1313 W Reservoir Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Community Agricultural Growing Experience — a grassroots urban agriculture and mentorship movement rooted in Milwaukee's Halyard Park neighborhood since 2014.
Andre' Lee Ellis — Founder & Executive Director
Our Mission
Andre' Lee Ellis — Founder & Executive Director
In 2014, Andre' Lee Ellis — a community organizer, actor, director, and playwright — turned a single vacant lot next to his home on Reservoir Avenue into a garden. It was a quiet act of defiance against a food apartheid that had left Milwaukee's Black neighborhoods without fresh produce for generations.
That one bed became many. Today, CAGE stewards urban growing space at 1313 W Reservoir Avenue in the Halyard Park neighborhood — one of the poorest zip codes in Wisconsin. Through gardening, mentorship, and rites of passage, CAGE serves hundreds of young people each year.
Andre' Lee Ellis also leads the Andre' Lee Ellis & Company, Inc. Theatre Company, one of only two Black theatre companies in Milwaukee, using the arts to build connection and tell stories that strengthen community. CAGE is a proud part of Buildwaukee, the citywide initiative to invest in neighborhood-level transformation.
We are not a charity. We are a community building the infrastructure of our own liberation — soil, seeds, mentorship, and the radical belief that together we can.
As long as they have their hands in the soil, they can keep them off the trigger of a gun.
What We Do
Every program is built and run by people from the neighborhood. We are not a service provider — we are neighbors organizing neighbors.
Our flagship annual event pairs 250 men with 250 boys ages 12–17 for a full day of workshops on violence prevention, anger management, men's health, AI, and more. Mentors pay $125 to cover a tuxedo rental for their mentee. When you look good, you feel good — and you do good.
Raised beds, hoop houses, and vacant-lot gardens at 1313 W Reservoir Avenue in Halyard Park. We grow fresh basil, lettuce, and more — then distribute it free to neighbors. Every Saturday, our 'Talented 10' gather to tend the garden.
Each 500 Black Tuxedos event closes with a circle of brotherhood — men and boys standing shoulder to shoulder, arms linked. This ritual moment of unity is at the heart of what we do.
One of only two Black theatre companies in Milwaukee, producing staged works and classes that build connection through the arts. The company is a natural extension of our mission — telling stories that strengthen community.
From holiday toy drives to clothing distributions, CAGE MKE shows up for the block year-round. We've organized large-scale community giving events, block beautification projects, and tree plantings — partnering with neighbors, businesses, and city agencies.
Honors & Recognition
From City Hall to the Steve Harvey Show, Andre' Lee Ellis and CAGE MKE have been recognized by local and national institutions for their service to Milwaukee.
Marcus Performing Arts Center — 42nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration
Presented to Andre' Lee Ellis in recognition of decades of service strengthening Milwaukee through urban agriculture, cultural leadership, and community engagement. The award honors Ellis's deep and enduring commitment to social justice.
City of Milwaukee
Awarded by the City of Milwaukee for creative, hands-on work improving the lives of young African American men and boys on the north side. The selection committee cited Ellis's positive example and inspiring message as things the city needs to honor and grow.
The Steve Harvey Show
Featured nationally on The Steve Harvey Show as a 'Harvey's Hero' for his work using community gardening to mentor young Black men and transform neighborhoods. The segment brought national attention to Milwaukee's urban agriculture movement.
FOX6 News Milwaukee
500 Black Tuxedos mentorship event
CBS 58
CAGE helps young Black men express freedom through gardening
TMJ4 News
500 Black Tuxedos program and youth mentorship
Wisconsin Watch
Black male mentorship crisis in Milwaukee
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
CAGE founder tills new urban farm
Milwaukee Magazine
The story behind CAGE community garden
Spectrum News 1
Milwaukee man creates legacy with Black youth
PBS Black Nouveau
CAGE and Andre Lee Ellis's garden mentoring
WPR (Wisconsin Public Radio)
Garden offers work and life skills
Urban Milwaukee
Community organizer and theatre company proprietor
Shepherd Express
Andre Lee Ellis & Company theatre productions
WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio
Reflecting on Martin Luther King's influence
OnMilwaukee
Struggle to find more Black male mentors
The Milwaukee Independent
Frank P. Zeidler Public Service Award
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Voices from the Block
Real words from the young people, mentors, and neighbors whose lives have been shaped by CAGE MKE — as reported by local and national news.
“I just like being in here. Working and helping the community.”
Deonta Williams
CAGE garden participant, FOX6 News
“It gets me away from all the stuff that's happening in the world. It's so violent. I just love working here, honestly. Out here, just full of green, full of nature. That's how we're really supposed to live as humans.”
Jace Perry
CAGE garden participant, FOX6 News
“It was life-changing for me. I never had a father in my life. My father is incarcerated. I joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard, served four years honorably, attended college, and graduated from North Division a year early.”
Meleak Taylor
500 Black Tuxedos mentee, FOX6 News
“I didn't have it all right, but I know I didn't want to do wrong, and I stumbled along Pops, and we ain't left each other since.”
Jeremiah Thompson
CAGE mentee turned mentor, TMJ4 News
In his own words
““Many Black boys have never been called 'son,' and their life won't change until somebody calls them one and acts like it.”
— Andre' Lee Ellis, FOX6 News
““I want them to feel prideful. I want them to feel like wow, somebody cares. Some of the things we are doing are out of the character and culture of Black people, and we need to teach little Black boys who they are and where they come from.”
— Andre' Lee Ellis, FOX6 News
““It teaches them they can put one plant in the ground, and they can feed 50 people.”
— Andre' Lee Ellis, FOX6 News
Moments from the Movement
From garden beds to tuxedo marches, toy drives to round-table workshops — every photo is a life touched by CAGE MKE.
CAGE Sponsorship
Become a Corporate Sponsor and Help Us Grow!
At CAGE MKE, located in the heart of our vibrant city, we are dedicated to fostering community growth through urban farming — offering a unique sponsorship opportunity that provides fresh, free food to our neighbors while supporting vital restorative justice initiatives.
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Your generous contribution will be recognized with the dedication of one of our 52 thriving grow boxes — just like the one pictured above. Adorned with your company's logo and sponsorship signage, your box will be a visible testament to your commitment to Milwaukee, cultivating a variety of fresh produce freely available to our community every season.
Investing in Restorative Justice
CAGE MKE proudly collaborates with impactful organizations like the Milwaukee Fire Department and the Juvenile Justice System of Milwaukee. Your sponsorship directly supports our restorative justice programs, offering pathways for positive change and growth within our community.
Andre' Lee Ellis
Executive Director, CAGE MKE
Meet Our Visionary Leader
Under the passionate leadership of Executive Director Andre' Lee Ellis — a respected figure with deep roots and a long history of community engagement in Milwaukee — CAGE MKE continues to flourish. His dedication is the driving force behind our success.
No payment today — just let us know you're in and we'll reach out to finalize.
Get Involved
The easiest way to support CAGE MKE is to come to a Saturday volunteer day. You'll meet your neighbors, learn to grow food, and leave tired and proud. Can't make it in person? Your gift keeps the beds planted and the mentorship pipeline running.
When
Saturday mornings, April–October. 12 Saturdays each summer starting in June.
Who
All ages welcome. No experience needed — we teach you everything on site.
What to bring
Water bottle, closed-toe shoes, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty.
Our next 500 Black Tuxedos event is February 21, 2026. We need at least 50 more men to step up as mentors. The $125 mentor fee covers a tuxedo rental for a young man you'll guide through a transformative day of workshops and mentorship.
Become a mentor100% of your gift goes to the block when you give via Cash App or Venmo — no platform fee on P2P transfers. You can also give via PayPal (Thecagemke) or Zelle (414-779-2476).
Get in Touch
Whether you want to volunteer, mentor, partner, or just learn more, we'd love to hear from you. Fill out the form or call us directly.
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