virus will affect our call volume totals by the end of the year.”

In October alone, 2-1-1 @Impact handled 2,209 call inquiries related to H1 N1 virus.

"The Walmart Foundation is very pleased to support IMPACT in serving more concerned citizens from throughout Milwaukee County,” said Lisa Nelson senior manager of public affairs for Walmart. “Helping persons facing or avoiding crises certainly corresponds with our corporate pledge to help people live better."

The IMPACT grant is one of 14 to be awarded during 2009 by the Walmart's State Giving Program to organizations in the state.

The Salvation Army Christmas Toy Shop is in need of more than 1,400 volunteers to help bag nearly 100,000 toys for parents this season. The organization needs at least 350 volunteers per day on Thursday, Dec. 17; Friday, Dec. 18; Saturday, Dec. 19 and on Monday, Dec. 21. Volunteers will help parents select toys, sort toys and restock. The Christmas Toy Shop is located at 5880 N. 60th St., Milwaukee. To sign up to volunteer, visit the Salvation Army website at www.SAmilwaukee.org or call our volunteer coordinator Joy Alexander at 414-302-4300.

Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals recently participated in a city-wide initiative consisting of hundreds of volunteers helping older adults, such as Margaret Stevens of Milwaukee, by raking leaves, cleaning gutters and doing other small projects to prepare her home for the winter during Milwaukee’s Make-A-Difference Day. “The kids did a wonderful job, I really did appreciate their help…they took their Saturday to help me do some much needed work,” said Margaret Stevens.

Stevens was one of over 350 older adults served by Interfaith Older Adult Programs.

Pictured are: Kevin White, Margaret Stevens, Sabrina Jackson, Alfonzo Lewis.

To view additional calendar items or to submit your own events please visit the BizTimes.com calendar