On any given afternoon at the East Madison Community Center (EMCC), you might find a 14-year-old leading younger students through an activity, confident, focused, and already thinking like a mentor.
Not long ago, he was the one being guided.
As a preschooler, Antuan Graves-Haskins first walked through EMCC’s doors. He grew up in its afterschool and summer camp programs, volunteered whenever he could, and, after earning his work permit, stepped into his dream role as a youth worker. Today, he represents the long-term impact that consistent mentorship, opportunity, and investment in young people can make.
“The East Madison Community Center has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I first started going there when I was just three years old. As I grew older, the community center became more than just a building. It became my second home,” Antuan said.
“Over the years, I went from being a little kid who looked up to everyone to coming full circle and having the little ones look up to me. Now at 14 years old, I am proud to say that I am not just attending the community center, I am now a junior paid staff member. Being able to give back to a place that helped raise me means a lot.”
His mother, Rosie Haskins, has watched that journey unfold firsthand.
“Antuan grew up at the East Madison Community Center,” Haskins said. “He went to preschool there and then attended the youth program and is now a youth staff member. I have seen what everyone else has seen and that is his passion to create a life better than his surroundings and the East Madison Community Center has helped shape him into the person he is today.”
Stories like Antuan’s are exactly what the American Family Insurance Championship and the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation aim to support.
Since the tournament’s inception in 2016, the Championship and the Foundation have partnered with EMCC, providing annual grant funding that powers youth programming, health and wellness initiatives, and out-of-school opportunities for families on Madison’s east side.
Tournament support has helped bring high-energy programs to life, including swimming lessons, ZTag, YMCA visits, and weekend excursions – all providing children with safe, engaging spaces to learn and explore.
With the championship entering its second year at TPC Wisconsin – only minutes from EMCC – the partnership’s impact is more visible than ever. The tournament is not just a major sporting event; it is a catalyst for community engagement, giving young people a front-row seat to opportunities that extend beyond the classroom and playground.
A Neighborhood Hub That Grows with Its Community
Founded in 1966 in a small apartment to meet the Truax neighborhood’s growing needs, EMCC began by offering structured activities for youth and a meeting space for adults. Nearly six decades later, it has evolved into a thriving, multi-service center providing social, educational, recreational, and cultural programming for families across Madison’s east side.
The Center is located within the neighborhood, just steps from local homes, and welcomes families of all incomes. It serves as a hub where people of all ages can connect, access resources, and thrive.
With a small paid staff and 250 volunteers, EMCC provides residents with access to resources, mentorship, and programs that enhance quality of life.
“For 60 years, East Madison Community Center has been the heart of the Truax neighborhood,” said Executive Director Regina McConnell. “We’ve grown with the community to provide dynamic programs and free resources for all ages, right where families live, learn, and thrive.”
In addition to youth programming, EMCC serves the entire community with adult education, food pantry support, community meals, gardening opportunities, and multicultural arts programming — ensuring the Center supports families of all ages, not just youth.
Guiding Youth Toward Opportunity
EMCC guides children from participants to volunteers, and for many, to employees. Through a strong volunteer network and mentorship culture, youth gain consistent role models who reinforce the values of teamwork, respect, and responsibility. Teens can shadow staff, earn leadership experience, and learn to give back to their community, creating a pathway from participant to volunteer to future employee.
“We try to help the kids just become good people,” Nate Savado, Youth Program Manager, notes. “That’s the end goal. And just try to see how we can best meet their needs to help them become productive citizens later on in life. The community center means a lot for the kids, when a lot of the kids in the neighborhood don’t know about it until they start using it. And I feel like once they use it, we got them.”
“I have been here at the community center for the past 17 years; one thing I have learned over the years is to never judge a child, because they have the ability to do anything they want in life if they have the right people and places around them,” he said. “I remind them each and every day that they have a ‘Chance and a Choice;’ if they make the right choices their chances get better at succeeding in life.”
Backed by Championship Support
Support from the American Family Insurance Championship helps sustain that cycle year-round.
“One of the most meaningful parts of the American Family Insurance Championship is seeing how this tournament can directly impact organizations like East Madison Community Center,” said Nate Pokrass, Tournament Director and Executive Director of the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation.
“It’s especially meaningful to strengthen relationships with our east side neighbors and invest in programs that are developing confident, capable young leaders right here in Madison.”
Tournament funding enables EMCC to expand offerings, support staff and volunteers, provide equipment, and remove barriers for participants in need. The investment is visible in everyday moments, from children discovering new activities to teens building leadership skills and gaining work experience. Beyond structured programs, EMCC is a place where children can relax, build friendships, and grow into productive members of the community.
With the Championship now firmly established at TPC Wisconsin, EMCC is exploring additional ways for the community to engage, including tournament volunteering for staff, board members, and parents of youth participants. By connecting the excitement of professional golf with tangible community impact, the partnership reinforces the message that investing in youth today builds stronger neighborhoods tomorrow.
“The American Family Insurance Championship is more than a week of golf,” Pokrass said. “It is a year-round investment in local organizations that shape the next generation.
For EMCC, that investment means more young leaders are stepping into their futures every year, one program, one mentor, and one opportunity at a time.
The American Family Insurance Championship raised $2,035,000 in 2025. Since 2016, the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation has distributed $21.78 million through 1,171 grants to charitable organizations—continuing to make a meaningful impact in our communities. As the championship approaches its 10th tournament, we’re highlighting some of these organizations and the important work they do.
About Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation
Established in 2013 when Steve Stricker became a brand ambassador for American Family Insurance, the mission of the foundation is to inspire and develop strong families and healthy kids so they can pursue their dreams. The foundation supports organizations that produce tangible outcomes that align with this mission. Web: https://amfamchampionship.com/foundation/; X: @StrickerFNDN
About the American Family Insurance Championship
The American Family Insurance Championship was created in 2016 by American Family Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions and PGA TOUR player and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker. Since its inception, the championship and associated events have raised nearly $22 million for the American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities. The 2026 championship will be held June 1-7 at TPC Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information: Web: www.amfamchampionship.com; Facebook: American Family Insurance Championship; Instagram: @amfamchampionship; TikTok: @AmFamChampionship. #AmFamChamp
