MADISON, Wis. — Halloween may look a little different this year — but that isn’t stopping the Progress Center for Black Women from spreading black joy and debuting its new Mobile Resource Center on Saturday.
At their ‘Progress, Pies & Pumpkins’ event, the Progress Center for Black Women offered a free event to help local families celebrate Halloween. Residents were able to pick-up candy treat bags, mini pumpkins and decorating kits in a drive-through line to minimize physical contact.
“I just want today to be about creating a little bit of joy in their lives, getting them out of the house with their kids,” Sabrina Madison, founder and director of the Progress Center for Black Women, said.
The event sought to celebrate the Progress Center’s new Mobile Resource Center, a van that volunteers will drive into communities for safe one-on-one meetings, pop-up events and distributing resources. The Mobile Resource Center was set up entirely though community donations and support.
“Due to the global pandemic we wanted to pivot and shift how we’re offering resources to the community,” Madison said. “We’re gonna the this van out to folks’ neighborhoods.”
Urban Triage, a local nonprofit, also participated in the event by giving away free goodie bags with Halloween-themed arts and crafts projects. Volunteers said they wanted to provide a safe way for kids to still celebrate the holiday.
‘Progress, Pies & Pumpkins’ also featured the local Black women-owned businesses Melly Mell’s Soulfood, LushLife Vegan Bakery and Mo’ Betta Butter Cookies that offered pre-ordered baked goods for pick-up.
“Especially during this time it’s important to support each other and to come together to help keep the morale of the community together,” Carrie Braddix, owner of LushLife Vegan Bakery, said. “Were here to make it easier for people who want to celebrate Halloween.”
Organizers of the event said they hoped to help highlight Black female entrepreneurs and business owners.
“When I got to Madison I realized there was really a void in Black women leading,” Madison said. “The women were here, but the rest of the community weren’t necessarily able to identify those women or put those women on to new opportunities.”
For more information on the Progress Center for Black Women, visit their website.
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