Safety Outpost 2025: A Day of Community, Fun, and Family Resources

Penfield Children’s Center was thrilled to host another successful Safety Outpost this year! Sponsored by Kohl’s in partnership with the Penfield Building Blocks program, the event brought together families from across Milwaukee for a day filled with learning, laughter, and community connection. By the numbers, the event welcomed 195 attendies, 27 vendors, handed out 361 Buildings Blocks Tool Kits and 172 lead clean up kits.   

Video partner: TankThink

A Camp-Inspired Celebration

With a Northwoods camping theme, families enjoyed the outdoors with fun and hands-on activities. Children who participated in the “camp” received a Penfield Building Blocks tool-kit filled with camp-inspired goodies including a vest, hat, binoculars, magnifying glass, compass, whistle and baggy. Healthy snack of water, juice, granola bars and fruit snacks as well. Guests also got to meet Penfield’s new mascot, Wilder the chipmunk, and snap photos at our camp-themed photo station.

Activities and Highlights

The afternoon was packed with excitement! Families explored community resources, while children enjoyed bubbles, music, snacks, and t-shirts. Highlights included climbing into a police car and fire truck, meeting the Milwaukee Police Department Horse Patrol and cheering with Bango from the Milwaukee Bucks. Families also enjoyed free books from Bernie’s Books and the Next Door Foundation Book Mobile.

Community Partners

We are so grateful to the many vendors who joined us and shared local health, wellness, and safety resources with families. This year’s partners included: Acelero Learning, Aurora Health Care/The Beacon, Bango from the Milwaukee Bucks, Bernie’s Books, Boys & Girls Club, Children’s Hospital of WI, City of Milwaukee Health Department (Empowering Families of Milwaukee, MKE Fatherhood Initiative, Southside Health Center), City on a Hill, Community Smiles Dental, Family Voices of WI, Girl Scouts of America Southeast, Healthy Start, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee Public Museum, MKE Fire Department, MKE Urban Stables, MPD Horse Patrol & Car, Nearwest Side Partners, Neighborhood House, Next Door Foundation (Books for Kids), Next Step Clinic, Planned Parenthood, Sojourner, SWIM, Vision Forward, WI DOT, and YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee.

Media Highlights

The event also drew media attention! Watch Toni, Family Advocate at Penfield, share more about the day in a special report from TMJ4 – watch here. You can also catch Penfield on The Morning Blend sharing the excitement around this year’s event—watch here.

Thank You

A huge thank you goes out to all of our vendors, community partners, community volunteers and Penfield staff who supported this event. Special thanks to the Penfield Safety Outpost Committee for their incredible planning and day-of execution that made the event such a success. 💙

Together, we created a safe, fun, and resource-filled experience for children and families.

We’re already looking forward to next year’s Safety Outpost adventure!

Photo credit to Northwoods Creative for capturing this fun event.