Donate to the K.N.O.W. program

The Warner Park Community Recreation Center offers special no-cost programs for kids and teens through the K.N.O.W.(Kids Need Opportunity at Warner) program. WPCRC is the only Madison area park that has a 7,400 sq. ft. gymnasium. Our teens love to play basketball, and this is a welcoming space.

WPCRC is a popular destination for northside teens who reside in the Brentwood, Packers, Northport, Vera Court, Kennedy Heights, Park Crest, Ridgecrest, and Darbo-Worthington neighborhoods. According to staff, 90% of these teens come from one-parent, female-led households, 90% of the teens using the KNOW program are of color, 95% live in subsidized housing and nearly 100% qualify for free and reduced-price lunch at school. KNOW engages our teens in a healthy, productive way. It gives them a chance to do something they love (team sports) while learning new skills as role models surround them.

The kids feel safe, and they feel ownership of this facility. We are currently serving about 150 youth per week in the afterschool program that includes access open gym time, free snacks, video games, pool tables and other fun activities. The goal is to increase the quality of the programing to achieve our desired outcomes—improving the lives of the teens in Madison.