Casa Alba Melanie: A Forward-Looking Hispanic Resource Center

May 1, 2021 | Community Spotlight

Written by Fr. Paul Demuth for Horizons newsletter, May 2021

When Sister Melanie Maczka and Father Ken DeGroot, O. Praem., decided to “retire” from their pastoral duties at St. Willebrord Catholic Church, the first local Catholic parish to welcome Hispanics as integral members, they realized that not all Hispanic people felt comfortable in a church setting. The needs and talents of the Hispanic community were vast and vital to the future of the greater Green Bay community. While Father Ken sought the funds for Casa ALBA Melanie, Sr. Melanie became the first Executive Director, working with a bicultural board in imaginative and ever-developing vision.

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Understanding Social Capital and How it Works in Our Community (2002)

Aug 1, 2002 | BACC Archive

Written by Paul Demuth, Nan Nelson, Noel Halvorsen and Others

Social capital is the stock of social trust, norms and networks, formal and informal, that allow us to know and trust one another and solve common problems. In a changing community, new forces might strain a community’s ability to work collectively for the greater good. We set out to learn about current social capital in our community. [Click Understanding Social Capital and How it Works in Our Community (2002) to read the full paper.]