FP FIVE: MILLION DOLLAR GIFT WILL BUILD HOPE
October 1, 2026
The Family Promise Five (FP Five) is a blog 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:
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
The Ewald Family Foundation is proud to participate in the Building Hope Project. We are enthusiastically partnering with Family Promise of Waukesha County to assist in its goal to provide temporary shelter for families experiencing homelessness in our communities. With caring and strong leadership in place at Family Promise, we are confident this project will change the lives of families now and well into the future.
-Dan Ewald, on behalf of the Ewald Family Foundation
What do you think is most likely to turn a temporary setback into a housing crisis?
Loss of income
Unexpected expenses
Transportation problems
Lack of access to needed services
A combination of factors
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Upper left corner moving clockwise: 1.]Kaitlin staffed our table at the Neighborhood Cookout sponsored by Hebron Housing Services. 2.]Joe and Emily gave a talk at the Waukesha Rotary Club lunch. 3.] Joe attended the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County campaign kickoff- notice Cassidy on their slide. 4.] Cassidy staffed a table at the Oconomowoc Farmer's Market. 5.]Emily attended the Pewaukee Service Club fundraiser to benefit Chosen, Family Promise of Waukesha County and Parents Place. 6-8.] Fresh Start Furnishings set up an apartment for a family moving into their new home.
01. MILLION DOLLAR GIFT WILL BUILD HOPE
Ewald Family Foundation helps Building Hope project take a major step forward
Family Promise of Waukesha County is the recipient of a gift of $1,000,000 from the Ewald Family Foundation! The purpose of this generosity is to support the Building Hope Campaign. The objective of the Building Hope campaign is to secure $4 million dollars to build a 10-unit apartment building, which will provide shelter to seven families and transitional housing to three more families, and another $4 million to cover the cost of operating the entire organization for the next three years. The support of the Ewald Family Foundation moves the campaign forward in a significant way; however, we still need the support of the community to reach our goal.
A million-dollar gift will build hope. Here is a summary of the campaign to date.
$4,700,000 total committed to date
$3 million or 75% of construction goal has been committed .
The $4 million for operations includes:
$1.2 million (2026)
$1.3 million (2027) and
$1.5 million (2028)
There have been a total of 50 donors to the Building Hope Campaign at the following levels:
$1 million 1
$500,000 2
$100,000-$449,000 6
$25,000-$99,000 8
$1- $24,999 33
The facility will allow us to double number of shelter families served.
We are currently in the quiet phase of the campaign. Once we reach 75% of our goal this will become a public community-wide campaign.
We share this with you because quiet does not mean silent. We also want to remain transparent with all those who have volunteered and supported the organization over the past 12 years.
Watch the video for an update on Building Hope
02. SMALL SETBACKS BECOME LARGE OBSTACLES
Lacking resources to addressed traffic violations compounds poverty and deepens housing issues
Families experiencing homelessness have little room for error. They often face multiple obstacles to maintaining or obtaining housing. Some are financial, some are systemic, and some are personal circumstances that can make an already difficult situation even harder.
Recently, we've encountered two examples of how limited resources can turn a setback into a significant obstacle to housing: unpaid traffic tickets and a parole violation related to an addiction relapse.
One of the moms in our program had accumulated numerous traffic violations. She was unable to pay them and ultimately spent three days in jail. She lost her job, her children, and her housing prospects dimmed.
Another mom experienced an addiction relapse. Because the relapse was a parole violation, she was taken to county jail and could not be released until a treatment bed became available. She spent two months in jail waiting for an opportunity to enter rehab. During that time, she fell behind on her rent and was unable to access the addiction counseling she needed.
Both moms were engaged and making significant progress toward stability. These setbacks disrupted their progress and created new challenges for their families.
A few days in jail can mean a lost job. A lost job can mean lost income. Lost income can mean the loss of housing. And for a family with children, the consequences impact our entire community, extending far beyond the person who received the ticket or experienced the parole violation.
A person with savings, reliable transportation, paid time off, and a stable job may be able to absorb a $200 ticket or several days of disruption. Someone living paycheck to paycheck may not have that same ability. Likewise, having access to treatment when it is needed can make a significant difference in how quickly someone can get back on track.
The ticket itself isn't the housing crisis. The relapse itself isn't the housing crisis. It is the lack of resources to absorb the consequences of those setbacks that can turn an already difficult situation into a housing crisis.
It takes courage to overcome setbacks like these. This is why our work at Family Promise of Waukesha County is about more than providing a family with a place to stay. We work with families to address the obstacles that stand between them and long-term stability. Sometimes those obstacles are obvious. Sometimes they are not. And sometimes a seemingly small setback can have consequences that are anything but small.
POLL OF THE WEEK
When living paycheck to paycheck what do you think is most likely to turn into a housing crisis?
0%Loss of Employment
0%Health Crisis
0%Transportation Issues
0%Legal Challenges
03. 500,000+ INFANTS AND TODDLERS ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
SchoolHouse Connection releases new report that documents infant and toddler homelessness
Often, families experiencing homelessness are identified and tracked through the school system. Even then, it is difficult to obtain an accurate and reliable picture because families may not disclose their experience of homelessness.
Families with infants and toddlers who are not yet in school are even more difficult to identify and count. When families are not connected to a system that identifies homelessness, they can remain hidden from view and may not receive the help they need.
Even HUD acknowledges that we do not have a full understanding of the depth and breadth of homelessness among infants and toddlers.
A new study conducted by Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan and SchoolHouse Connection has gathered and analyzed data to estimate the number of infants and toddlers experiencing homelessness. The key findings are striking:
More than 500,000 infants and toddlers in the US are experiencing homelessness
Fewer than one in ten infants and toddlers experiencing homelessness are enrolled in Early Head Start
Data on babies and expectant parents are inadequate
Click on the images below to learn more:
One of the values of our Shelter Diversion program is that we are striving to better identify families experiencing homelessness, especially families who are not connected to systems that typical identify homelessness.
Identifying and intervening early to lessen the impact is particularly important for infants and toddlers. The first years of life are a period of rapid brain development. Homelessness and housing instability can harm physical and mental health as well as social-emotional growth and the ability to learn.
This is another reason we believe the work we do at Family Promise of Waukesha County can have a generational impact. When we help families achieve stability, we are not only supporting parents; we are creating a more stable foundation and future for their children.
Data on Infant and Toddler Homelessness in Wisconsin
04 OPPORTUNITY STARTS AT HOME
Bipartisan bill to address evictions
Young children face the highest rate of eviction in the U.S., and research shows that evictions can be devastating for a child’s development and educational outcomes. The Eviction Crisis Act is a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Young (Indiana) and Van Hollen (Maryland) that would establish financial assistance and tools to prevent evictions by creating a competitive grant program for state and local governments to provide short-term financial assistance and housing-related services to tenants at risk of eviction.
This bill would provide grants to state and local governments to expand landlord-tenant community courts and eviction diversion programs. Plus, it would improve data on evictions and tenant screening reports in the U.S. by developing a national database on evictions, establishing a Committee on Eviction Research, directing a comprehensive study on the causes and consequences of evictions, requiring consumer reporting agencies to provide consumers with tenant screening reports when requested, and taking steps to improve the accuracy of tenant screening reports.
The Opportunity Starts at Home Campaign has this action alert, which provides the positive outcomes of this bill and information you can use to request that your US Senator and Congressional Representative support it.
05. BEST OF THE BEST
Nominate Family Promise of Waukesha County as Best of Best Nonprofits in our county
If you consider Family Promise of Waukesha County as a wonderful non-profit we need your help! Please nominate us as one of the "Best of the Best" nonprofits in Waukesha County. We hope to be recognized for the impact we have on the lives of families at risk of experiencing or currently experiencing homelessness. Providing safe, stable and permanent housing gives families hope, makes our community stronger and gives opportunities to generations to come. To do so follow these steps:
Click this link: https://www.gmtoday.com/bestof/waukesha/#//
Go to the local category
Scroll down to find Family Promise of Waukesha County and click nominate
Add your email
Register by entering your first name, last name, postal code and date of birth
Nominations are due before October 5. The five nonprofits with the most nominations will move on to the second round. Please vote one time for all of your emails.
There are a lot of great non-profits in Waukesha County so why do we consider Family Promise of Waukesha County the best of the best? Our agency :
Is a grassroots, community based response to homelessness in Waukesha County
Prevents family homelessness! 100% of families we assisted in 2025 with prevention serivces remain housed.
Addresses the cycle of homelessness. 88% of families in our shelter program do not have a second occurrence of homelessness.
Evolves to suit the needs of families
Has a dedicated, compassionate and caring board and staff
Has a generational impact
Offers a holistic approach and addresses nutrition, education, career, mental and phustical health.
FIVE PLUS
OFFICE HOURS
Please keep office hours in mind when planning to connect with staff.
Monday–Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Phone support only)
Saturday–Sunday: Closed
ROUND UP AT COLBY'S
We’re excited to share that Family Promise of Waukesha County is the October Round-Up Partner at Colby’s Premium Thrift in Mukwonago (831 Greenridge Dr, Mukwonago, WI 53149)! Throughout the entire month of October, shoppers will have the opportunity to round up their purchase at checkout. Every extra dollar it will go to supporting local families experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
There’s even more reason to round up as Colby’s Premium Thrift will match the total amount raised!
Plus we will have a donation bin at Colby’s throughout October for community members who would like to make an additional impact.
EXPLORING SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS
Wednesday, October 7 - 6:30-8:30pm
You are invited to a conversation about homelessness sponsored by St Anthony on the Lake Catholic Church. The panel will include Executive Director of Family Promise of Waukesha County Joe Nettesheim and Jodie LaChapelle Director of Community Initiatives at the Society of St. Vincent De Paul.
TOMORROW'S PROMISE NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Executive Director Joe Nettesheim will be speaking at Tomorrow's Promise the Family Promise national conference. He will be leading a roundtable discussion about local and state wide advocacy. The conference is October 18-22 in Phoenix, Arizona. Other Family Promise of Waukesha County attendees are staff members Tasha Berillo, Cassidy Glover, Kaitlin Kelly, Emily Willert and board of trustee Melissa Smith.
FALL FESTIVAL
You are invited to the Evangelical and Reformation UCC Waukesha Fall Festival on October 17. The event will be be held from 4:30-7:30pm. The event includes:
Chili and pie contest
Caramel apple bar
Games
Bingo
Trunk or Treat (5:45pm)- be trunk or bring your family to treat.
See flier for details.
OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS
October 1 Round Up at Colby's for October
October 3 Catholic Memorial 40th high school reunion service project
October 5 FPWC Exec Committee
October 5 Deadline to vote for the Best of the Best in Waukesha County
October 6 Okauchee Business Association Presentation
October 6 Ideal Club Presentation
October 7 Leadership Team Meeting
October 7 Exploring Solutions for Homelessness
October 9 Waukesha Service Club Lunch and Fashion Show
including Family Promise of Waukesha County staff models
October 11 Oakwood Church Partnership Day
October 13 Pewaukee Kiwanis Presentation
October 14 FPWC Staff Meeting
October 15 Winter Glow sponsored by CAC
October 17 Fall Festival Trunk or Treat E and R Church Waukesha 4:30-7:30
October 19 Housing Action Coalition Board of Directors
October 19-22 Tomorrow's Promise FP National Conference
October 20 Waukesha County COC service providers monthly gathering
October 21 Waukesha County Community Foundation Pay It Forward Breakfast
October 23 Oconomowoc Area Foundation Dinner
October 25 Presentation at St. Mark's Waukesha
October 26 Family Promise of Waukesha County Board of Trustees
October 28 Impact Night
November 20 Coping with Vicarious Trauma Seminar
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