Racine Community Foundation

10/08/2026

October is Estate Planning Awareness Month, and it's a chance to sit with a quiet, powerful truth: the causes closest to your heart don't have to end with you.

For 50 years, the Racine Community Foundation has stewarded gifts that keep on giving - turning the generosity of one generation into scholarships, grants, and support that reach the next. A legacy gift through your estate plan is a way to make sure the Racine County you love continues to be cared for, long after you're gone.

It's not about how much you leave. It's about what you choose to carry forward.

To learn how RCF can be part of your legacy, reach out to President & CEO Liz Powell at [email protected], or explore planned giving at racinecommunityfoundation.org/donate.

10/07/2026

Autumn leaves, a glass in hand, and 30 downtown stops to discover - it's W**e Walk season in Racine!

Downtown Racine's Fall W**e Walks return on Saturdays, October 10 and 17, from 1:00 to 6:00 PM. Stroll through 30 participating businesses sampling 20 w**es and craft b**rs, with snacks along the way - all while exploring the historic, hip heart of downtown on the Lake Michigan shore.

Your $40 ticket includes admission to every stop, a w**e sampling glass, a canvas tote, and a raffle entry for a w**e prize pack. Parking is just $3.50 all day in nearby ramps.

It's the perfect way to spend a gorgeous fall afternoon with friends - and support downtown while you're at it.

Grab your tickets at racinedowntown.com.

10/06/2026

Cheap charger? Don't chance it.

That's the message from the City of Racine Fire Department this Fire Prevention Week. Those inexpensive, off-brand phone, battery and device chargers might save a few dollars up front, but they can overheat, short out, and spark fires that put your home and family at risk. That's what happened here in this photo, and the results speak for themselves.

A few simple habits make all the difference: choose chargers from trusted manufacturers, avoid damaged or frayed cords, don't leave devices charging unattended or under pillows and blankets, and unplug when you're done.

Thank you to the Racine Fire Department for looking out for our community, this week and every week. A small choice today could prevent a devastating loss tomorrow.

Stay safe, Racine County.

10/05/2026

When most of the city is asleep, the HOPES Center of Racine, Inc. is out walking the streets - meeting people experiencing unsheltered homelessness exactly where they are, with patience, compassion, and respect.

Three to four nights a week, their small Street Outreach teams go out to offer basic assistance, information, and a genuine connection - helping people find a path off the streets, built on trust rather than timelines. For those who can't or won't enter shelter, that steady, familiar presence can be the beginning of everything.

We're honored to support HOPES and their work, thanks to the generosity of our donors - because every person deserves to be met with dignity, and no one should have to find their way out of homelessness alone.

HOPES Center is very pleased to announce that it has received a grant award for its Street Outreach work from the Racine Community Foundation. Recognizing the worth and dignity of each person, HOPES helps people end their homelessness. The Racine Community Foundation plays a big role in our ability to do this.

Street Outreach is a service specifically for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Racine County, meaning that they sleep "on the streets" in places not meant for human habitation. HOPES has small street outreach teams that go out a 3 - 4 nights per week to meet people where are on the streets. The people our teams meet either cannot or choose not to enter shelter or temporary housing for a wide variety of reasons. The teams provide basic assistance, information on services available in Racine, and offer connections and assistance in finding a path off the streets and out of homelessness. We are extremely grateful for the foundation's partnership in helping us do that.

10/02/2026

"I'm a teacher at heart."

That's how Claudette describes herself - and after 35 years teaching orchestra, she wasn't ready to stop helping people learn. So she found a new way to do it. For more than two years, she's volunteered as a tutor with the Racine Literacy Council, currently teaching English to a woman from Mexico who, in Claudette's words, is so motivated. Together, they've built a real connection.

"I just want to help people learn."

That spirit is what makes the Racine Literacy Council's work possible. Volunteers like Claudette open doors - to language, to opportunity, to belonging - for neighbors working hard to build their futures. And the best part? No experience is necessary, and training is provided.

If you've ever wanted to make a difference one person at a time, this is your chance.

Learn more about becoming a tutor at racineliteracy.org/volunteer.

10/01/2026

If this weather has you craving a little more quiet, the Eco-Justice Center has just the thing: a Forest Therapy session on Saturday, October 10 from 9 - 11 AM, led by forest guide Pam Whyte of Cedar & Stone Forest Therapy.

This isn't a hike or a workout. It's a chance to step away from the usual rush, tune into your senses, and reconnect with the natural world at an easy, unhurried pace. You'll pause often, notice what's around you, and make space for a little quiet reflection. No experience needed - just come ready to slow down.

Maybe today's rain is exactly the reminder we need: nature doesn't have to be sunny and busy to be beautiful.

Open to ages 14+ (those under 18 must attend with a participating adult). There's still time to give yourself a couple of hours to simply be.

Register today: site.corsizio.com/portal/64fb65b79d7a2d048e88d15e

09/30/2026

Prost, Racine! Oktoberfest is coming to downtown.

Downtown Racine's October First Fridays goes full Oktoberfest this Friday, October 2 from 4 - 9 PM. Come for the ceremonial keg tapping at 5 PM (with free b**r while it lasts!), stay for live music from Tally Hoe, a stein-holding competition, a best-dressed lederhosen contest, and prize drawings - plus shopping, dining, and Oktoberfest fun all through downtown.

Grab your stein and we'll see you on Friday!

2 DAYS TO GO! The steins are ready, the b**r is chilling and Downtown Racine is getting ready for an October First Fridays "Oktoberfest"

5 PM – Ceremonial Keg Tapping + FREE B**R while it lasts
5:30–8:30 PM – Tally Hoe
6:45 PM – Men's & Women's Stein Holding Competition
8:30 PM – Best Dressed Lederhosen + prize drawings

PLUS live music, shopping, dining and Oktoberfest fun throughout downtown.

Friday | October 2 | 4–9 PM
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09/28/2026

Remember that troll headed to Mount Pleasant? Now's your chance to become part of it.

Enjoy Mount Pleasant is hosting a community lumber drive on Saturday, October 10 from 10 AM to 2 PM, collecting reclaimed hardwood that could become part of the giant Thomas Dambo troll sculpture arriving next year. This is the fun part - the wood people donate now is the wood the artist and his team will actually build with, giving our troll a genuinely local character.

Here's what to know:
Drop-off is at the Community Lumber Depot, 12800 Louis Sorenson Road. They're looking for reclaimed or recycled hardwood boards that would otherwise be tossed - no logs or sticks. Each donor can bring up to about one pickup-truck load, and volunteers will be there to help you unload. (It may wrap up early if the depot fills up, so don't wait too long.)

And where will the finished troll live? That's being kept a secret for now - because, as the tourism office put it, a little mystery keeps it magical.

Communities from across Racine County are invited to pitch in. Got some old hardwood in the garage? It might just become a piece of a 20-foot work of art that welcomes visitors to our corner of Wisconsin for years to come.

Questions can be directed to [email protected]

Enjoy Mount Pleasant will collect reclaimed hardwood Oct. 10 for a Thomas Dambo troll sculpture planned for next year.

09/25/2026

Did you know chickens can recognize faces and communicate with dozens of different sounds? All that scratching and pecking isn't random - it's a natural-born forager at work.

The Eco-Justice Center's hardworking flock has been keeping the egg basket full, and the garden is overflowing with fresh produce and flowers this season. Which means it's time to stop by the farmhouse porch.

This Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM, swing by for a little farm-fresh goodness:
Eggs are $5 a dozen (limit one dozen per family), plus whatever produce and flowers are ready from the garden. It's self-serve on the farmhouse porch, first come, first served. And since the flock is made up of different breeds and ages, every carton looks a little different - part of the charm.

Come grab some goodies, say hello to the girls, and see what's fresh.

We love seeing the Eco-Justice Center connect our community to where food really comes from.

09/24/2026

The best classrooms don't always look like classrooms. Sometimes they smell like fresh biscuits and gravy.

Special Education Options students at Racine Alternative Learning recently teamed up to cook a full biscuits-and-gravy breakfast for their entire class - measuring, mixing, and working side by side to pull it off. It's the kind of hands-on lesson that builds real life skills, teamwork, and the quiet confidence that comes from making something with your own hands and sharing it with others.

Bon appetit, students. You did great.

We love seeing Racine Unified Schools create spaces where every student gets to learn, contribute, and (rise and) shine.