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This blog provides the top 5 highlights or updates about Family Promise of Waukesha County for Friday, February 24, 2023.
The Friday Five is a weekly blog post/update that focuses on the top five occurrences, issues, opportunities facing Family Promise each week. It is our hope that it will help you stay informed and connected to the mission of Family Promise of Waukesha County.
Our mission is to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence
through a community-based response.
The stories you can read this week are:
Without enough resources decisions are made which individuals experiencing homelessness should receive help. Who would you prioritize to serve first?
Please note: this is an impossible poll question- but these decisions are being made every day.
1. FAMILY PROMISE COMMUNITY SHELTER
On Monday, February 20, the board of trustees approved a motion to lease the Waukesha Overflow Shelter from the Housing Action Coalition to provide shelter to families experiencing homelessness. We have passed our initial benchmarks and will continue to move forward. The final step is that the Board of Directors from the Housing Action Coalition need to approve the lease. We have been assured that this is likely to happen.
It is three years since the rotational model was suspended due to Covid-19. We are excited that we will be able to offer shelter with the support of partner organizations and volunteers. Our target date for opening is April 24. For the shelter to operate efficiently we need your help and support. Here are a few ways you can get involved:
Become a Partner
We are seeking organizations to commit to one evening each month. Partners would provide 2-5 volunteers who would make and serve a meal to five families and offer hospitality from 5-8pm.
Serve as a Lead Volunteer
Lead volunteers work in pairs and are responsible for the shelter from 5-10pm Monday through Thursday. Pairs are requested to commit to two evenings a month.
Make a Donation
Join the Promise Builders giving club and make a monthly, quarterly or annual donation to support the Community Shelter and all programs serving families experiencing housing insecurity.
All founding members of the Promise Builders recurring giving club will receive a Family Promise Waukesha County car magnet
We are hiring!
To provide care to additional families our staff is growing. Please consider or share the following opportunity with your network
2. WHO CAN BECOME A PARTNER ORGANIZATION?
Throughout our history we have partnered with faith communities who welcomed families into their congregation. Many of those communities will help again with the new Community Shelter. We also know we are a stronger organization with diverse partners and support. Therefore we invite you to consider asking your place of employment, a civic group or even your book club to help one day a month.
We are excited by the creativity the friends of Family Promise Waukesha County are demonstrating. One person is working to organize her neighbors to become a partner. Another person is inviting her friends to form a group to serve. We invite you to think creatively about what group of people could commit to partnering with us for these seven months.
or
3. NEW PARTNER
We are excited to announce that ProHealth Care will be a partner with Family Promise of Waukesha County for our Community Shelter Program.
They will be committing to one day a month. They envision different departments taking each day and perhaps their food service providing the meals. We are so excited to work with another great organization like ProHealthCare.
4. LEFT OUT OF ALL IN
It is likely that our current definitions of homelessness undercounts the number of children and families who are experiencing homelessness. Prioritization lists, in an effort to serve all especially the most vulnerable leaves other vulnerable people out. SchoolHouse Connection, a national non-profit organization working to overcome homelessness through education responds to the new Federal plan to reduce homelessness by 25%,
"'All In' ultimately falls far short of what is needed to prevent and solve homelessness in the United States. Specifically, the plan excludes most children and youth experiencing homelessness from its key metrics; establishes a goal that conflicts with the mandates of early care and education agencies; omits early care and education from core pillars of the plan; and fails to address the complex and burdensome eligibility requirements that prevent children, youth, and families from accessing homelessness and housing assistance.
The reality is the number of families with minor experiencing homelessness enrolled in services must go up before the number of adults experiencing homelessness will go down.
POLL OF THE WEEK
What population experiencing homelessness would you serve first?
- Youth (emerging adults 18-24)
- LBGTQ
- Adults with physical or cognitive disabilities
- Children and families
5. A CALL TO END HOMELESSNESS
SOPHIA (Stewards of Prophetic Hopeful Intentional Action) a group of people of faith united by a passion for justice, commitment to community and a practice of hope, is offering a session titled: A Call to End Homelessness. Author Kevin Nye will be the speaker. His most recent book is Grace Will Lead us Home: A Christian Call to End Homelessness.
The event will be held on Saturday, March 18 from 1-2:30pm at First United Methodist Church 121 E Wisconsin Avenue, Waukesha WI 53186. You can register using the link below.
DON'T FORGET
It is not too late to register! Join us on March 28 for a luncheon at St. Anthony on the Lake Parish, Pewaukee when Family Promise of Waukesha County is awarded a Treasures of the Church Award from Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Feb 26 - Mar 4 Host: Reformation Ev. Lutheran Church
Mar 5 - Mar 11 Host: St. Theresa
Mar 12 - Mar 18 Host: TBD
March 19 Presentation at St Leonard, Muskego
March 26 Presentation at First Congregational UCC, Oconomowoc
March 28 Lenten Luncheon: Family Promise receives Treasures of the Church Award
Registration required. St Anthony on the Lake, Pewaukee
Apr 2 - Apr 8 Host: St. Anthony on the Lake
April 20 GIVING DAY
July 24 Family Promise Golf Outing
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You can also join our Facebook volunteer group to learn about volunteer opportunities.