Goodman Community Center Launches Distance Learning for Students

Contact:
Becky Steinhoff, Executive Director
Goodman Community Center
149 Waubesa Street | Madison, WI 53704
608-204-8025 | becky@goodmancenter.org

GCC Launches Distance Learning for Students
Program staff at the Center have created classes and clubs to support 4K through high school

Madison, WI  April 6, 2020 – Goodman Community Center program staff have created virtual and distance learning opportunities to support its students and families of all school ages. Staff have been working diligently to plan and roll out this process, including, in some cases, getting families access to devices their children can use to take advantage of these learning opportunities.

“Working closely with MMSD is a big part of what our program staff does, and as the district moves to distance learning, we knew it would be important for us to step up and offer support for the families we serve,” said Becky Steinhoff, Executive Director of the Goodman Community Center. “I’ve always said we have some of the most committed staff working with our young people, and as they’ve shifted gears and made new plans, I’m reminded of it all over again. I’m so proud of what they’re all doing to step up and support our families.”

Here’s what each program is doing:

• Early Childhood Education: Staff are offering 1-1.5 hours of programming per day for preschool and 4K students, shared out via the SeeSaw app. They are also finding Chromebooks and tablets for families who don’t have access to devices.
• Elementary Afterschool: Staff are planning virtual clubs that will be filmed in their homes and uploaded to the Goodman YouTube channel.
• Middle & High School: Staff plan to continue many of the regular afterschool clubs students were able to participate in at the Center, and they are also creating art supply kits that they are then dropping off for families who need them.
• Transition Academy: This alternative to traditional high school has shifted to 100% distance learning, offering all the same classes students attended at the Center in a remote environment while maintaining the hands-on nature at the core of the Transition Academy. For students who do not have access to internet or devices, staff are dropping off study materials each week and collecting student work from the previous week.
• Girls Inc.: Staff are creating programming five days a week, many being offered live so girls can engage in conversation and find a safe space to express their concerns and have questions answered.

In addition to all of this, each program is also holding virtual office hours or reaching out to family and students to ensure that the Center continues to support their individual needs.

For more information about what the Goodman Community Center is doing in the wake of COVID-19, visit: goodmancenter.org/corona

About the Goodman Community Center

The Goodman Community Center is the largest community center in Dane County. The center offers many programs to strengthen the lives of preschoolers through teens, meals and social activities for older adults, a food pantry, a gymnasium and fitness center, catering services and community space. For more information about the Center, visit goodmancenter.org.

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MDC Raises More Than $6 Million for Venture Debt Fund

(MADISON, Wis.)—Madison Development Corporation’s (MDC’s) Venture Debt Fund, which provides financing for emerging growth companies in Dane County has successfully raised over $6.2 million for its sixth fund.

Since 2004, the MDC Venture Debt Fund has provided venture debt loans to over 60 Dane County companies that have created more than 1,400 high quality jobs in Dane County.

“Our goal is to keep high growth companies here in Dane County so they can create quality jobs that keep talent here in Wisconsin” said Lorrie Heinemann, Madison Development Corporation President & CEO and Venture Debt Fund Co-Manager.  “Our Venture Debt Fund continues to be a resource for many local companies when growth capital is critical.”

The Fund’s participants include MGE, Capitol Bank, Monona Bank, State Bank of Cross Plains, City of Fitchburg, First Business Bank, Middleton Area Development Corporation, Settlers Bank, Town Bank, Starion Bank, Bank of Sun Prairie, McFarland State Bank, Oak Bank, Old National Bank, Incredible Bank, Park Bank and MDC.

Companies that have received funding include TomoTherapy, Phoenix Nuclear, PerBlue Entertainment, EnsoData, Stemina Biomarker, Digsite and GrocerKey.

The MDC Venture Debt Fund typically provides financing for companies who reached revenue stage and have received an angel or seed round of funding. The venture loans are nondilutive to equity shareholders which allows companies to access capital at a predictable cost while maintaining ownership and control.

For more information about the MDC Venture Debt Fund program, visit https://www.mdcorp.org/venture-financing.

About Madison Development Corporation

Madison Development Corporation is a non-profit organization that owns and manages 305 affordable housing units in the Madison area and provides financing for hard-to-finance businesses in Dane County. Since 1977, MDC has provided loans to more than 450 businesses totaling over $35 million, helping to create over 5,000 quality jobs in Dane County.

Per Mar & Midwest Alarm Services Expand in Nebraska

DES MOINES, Iowa – Per Mar Security Service, a leading provider of total security solutions for residential and commercial clients and the parent company to Midwest Alarm Services, is pleased to announce it has acquired GT Fire & Security based in Grand Island, NE. GT Fire & Security was founded by Gary and Tracy Hesman in 2008.

Brian Duffy, COO of Per Mar, said, “GT Fire & Security is a great company founded by wonderful people.  We are happy to have found such a perfect mutual fit.”

Gary and Tracy Hesman and the technicians from GT Fire & Security will be joining the Midwest Alarm Services team, and will continue to provide service from the Grand Island, Nebraska office.

“This is a merger of two companies who prize their employees and customers above all else,” said Doug Richard, President of Midwest Alarm Services. “By combining operations, both Midwest Alarm Services and GT will be able to improve their delivery of products and services.”

About Per Mar Security Services

Established in 1953, Per Mar Security Services is the largest, family-owned, full-service security company in the Midwest with more than 2,300 team members, operating in 23 branch locations. The company provides full-service security solutions for homes and businesses including security officer services, smart home automation, burglar and fire alarms, access control, security cameras, alarm monitoring, investigative services and background checks. For more information about Per Mar Security Services, please visit permarsecurity.com.

About Midwest Alarm Services

Established in 1950, Midwest Alarm Services is a family-owned company specializing in life safety systems across four states. The company is a leading NOTIFER dealer, and provides life safety systems and services including card access systems, fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers/hoods, fire inspections, master clock systems, monitoring, nurse call systems, fire alarm system design/layout and video surveillance. For more information about Midwest Alarm Services, please visit midwestalarmservices.com

SWAVE: Dane County Curbside Challenge

The Dane County Curbside Challenge is in full swing!

How it works:

1. Buy curbside, carry out, or delivery from a participating restaurant or retailer
2. Post to social media with the hashtag #DaneCountyCurbsideChallenge and tag the business
3. Be put in a drawing for a $25 gift card from the local place you supported through your purchase

To view participating restaurants and retailers, visit: www.swavecoupons.com/danecounty-curbside-challenge

Good luck and have fun!

Music App LÜM Featured as Apple’s App of the Day

For Immediate Release
April 3rd, 2020

Music App LÜM Featured as Apple’s App of the Day

Music streaming app highlighted as Apple’s App of the Day following the launch of first-ever artist focused virtual gifting system.

MADISON, WI – April 3, 2020 – Today, the social music streaming app LÜM is being highlighted by Apple as “App of the Day.” This follows the company’s announcement of becoming the first music streaming platform in the US to allow for direct-to-artist virtual gifting. The company’s virtual gifting system launched in January 2020, via a new in-app virtual currency called the “Note.”

The Madison-based tech startup recently closed a second round of financing after launching its social media and music streaming app in July 2019. The platform has quickly grown to over 70,000 users, including 45,000 musicians and a catalog of over 125,000 tracks. In January, LÜM launched the “Note,” becoming the first in-app virtual currency to be used for artist financial support in a music streaming platform in the US.

“We live in a world where people are quick to congratulate, but slow to support,” said Max Fergus, CEO of LÜM. “We want young independent musicians to know that we, along with millions of others, want to support them, because we know that they will succeed in their endeavors. Technology, and even more importantly, human connection, will continue to shape many industries, including music. We are excited to bring that future to artists and fans.”

Within the first two months since the launch of LÜM’s virtual currency, over 8,000 artists have received direct support from fans. Over 12,000,0000 Notes have been gifted to artists. Each Note has direct financial value equal to the average royalty payout per stream on alternative streaming platforms. The average payout to supported artists on LÜM is approximately 8 times higher than the per stream income generated by artists on other major music streaming services. In the future, LÜM looks to apply its virtual currency to new areas of the music industry and continue to pursue the company’s ultimate goal of creating a path for independent artists to make a career out of their passion for music. LÜM has also recently launched a COVID-19 response to subsidize additional income for creators during the crisis.

Please follow this link to the “Today” tab on the Apple App store to find LÜM’s featured story under App of the Day.

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Website: https://lum.fm/ 

iOS App Download: Click Here

For Press Inquiries: max.fergus@lum.fm (P:608-576-6682)

Press: https://lum.fm/press

About LÜM 

LÜM is a music streaming and discovery application built on a stand-alone social network that enables emerging artists to circulate their music and grow their fan base. The LÜM platform focuses exclusively on emerging artists and increases artist-to-fan and fan-to-fan engagement through the gamification of social music discovery. 

Artists upload their content and connect with fans on LÜM’s platform. Users discover, support and circulate music by sharing and engaging with their friends and peer communities. Founded in 2018, LÜM is headquartered in Madison, WI, with offices in Austin and New York City. For more information, visit https://lum.fm/.