Well City Milwaukee is an initiative to empower Milwaukee employers in the delivery of results-driven, comprehensive worksite wellness programs as a key business strategy to enhance the health and wellbeing of their workforce, manage health care expenditures and raise community awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles.
The project began in 2007 through a partnership between the City of Milwaukee, Greater Milwaukee Committee, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee and the Wellness Council of Wisconsin with the goal of addressing rising health care costs, encouraging a healthier, vibrant Milwaukee workforce and to serve as an example for other cities in Wisconsin and the nation.
It was a success! Over 40 employers took the lead, working together to secure this designation and help create a healthy and vibrant Milwaukee. Through inspiring meetings, hard work and dedication, 34 of these companies who collectively employed nearly 80,000 employees received Well Workplace Awards and are now on the path to operating data-driven, results oriented worksite wellness programs. (Click here for a list of these Award Winning Well City Milwaukee Leader Companies).
In 2010 Milwaukee received a Silver Well City USA Award and was declared the largest city in the nation to receive Well City USA designation from the Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA). See WELCOA’S WELL CITY MILWAUKEE PROCLAMATION. Since then, three other cities in Wisconsin have followed Milwaukee’s lead. Racine, Fox Cities and Oshkosh are working to become Well Cities. To learn more about the Well City USA project, click here.
Our member employers are visionary leaders, transforming their workplaces to support health and create a new social norm for healthy lifestyles that will serve them well for the future. These organizations are seeing a return on investment in wellness and have healthier employees. For more information about joining Well City Milwaukee, click on “Take the Lead”.
A Message from the Executive Director

Click here for a word from Janet McMahon,
executive director of Well City Milwaukee.
Latest News:
Phase 2 of Well City Milwaukee has launched! We have begun another three year journey which runs until 2014. We aim to continue on the path to healthier lifestyles by broadening and deepening our outreach with employers to make workplace wellness standard practice in the Milwaukee business community. Milwaukee is the largest city in the nation to push toward expanding its Well City USA initiative, and employers are welcomed to join anytime!
Don’t miss this opportunity to be among the healthiest companies in Milwaukee! Click here to learn more.
For more information, contact Gail Bennett, Well City Milwaukee Assistant Director at 414-274-0770 or gbennett@ymcamke.org.
Events:
Well City Milwaukee Orientation hosted by MMAC
January 31
3 - 4:30 p.m.
Click here for registration information
Well City Milwaukee - Going for the Gold Celebration Event
March 15 at the Wisconsin Club
7:30 - 9 a.m.
Join us in our celebration of Well City Milwaukee and to recognize the partners, sponsors and employers working together to make wellness the way of work in Milwaukee. Learn how your workplace can achieve best practice excellence and be a leader in enhancing the health of Milwaukee.
Additional Information:
Case Studies
View Well City Milwaukee Employer Case Studies to learn more about the benefits of becoming a Well Workplace.
Testimonials
Read more testimonials from leaders in the community
Smoke Free Wisconsin
Wisconsin is better smoke free. Learn more about the Wisconsin Smoke Free Act.
Freedom From Smoking Program
Sign Up Now for Freedom From Smoking
Freedom From Smoking® is taught by an American Lung Association trained facilitator at the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee. To register or for more information call Stephanie at 414-274-0832.