Great expectations

from Greater Milwaukee Today

By RICK ROMANO

A self-described "chick from the suburbs," Kay Edwards of Mequon knows deep in her heart that building the path toward healing the urban landscape depends on the ability to sew together common faith-based missions connecting grass-roots efforts to address poverty, hunger and violence.

"I grew up in rural Wisconsin and live in the suburbs," Edwards says. "I think it comes from my own personal faith, which says that we have been given so much — to those who much has been given much will be expected."

Edwards says knowledge is the strength of her beliefs.

"I think for a lot of us (living in the suburbs), we don’t know what’s really going on," Edwards says. "We don’t hear the positive, hopeful stories. The fact is that there are many street saints who work in smaller, less-known organizations throughout the city. They are saying, ‘This (blight, hunger and violence) is not going to happen in my neighborhood.

"There are really good organizations out there that may not be the big-name nonprofits that we hear about every day," Edwards says. "These are people who care passionately. I think that’s where the change is going to come."

Edwards has immersed herself in change for more than 20 years working as a consultant providing research, planning and project management to nonprofit organizations and working as a nationally recognized leader with faith-based and denominational institutions. She founded KDM Consultants Inc. in 2006.

Edwards says her board membership service to the local Servant Hearted Anointed Leaders of Outreach Ministry, a social ministry to Milwaukee’s central city, has energized her passion.

"I personally knew the founder of the organization and he was so driven and mission-oriented; it rubbed off on everyone he met," Edwards says. "It was so engaging and addictive to be involved with people who care so much about the city."

Caring is at the core of one of Edwards’ most recent involvements. "Called to the City" is an initiative designed to bring together and build relationships among Milwaukee’s grass-roots ministries. She assisted the sponsoring organization, Cardinal Stritch University’s Office of Vocation Development, in planning the first event last October.

"It was an opportunity to see some ministries in action during a bus tour we took through the city," Edwards says. "And we heard from world-renowned authorities on urban ministries who spoke about the importance of starting those conversations among people who care."

Those authorities are Ray Bakke, founder of International Urban Associates based in Seattle, and Gardner Taylor, a Baptist minister who has spent a major portion of his career as pastor of Brooklyn’s 14,000-member Concord Baptist Church of Christ.

Edwards, reminded of Bakke’s proclamation that "Everything we need is right here," says the city’s resources are increasing. She recently established a Web site where professionals may learn about how their skills can help fledgling organizations that are addressing urban issues at street level.

"People of passion are finding an opportunity to know each other," she says. "This is all a sign of hope."

Help faith-based organizations:

www.vesperservice.net links professional skills such as accounting, legal aid and planning with faith-based grass-roots nonprofits.

The Stritch connection

Kay Edwards worked with the Rev. Trinette McCray, who has directed the university’s Office of Vocation Development since it was established in 2002. The Lily Foundation funds the office’s initiatives.

2007 Called to the City:

"Building Community in a Segregated City: Are We asking the right questions?" will be held Nov. 12 and 13 at Cardinal Stritch University. The theme will be working with youth; some 200 high school students are expected to participate.

Her day job:

Kay Edwards leads KDM Consultants Inc., which works with — in addition to Cardinal Stritch University — large, nonprofit organizations such as Brady Corporate Foundation, Episcopal Relief and Development, Legacy Group, Share Wisconsin and YMCA of the USA.