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This blog provides the top 5 highlights or updates about Family Promise of Waukesha County for Friday, October 27, 2023.
The Friday Five is a weekly update that focuses on the 5 main things happening at Family Promise Waukesha County. This communication should update, inform and advocate for families who are financially vulnerable.
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:
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
The test of our progress is not if we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough to those who have too little.
-Franklin Roosevelt
WEDDING OF THE WEEK
Congratulations to Kelly and Ranj on their wedding! Wishing you a life of happiness and love.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
This week we participated in the Winter Glow, Project Homelessness Connect, and the Waukesha County Community Fund Breakfast titled Giving Forward. Plus today was the last day of the Community Shelter! It was a busy and eventful week.
Would you recommend that Family Promise host the Community Shelter again in 2024?
1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY SHELTER
Community Shelter is now on hiatus
We have now finished one season of the Family Promise of Waukesha County Community Shelter! It is a bittersweet moment. Sweet because of the ability to serve more families, but also sad that it is coming to an end today.
We are thankful to our partner organizations, volunteer coordinators, volunteers, Board of Trustees, Staff, Housing Action Coalition of Waukesha County and Secure Resources. Overall it was a great success.
We are a stronger, more experienced organization for completing this program. Most importantly we provided shelter to 13 additional families. As the shelter ended every family had a place to go and secure plans.
During our seven months we provided shelter to 13 families. Here is an overview of the Community Shelter.
Average length of stay - 52 nights
Nights of shelter - 676
Total volunteers fully trained - 226
Partner groups - 24
Adults - 14
Children - 31
Children under 5 - 15
Female adults - 13
Male Adults - 1
Female Children - 11
Male children - 20
Single mom - 12
Single dad - 0
Couple - 1
Ethnicity
Black or African American - 32
White - 2
Two or more - 11
Exit
Transitional Housing - 1
Permanent Housing - 6
Other Shelter - 2
Unknown - 3
Hotel - 1
2. Z's JOURNEY TO HOME OWNERSHIP
Z spent one day this week working at her Habitat House.
Zajanelle is getting closer to owning her Habitat for Humanity home. This past week she spent the day working with volunteers as they constructed a fence. Part of her task was to dig holes. Not an easy job!
She also showed us around. Imagine what this home means to her and her daughter's future. Check out this short tour of her home and watch for more information about Z and her home soon.
3. EMERGENCY OVERFLOW SHELTER
You are invited to an Open House on Thursday, November 9
Planning is underway for the Winter Emergency Overflow. Family Promise of Waukesha County will manage this program in partnership with Hebron Housing Services. Our focus will be on serving the families experiencing homelessness while Hebron Housing Services will provide support and case management to individuals.
You are invited to an Open House sponsored by the Housing Action Coalition of Waukesha County. We encourage you to come and show your support for the Housing Action Coalition, Hebron Housing Services, and Family Promise of Waukesha County.
The open house will run from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and then again from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM on Thursday, November 9.
4. WELCOME LAURA BARAJAZ
Laura will be the Shelter Manager for the Winter Overflow
Family Promise of Waukesha County is excited to announce the addition of Laura Barajaz. Laura will serve as the Shelter Manager for the Winter Emergency Overflow Shelter and the Community Shelter. She came to us from Friends, a shelter in West Bend that serves individuals experiencing domestic violence.
She provided us with her biography:
I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. I graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2020 with a Bachelor’s of science in human social services. I love spending time with my family, friends and my cat (shay). My hobbies include fishing, hiking, and watching the Chicago Bears. I have a passion for helping those in need and I’m very excited to be a part of the Family Promise mission.
NOW HIRING: SHELTER ADVOCATE
Family Promise of Waukesha County is continuing to seek shelter advocates for the Emergency Overflow Shelter.
5. FAMILY SERVICES DIRECTOR
Courtney Rutkowski takes on a new role focused on programs
Courtney Rutkowski joined our staff as the Lead Case Manager in November 2021. As our services and number of clients that we serve grows we have a need for one staff member to focus on the programs and services we offer. Therefore we are pleased to announce that Courtney is taking on a new role as Family Services Director. She has earned this new role through her compassion, commitment, skill and care for families experiencing homelessness. We are grateful to Courtney and excited for her to further use her gifts at Family Promise of Waukesha County.
Here is an overview of her role: The Family Services Director is responsible for the designing, implementation, and assessing of programs for families experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. These programs will focus on assisting families to achieve sustainable and self-sufficient housing. This role will work closely with the Executive Director and program committee in identifying needed programs to best serve families in Waukesha County. This role also includes mentoring and coaching of Family Advocates in their role to assist families. The FSD will promote a trauma informed approach for all programs and case management.
POLL OF THE WEEK
Would you recommend that Family Promise offer the community shelter again in 2024
Yes
No
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Oct 27 Last day of Community Shelter
Oct 31 Halloween
Nov 1 Finance Committee Meeting
Nov 3 Happy 4 year Anniversary, Joe
Nov 4 Happy Birthday, Joe
Nov 6 Happy Birthday, Lisa!
Nov 9 HAC Open House
Nov 13 Tentative Start to Emergency Overflow
Nov 20 Board of Trustees
Nov 23 Thanksgiving
Nov 28 Giving Tuesday- start of Home for Good End of Year Campaign
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