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This blog provides the top 5 highlights or updates about Family Promise of Waukesha County for Friday, May 12, 2023.
The Friday Five is a weekly update that focuses on the 5 main things happening at Family Promise Waukesha County. We also look for ways to advocate and educate about family homelessness. 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:
Church of the Resurrection, Pewaukee hosted the meal at the Community Shelter; Alpha Xi Delta provided a financial gift; Helping Hands from Our Savior Oconomowoc (John and Robin) helped at the Day Center and Community Shelter and a few staff and board members attended the Women and Girls Fund Luncheon.
What would increase the urgency around increasing affordable housing units?
1. HONORING MOTHER'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ON MOTHER'S DAY
Happy Mother’s Day to all moms and all those who nurture and comfort us. We especially want to recognize all the mom’s that we are currently supporting in our shelter and prevention programs. In our shelter program we currently have eight families each with fantastic mothers. Together these moms are caring for 12 children. Seven of these children are under the age of five.
Since the start of the Apartment Shelter Program in 2020, 84% of the families we serve are led by single moms. All of these women are strong, persistent, battling to survive.
They are our inspiration this Mother’s Day Weekend.
To honor mother's in the shelter and make their day special staff delivered flowers to mom's in the apartment shelter on Friday, a partner organization brought flowers for the mom's in the community shelter and a staff member worked with the children to make gifts for their mom.
Despite these challenges, homeless mothers are resilient and resourceful. They often rely on their own skills and creativity to provide for their children and to navigate the complex and often hostile environment of homelessness.
Happy Mother’s Day!
2.POVERTY, BY AMERICA
CONTRARY TO PREVIOUS REPORTS TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
Matthew Desmond, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Evicted will be speaking and entering a discussion about his new book, Poverty By America in Milwaukee on Tuesday, May 23, 6:30 pm. The event will be held at Centennial Hall 733 N. Eighth Street. Desmond reimagines the debate on poverty, making a sweeping argument about why it persists in America: because the rest of us benefit from it. Desmond lays out a program to eradicate poverty in a way that will demand honest reflection and compassion from individuals and a willingness for communal change. Not a small order.
Would you be interested in attending but transportation is a concern? Contact Joe Nettesheim to inquire about car pooling.
3. LET'S GO GOLFING!
It will be the event of the summer! Join us on July 24 for the Family Promise of Waukesha County 2023 Golf Outing: A Bed to Sleep In. This event will raise funds to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness.
Here are 10 reasons to participate:
Register today as spots are filling up fast.
We are grateful to all of the sponsors of our golf outing. Today we recognize those ACE Level sponsors. They are:
Interested in Sponsoring the Golf Outing? Check out the levels of sponsorship.
POLL OF THE WEEK
What would increase the urgency around providing affordable housing?
- 0%Know a family member or close friend who loses their home
- 0%Better data around how many people lose their home annually
- 0%Remove stereotypes about those experiencing homelessness
- 0%Citizens demand that politicians focus on the issue
You can vote for more than one answer.
4. YOGA ON THE GREEN
Make your plans to participate in Yoga on the Green hosted by Abundant Joy Yoga & Wellness. They will kick off their 2023 summer season of Yoga on the Green - Oconomowoc on Saturday June 3rd from 8-9am.
Meet lakeside at 220 W. Wisconsin Ave Oconomowoc, behind the Community Center. It is one block west from the 4 corners.
Family Promise of Waukesha County will be the recipient of your donations.
This is a great opportunity to focus on our physical and mental well being while supporting families experiencing homelessness. We would love to see you join us.
5. COUNTING HOUSING LOSS
There is a lack of urgency in fixing the housing crisis in the United States. Perhaps it is due to the complexity of the problem which makes a solution elusive. Or maybe it is becuase we do not see it everyday. When we present Family Promise as an agency that assists families experiencing homelessness it is common to receive a response such as, "There are homeless families in Waukesha?"
When most Americans think of homelessness, they think of tent cities and panhandlers. Yet the larger problem of housing loss is far more complicated and much of it is invisible. Many people who lose their home are employed full time but earn too little to afford rent. Many move in with relatives or live in their cars or temporary arrangements. Often, they are families. And we don’t really know how many they are.
Or maybe it is because we do not have a way to count how many households who have lost their homes.
It is said you can’t fix something you can’t measure. If America wants to get serious about making sure people have a roof over their heads and ending the homelessness crisis that voters consistently list as a top concern, then it needs to start tracking the number of people who lose their homes each year. Just as America has a national unemployment rate, it should establish a National Housing Loss Rate.
Looking to Volunteer for the Community Shelter? Start with online training. Follow the link to get started:
Then sign up for an in-person session. In-person training will continue to be offered for those who will be volunteering later. Sign up here:
Once you have completed all the training sessions you will be asked to submit information for a criminal background check.
Want to learn more before committing? Questions? Contact Maria
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
May 15 Board of Trustee Meeting
May 17 Volunteer Training - 12:00pm
May 20 Car Repair Clinic - Crosspoint Church Oconomowoc
CPR Training for staff
May 23 Poverty, By America Discussion - Centennial Hall (Milwaukee)
June 5 Volunteer Training - 5:30pm
July 24 Family Promise Golf Outing
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You can also join our Facebook volunteer group to learn about volunteer opportunities.