FP FIVE: HOME IS THE CENTER OF LIFE
- Tasha Berillo
- 31 minutes ago
- 5 min read

May 02, 2025

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:
Author Matthew Desmond was interviewed about his book Poverty, By America. Snippets of his interview are provided. After watching those snippets what is your impression of his insights?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK

01. GOLF OUTING REGISTRATION
Monday, July 21 at the Oconomowoc Golf Club
Fundraiser

Golf registration is now open! Join us for an unforgettable day of fun, networking, and golf at our 5th Annual Golf Outing! Whether you're a seasoned pro or a beginner, this event offers something for everyone. Celebrate our mission with a round of golf, live and silent auctions, prize raffle, and plenty of tasty eats and drinks with good company.
All proceeds help Family Promise of Waukesha County to expand all our programming
initiatives - especially the Oconomowoc Shelter and Prevention programs. Your generosity helps us provide the following services:
Rent Assistance
Security Deposits
Utilities and Wifi
Case Management
Car Repairs
Bus Passes
Shelter Program Leases
Presented by

Sign-up to be a golf outing sponsor today! Deadline for sponsoring is June 30, 2025.
02. VJS RUN/WALK
Run, Walk or Volunteer
Community
You are invited to join us for a fun run/walk sponsored by VJS Construction Services Community Foundation on Saturday May 3 at 8am . The run/walk will start in the VJS parking lot and circle the Pewaukee Business Park. Strollers and pets are welcome!
This is the 5th annual VJS run/walk and each year they select a few non-profit organizations to support. Funds raised from this run/walk will support Family Promise of Waukesha County. It is a great opportunity to come together as a community, get some exercise and support a few great causes. You can participate as a runner, walker or volunteer.
Sign up to Run or Walk: Annual VJS Construction Services Community Foundation 5K!
Day of race registration is available!
03. BABY SHOWER
Family in Shelter expecting soon.
Community

A shelter client with Family Promise of Waukesha County is expecting and due in early June. To the left is a list of supplies that the client is requesting in preparation for her hospital bag and baby registry.
If you are interested in helping with requested supplies, please sign-up and review available slots on the form below.
Items can be dropped off at Family Promise of Waukesha County at 139 E North St, Waukesha, WI 53187.
Contact Tasha for questions or to coordinate the donation of supplies.
04. FRESH START FURNISHINGS
Friday, May 16 from 10 am - 2 pm
Volunteer
Denise O'Halloran and Gail Frangiamore have been providing furniture for families who secure their own housing and when we establish a new Apartment Shelter Unit. All the items they collect they store at a barn. Sometimes the barn needs to be cleaned and reorganized. Could you help Denise and Gail on Friday May 16 from 10-2pm?
For more details or to sign up contact Tasha.

O5. HOME IS THE CENTER OF LIFE
Author Matthew Desmond visited Milwaukee this past week.
Accompaniment
Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted was in Milwaukee to give a talk about his most recent book Poverty, By America. A teacher at Carmen High School in Milwaukee saw that he was coming to town and invited him to speak with his class. Desmond highlighted the challenge of housing and how the cost of housing has far outpaced the increase in wages. In this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Article Desmond is quoted as saying, "Whatever you care about, whatever keeps you up at night, whether it's education, whether it's how safe your city is, social mobility, the environment, housing, the housing crisis plays a huge role in that,"
When one student asked Desmond how he can make a change in how the government approaches housing he suggested that this young man should, speak up for what he believes in. Desmond noted that during the pandemic, special funding bills that paused evictions and increased food subsidies helped cut child poverty rates, but few celebrated that.
Whatever you care about, whatever keeps you up at night, whether it's education, whether it's how safe your city is, social mobility, the environment, housing, the housing crisis plays a huge role in that . . .
Since writing the book Evicted, Desmond has established the Eviction Lab, a think tank based out of Princeton that tracks the rate of evictions across the country. He has become a respected leader in understanding poverty and homelessness. Recently he was interviewed on the Daily Show hosted by Jon Stewart. Here are snippets from that interview.
INTERVENTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE.
The things we are doing to reduce poverty matters and lift millions of people out of poverty every year.
WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION
THE POVERTY GAP CAN BE CLOSED.
INTERVENTIONS SHOULD BE SEEN AS INVESTMENTS IN PEOPLE
POLL OF THE WEEK
Matthew Desmond's Insights are . . .choose all that apply.
0%Challenging
0%Encouraging
0%Eye opening
0%Questionable
You can vote for more than one answer.
FIVE PLUS
Giving Day Results

We did it! Thank you to all who supported Giving Day 2025. Family Promise of Waukesha County raised $126,306. The generosity of Waukesha County was on full display as we were the affiliate with the most money raised and second most number of donors.
Special thank you to those who helped create the Community Challenge Fund. You gave us a great start. We are also thankful for Maddy's Bar and Music Lounge for hosting our Giving Day party. It was great fun and a really nice way to end an important day for families experiencing homelessness.
CALENDAR
May 2 Courtney Birthday
May 3 VJS Foundation Run/Walk to benefit Family Promise of Waukesha County
May 5 Staff Huddle
May 5 Housing Enrollment Meeting
May 6 Shelter Access Meeting
May 7 Waukesha County Business Alliance Housing Forum
May 8 Waukesha County Affordable Housing Coalition
May 12 Staff Meeting
May 12-13 Family Promise financial audit
May 13 FP Executive Committee Meeting
May 13 Heart Committee
May 16 Women and Girls Fund: Women of Distinction Luncheon
May 19 Housing Action Coalition Board of Directors
May 19 FP Board of Trustees
May 28 Speed Networking: Housing agencies in Waukesha County
July 21 Family Promise of Waukesha County Golf Outing
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