Eau Claire Community Nexus

10/02/2026

Raising a family takes a village — and Eau Claire has one. Whether you're expecting, chasing a toddler, or parenting a teen, these programs are here for you:

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Resource Center for Eau Claire County — playgroups, Drop-In & Play, Parent Cafés, Triple P parenting classes, and Imagination Library, serving families from pregnancy through age 16. Oakwood Mall, 4800 Golf Rd, Suite 450 · 715-833-1735 · frcec.org.

🍎 WIC — healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and farmers market checks for pregnant and postpartum people, infants, and children up to age 5. Call 715-839-5051 or pre-apply online at dhs.wisconsin.gov/wic.

🎒 Head Start & Early Head Start (Western Dairyland) — free early education for children ages 3–5, plus home- and center-based support for pregnant women and children birth to 3. 715-836-7511 · westerndairyland.org.

🧸 Wisconsin Shares — child care subsidy for families who are working, in school, or in job training, using licensed or certified YoungStar providers. Apply at access.wi.gov or call the Great Rivers Consortium at 888-283-0012.

🏀 Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley — after-school programs, meals, tutoring, and transportation from school for ages 7–18 at the Eau Claire Club. 715-855-0081.

Save this post for the parent in your life.

Sources: Family Resource Center for Eau Claire County (frcec.org); Eau Claire City-County Health Department, WIC (eauclairewi.gov); Western Dairyland EOC, Head Start (westerndairyland.org); Wisconsin Dept. of Children and Families, Wisconsin Shares (dcf.wisconsin.gov); Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley (cvclubs.org).

09/30/2026

Every leader had someone who believed in them first.

According to MENTOR National, four in ten young people grow up without ever having a mentor — and young people who do have a mentor are more likely to hold leadership positions, participate in clubs and sports, volunteer regularly, and plan to attend college.

Mentorship is leadership you can start this week. A few local ways in:

🧡 Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley — the Eau Claire Club at 1005 Oxford Ave offers 40+ programs in leadership, arts, education, health, and sports for ages 7–18. Volunteer or learn more: 715-855-0081 · cvclubs.org.

📖 Family Resource Center for Eau Claire County — parent cafés, playgroups, and programs that support families from pregnancy through age 16. 715-833-1735 · frcec.org.

🌐 Chippewa Valley Volunteer Guide — browse youth-serving organizations in the area at ChippewaValleyVolunteer.com.

Who was your mentor? Tag them or tell us their story below.

Sources: MENTOR National, "Who Mentored You?" (2023) and Mentoring Impact (mentoring.org); Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley (cvclubs.org); Family Resource Center for Eau Claire County (frcec.org); Chippewa Valley Volunteer Guide (ChippewaValleyVolunteer.com).

09/29/2026

💉 FREE FLU SHOTS AVAILABLE THIS FALL! 🍂

The Eau Claire City-County Health Department and NorthLakes Community Clinic are offering no-cost flu shots for people of all ages throughout October and November in Altoona, Augusta, Eau Claire, and Fall Creek.

📅 Upcoming Community Flu Shot Clinics:

• Oct. 6 – Regis Middle/High School, Eau Claire | 3–6 PM
• Oct. 7 – South Middle School, Eau Claire | 3:30–6:30 PM
• Oct. 14 – Fall Creek School District | 1:30–3:30 PM
• Oct. 23 – Augusta Middle/High School | 4–6:30 PM
• Oct. 26 – Altoona Elementary School | 3:15–6:30 PM
• Nov. 4 – North High School, Eau Claire | 3:30–6:30 PM

👉 Can't make these dates? Flu shots for kids and adults are also available every Thursday in October, from 12–4 PM, at the Eau Claire County Government Center, Room G311, 720 2nd Ave.

📌 Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome!
Reserve your appointment at ecvaccine.as.me/

For adults with insurance, bring your insurance card. Adults without insurance and children 18 and under can receive the vaccine at no cost through the Health Department.

💙 Protect yourself, your family, and your community this flu season!

Schedule your appointment online Eau Claire City-County Health Department

09/28/2026

Your health shouldn't depend on your paycheck. Here's where to find free and low-cost care in Eau Claire:

🩺 Chippewa Valley Free Clinic — free medical care, mental health services, dental, vision, medication refills, and telemedicine for uninsured and underinsured neighbors (household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level and not enrolled in BadgerCare, Medicaid, or Medicare; dental and vision are by appointment). Walk-in medical clinic Tuesdays — register 4:30–6 p.m. — and the 1st and 3rd Thursdays, register 9–10 a.m. Appointments: 715-839-8477 (Mon–Thu, 8:30 a.m.–noon).

🏥 Eau Claire City-County Health Department — WIC, immunizations, sexual and reproductive health clinic, adult health maintenance clinic, and more. 721 Oxford Ave · 715-839-4718 · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

💳 BadgerCare Plus / Medicaid — Wisconsin's health coverage programs for eligible children, adults, and families. Apply online at access.wi.gov or through Eau Claire County Economic Support / Great Rivers Consortium at 888-283-0012. Member Services: 800-362-3002.

Share this with someone who's been putting off a checkup.

Sources: Chippewa Valley Free Clinic (cvfreeclinic.org); Eau Claire City-County Health Department (eauclairecounty.gov/departments/health); Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services, BadgerCare Plus (dhs.wisconsin.gov); Eau Claire County Economic Support (eauclairecounty.gov).

09/25/2026

You don't need a title to lead — but if you want to sharpen your skills, Eau Claire has real pathways to get you there.

🌟 Leadership Eau Claire — the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce's nine-month program (an August retreat, then monthly sessions September through May) takes participants inside local government, education, health, business, arts, and human services, and includes a team service project with a local nonprofit. Open to emerging and established community members; a limited number of partial scholarships are available. The Class of 2027 is underway — applications for the next class open in spring. Details at eauclairechamber.org.

🎓 Youth Leadership Eau Claire — a nine-month program for students entering 11th grade at area high schools. Applications open in early March and are due in mid-May; scholarships available.

📚 UW-Eau Claire Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Series — live online courses including "Create and Maintain High-Functioning Boards" and "Lead with Confidence and Intention." Full-series scholarships are offered through Royal Credit Union, the Eau Claire Community Foundation, and the Pablo Foundation — applications for the fall series close October 5. ce.uwec.edu · 715-836-3636.

🧡 ECCN Coalition Meetings — the most direct way to lead in your own community. No experience required.

Which of these would you try? Tell us in the comments.

Sources: Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Eau Claire & Youth Leadership Eau Claire (eauclairechamber.org); UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education, Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Series (ce.uwec.edu).

09/23/2026

Winter is coming — and so is the new energy assistance season. The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) program year begins October 1, with the heating season running October 1 through May 15.

WHEAP provides a one-time payment toward heating and electric costs, plus crisis assistance and furnace repair for households at or below 60% of the state median income — for the 2026–27 season, that's $39,864 for one person or $76,661 for a family of four. Benefits are issued while funds last, so applying early matters.

🔥 Apply locally: Western Dairyland EOC administers WHEAP for Eau Claire County. Call 715-836-7511 or email [email protected] to set up a phone or in-person appointment. 418 Wisconsin St, Eau Claire.

📞 Statewide: 1-866-HEATWIS (432-8947) or energybenefit.wi.gov.

💡 Focus on Energy: free energy-saving packs, rebates, and income-qualified programs. 800-762-7077 · focusonenergy.com.

🧣 Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund: nonprofit crisis fund for households that can't cover heating costs — accessed through your local WHEAP agency, not by calling the fund directly. 1-800-891-WARM. To date the fund has helped more than 152,000 households.

Get your paperwork ready now so you're first in line on October 1.

Sources: Wisconsin Dept. of Administration, Home Energy Assistance (energyandhousing.wi.gov); Western Dairyland EOC, Energy Assistance (westerndairyland.org); Focus on Energy (focusonenergy.com); Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund (kwwf.org).

09/21/2026

Who's making the decisions?

BoardSource's national study of nonprofit boards found that just 22% of board members and 17% of board chairs are people of color, and roughly one in five boards has no members of color at all. At the same time, 82% of nonprofit CEOs said racial diversity on their board matters — but only about half of those had aligned their recruitment practices to match.

Local government tells a similar story. A national study of 877 cities and 1,005 counties found that in almost every community, elected officials are less diverse than the residents they represent.

Representation isn't about optics. When the people closest to a problem help shape the solution, the solution works better. That's the whole idea behind Eau Claire Community Nexus.

If you've ever thought "someone like me should be in that room" — you're right. Here's where to start:

🏛️ City of Eau Claire boards, commissions & committees — applications are accepted year-round and kept on file for three years. Fill out the Resource Bank Form at eauclairewi.gov (Government → Boards, Commissions & Committees) or call the City Manager's Office at 715-839-4902.

🏢 Eau Claire County boards, commissions & councils — citizen applications are accepted any time and kept for two years. Apply at eauclairecounty.gov (Government → Boards, Commissions & Councils) or call 715-839-5106.

🤝 Nonprofit boards — browse local organizations at ChippewaValleyVolunteer.com (Area Organizations), then reach out to the ones whose mission fits you. Most nonprofits recruit board members directly, and many welcome first-time board members.

Sources: BoardSource, Leading with Intent (2021); The Conversation, analysis of local elected officials in 877 cities and 1,005 counties (2023); City of Eau Claire (eauclairewi.gov); Eau Claire County (eauclairecounty.gov); Chippewa Valley Volunteer Guide (ChippewaValleyVolunteer.com).

09/18/2026

Stable housing is the foundation for everything else — health, work, school, and safety. If rent is getting hard to manage, Eau Claire has people ready to help:

🏠 Housing Authority of the City of Eau Claire — manages nine HUD-funded subsidized housing programs within city limits. 203 S. Farwell St (ground floor) · 715-839-4943.

🏘️ Eau Claire County Housing Authority — Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing units, and rehab and down-payment assistance (homebuyer programs are for homes outside city limits). Appointments required. 227 1st St W, Altoona · 715-839-6240.

🤝 Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council — rapid rehousing, housing and financial counseling, down-payment assistance, plus separate crisis and energy assistance programs. 715-836-7511 · [email protected].

⚖️ Eau Claire Tenant Landlord Resource Center — tenant/landlord education, mediation, and early eviction prevention. Resources available in English, Hmong, and Spanish. 715-529-2918 · ectlrc.org.

Note: The statewide Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance program is no longer accepting applications, so local organizations are the best first call.

Sources: City of Eau Claire Housing Authority (eauclairewi.gov); Eau Claire County Housing Authority (eauclairecounty.gov); Western Dairyland EOC (westerndairyland.org); Eau Claire Tenant Landlord Resource Center (ectlrc.org); Wisconsin Dept. of Administration, WERA (energyandhousing.wi.gov).

09/16/2026

Leadership doesn't always look like a podium. Sometimes it looks like a ride to an appointment, a plate of food, or a phone call to check in.

According to AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau, 54.2% of Americans (137.5 million people) informally helped neighbors between September 2022 and September 2023 — up more than three points from the previous survey in 2021. Another 28.3% (75.7 million people) formally volunteered through an organization, contributing nearly 5 billion hours of service.

That's the kind of leadership that builds a community from the inside out.

Looking for a place to plug in? The Chippewa Valley Volunteer Guide — a community partnership promoted by United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley — lists local organizations and opportunities at ChippewaValleyVolunteer.com. And ECCN is always looking for community members to help plan events, gather feedback, and connect neighbors.

Tag someone who leads by helping. 🧡

Source: AmeriCorps and U.S. Census Bureau, "Volunteering and Civic Life in America" (americorps.gov; census.gov, Nov. 2024); United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley (uwgcv.org/volunteer); Chippewa Valley Volunteer Guide (chippewavalleyvolunteer.com).

09/14/2026

Groceries, hot meals, and monthly food benefits — here's where to find them in Eau Claire. Last year Feed My People Food Bank recorded 101,859 first-time pantry visits, the most in its 44-year history, so if you or someone you know could use a hand, these doors are open:

🥫 Feed My People Food Bank — supports 250+ pantries, meal sites, and hunger-relief programs across 14 counties. Use the "Find Food" locator at fmpfoodbank.org or call 715-835-9415.

🍽️ The Community Table — free meals, no questions asked, 365 days a year. 320 Putnam St, Eau Claire · 715-835-4977 ext. 8.

🛒 FoodShare Wisconsin — monthly grocery benefits. Apply at access.wi.gov, through the MyACCESS app, or by calling the Great Rivers Consortium at 888-283-0012.

Save this post or share it with a neighbor.

Sources: Feed My People Food Bank (fmpfoodbank.org); The Community Table (thecommunitytable.org); Wisconsin Department of Health Services, FoodShare (dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare); Eau Claire County Economic Support (eauclairecounty.gov).