Faith-based community needs more support to solve root causes of violence

A faith-based leader is calling on his own to step outside of the church walls to end the chaos he said is caused by hurt and fear.

"Within the chaos of what just happened, there's a root cause of what went wrong within that," said Richard Schwoegler, with Faith Builders Church.

Unemployment, lack of education and poverty are some of the root causes fueling unrest on Milwaukee's north side.

"There's people that don't have furniture, people that don't have baby formula for kids," he said.

They are basic needs Schwoegler said must be met to heal a broken community, but it's up to churches to meet the people where they are and understand their struggle.

"Right now, there's a lot of people on survival mode," he said."We've got to get them out of that survival mode and then build that relationship with them."

An adopt-a-neighborhood program provides resources for residents.

The Salvation Army's chaplaincy program, a partnership with Milwaukee police, gives support during crimes and develops initiatives to make neighborhoods safer.

Schwoegler said pushing through the fear to bring hope to the city can't wait one more day.

"Through this mess we're going to be victorious I can guarantee that," Schwoegler said. "But it's going to take more people to come out and do these things."

To learn more about the chaplaincy program or volunteer, click here.