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November 20, 2024
The Family Promise Five is a weekly newsletter whose purpose is to update, inform and advocate for families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
The mission of Family Promise of Waukesha County is to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.
In this edition you will find these stories:
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"A house is a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul."
-Paul Moffitt
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Joe Nettesheim presented to the Volunteer Service Club of Pewaukee. The Board of Trustees worked on strategic planning on November 9.
Who should take the most responsibility for addressing homelessness?
1. A PLACE CALLED HOME
End of Year Appeal Starts December 3
FUND DEVELOPMENT
We humbly ask you to support the Family Promise of Waukesha County end of year appeal "A Place Called Home."
Imagine your Thanksgiving dinner. You have gathered with family, a fire is ablaze in the fireplace, football game in the background. When you gather around the table there is a place for everyone and it is decorated with the ambience of the season. The smell of dinner fills the air.
Imagine you are decorating for Christmas. You are putting up the Christmas tree, hanging stockings by the fireplace and setting aside a special day to bake cookies with your children or grandchildren. Anticipation fills the air, and the lights decorating your home turn cold, dark Wisconsin nights into a festive environment.
Now imagine, if you do not have a place to call home. Homelessness impacts every aspect of a family's life. Not having a home impedes nutrition, impacts mental health, takes a toll on physical health, and makes it more difficult for children to succeed in school. Besides losing basic needs it disrupts the stability of family life. Simple things such as reading a bedtime story or having a game night is difficult to achieve if you are living in your car or a cramped hotel. Certainly the holidays are not as important as simply surviving day to day.
"It's hard to want to celebrate a holiday when you do not know where you are going to live."
-Mom on what it is like to celebrate the holidays when experiencing homelessness
We humbly ask you to provide a generous, life-changing gift this holiday season. Your kindness, compassion and empathy will have a generational impact by allowing families to have a place called home for the holidays and beyond.
2. HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING
Help low-income families to celebrate this holiday season.
Program
Participate in our Holiday Gift Giving Project and assist a family to have a joy filled holiday season. You are invited to sponsor an individual or family. As a sponsor you would be asked to provide gifts for the individual or family that you select.
On the sign up genius, each entry provides you the gender, age and hobbies/likes for each person. The family number is also listed so you can see which individuals belong together. Review the list and then place your name next to the individual(s) you want to sponsor. If you want to sponsor an entire family put your name next to everyone in the family.
You can participate in the holiday gift giving project as an individual, business, congregation, family, or group.
Please use the following guidelines:
Register to sponsor an individual or family using the sign-up genius page. On each entry the gender, age and hobbies/likes for that individual.
You can participate as an individual, family or group.
Once you are signed up, purchase a gift that best fits that individual(s).
Use their likes/hobbies as your guide.
Please do not spend more than $100 on any individual.
We recommend four gifts for children and two gifts for adults.
Deliver gifts to the Family Promise of Waukesha County Day Center no later than Dec 9.
Gifts should be dropped off unwrapped, with a tag that includes the family number, age and gender of the individual for whom that gift is intended.
Do not spend more than $100 on any individual.
Gift cards can be purchased for an adult.
If you order a gift online you can elect to gave them delivered directly to the Family Promise of Waukesha County Day Center 139 E North Street Waukesha, WI 53188.
We are also seeking volunteers for the Holiday Family Party on Saturday, December 14 from 9:30am- 1pm. Help with arts and crafts, food, or gift wrapping !
Unable to attend but want to support the party? Here is our wish list of items to ensure we have a successful event.
HOLIDAY PARTY 2023
Questions? Please contact Maria Mundt: maria@familypromisewaukeshawi.org
3. WINTER EMERGENCY OVERFLOW SHELTER
Groups and volunteers needed to support the Emergency Overflow Shelter
Program
Family Promise of Waukesha County will be again working with the Winter Emergency Overflow Shelter and we need volunteer groups and individuals to ensure families have a warm and secure options for shelter during the coldest months. Here are some ways you can support the EOS.
Make + Serve Meals
Transport guests to/from Family Promise or Hope Center
Collect food and supplies for breakfast and lunch
Provide support for the families at the Day Center.
To learn more we invite you to join us for an informational meeting
Monday, November 25 at noon at
St. Vincent DePaul
818 W Sunset Dr, Waukesha, WI 53189
To get involved and indicate your interest in attending an information meeting please complete the Volunteer Interest Form.
POLL OF THE WEEK
Who should take the most responsibility for addressing homelessness
0%Those who are homeless
0%Congregations
0%Service Agencies
0%Civic Groups
4. A CHAT: SERVICE IS JOY
Looking back at 10 years of serving families experiencing homelessness.
Mission
Family Promise of Waukesha County has evolved over our 10 years of existence. As a way to reflect on the impact, successes and challenges of our agency, Joe Nettesheim sat down to discuss the evolution of this organization with four individuals who have been involved at different times of our history. Thank you to:
David Tennyck, former Executive Director
Mariha Stewart, former Executive Director
Marjore Thomson, former Chairperson of the Board of Directors
Joe DeKlotz former Chairperson of the Board of Directors
This next video considers the joy of serving.
5. GRATITUDE
Thank you to these foundations for supporting Family Promise of Waukesha County
We are grateful to the Waukesha County Community Foundation and the Oconomowoc Area Foundation for their support of families experiencing homelessness. In October we were notified of receiving a grant from each. Both of these foundations have been dedicated and generous partners in helping families experiencing homelessness.
Non-profit organizations can apply for a grant from the Waukesha County Community Foundation every other year. Their mission states, "Through our permanent endowment funds, project funds and grants, the Waukesha County Community Foundation meets local challenges and improves the quality of life in our community."
Family Promise was one of 29 agencies who received a grant in 2024 with awards totaling $165,000. The grant received by Family Promise of Waukesha County was to support the Apartment Shelter Program.
The Oconomowoc Area Foundation awarded a record amount of grants in 2024 supporting 34 area nonprofit organizations impacting the greater Oconomowoc community. During its 2024 grant cycle the community foundation received more than 40 grant applications from nonprofits with requests totaling nearly $500,000. Each year, the foundation awards grants to organizations that serve communities within the Oconomowoc Area School District. Our mission is to support programs focused on caring for children, families, and the elderly, developing youth, helping those in need, preserving the environment through conservation, restoration, and education, and enriching the community through economic, cultural and arts development.
We are grateful for the longstanding support of the OAF and its support of the Apartment Shelter Program including our efforts to secure an Apartment in Oconomowoc.
FIVE PLUS
CITY OF WAUKESHA PARADE MEMORIAL
You are invited to participate in the dedication ceremony of the Waukesha Parade Memorial on Thursday, November 21. The event will be held at Grede Park starting at 4:39pm.
'Twas The Month Before Christmas
Local playwright and actor (and Family Promise Trivia Night emcee) Doug Jarecki delivers a hilarious and heartwarming holiday treat!
‘Twas The Month Before Christmas takes a UNIQUE look at Joseph and Mary, the three kings, and the innkeeper in the month leading up to that magical night in Bethlehem. This "smart, funny and sweet production" is sure to put you in the holiday spirit.
CALENDAR
Nov 20 Shelter Weekly Meal
Nov 20 Fund Development Committee
Nov 21 Parade Memorial Dedication
Nov 25 EOS Information Meeting- In-person
Nov 28 Thanksgiving -Offices Closed
Nov 29 Thanksgiving holiday- Offices Closed
Dec 3 Giving Tuesday
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