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This blog provides the top 5 highlights or updates about Family Promise of Waukesha County for Friday, June 23, 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:
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Thank you to Matthew 25 a youth summer camp sponsored by Good Shepherd and St James Menomonee Falls. Tasks included putting in railroad ties, yard work, washing windows, organizing supplies and a day at the park with families in the Community Shelter. It was a great week!
NOTE
The Friday Five will take a summer break and return on July 14.
Also ... last chance to sign up to Donate a Gift Basket for the Family Promise Golf Outing.
How would you assess the Friday Five?
1. GOLF OUTING VOLUNTEERS
It takes many people to ensure the success of the golf outing. Your help is needed. There are a variety of ways to help. Would you consider helping as a volunteer at the Family Promise Golf Outing on July 24? Use the sign-up genius to sign up for a task that bests suits you. Thank you.
We continue to be thankful for all of our sponsors
2. 5 QUESTIONS WITH CALLIE PAUC
Callie Pauc reflects on her time at Family Promise of Waukesha County
1. What is next for you?
Starting next month, I will be moving into my new profession as a clinical mental health therapist. I have been welcomed by a small private practice in Oconomowoc that has a strong focus on trauma healing. It has taken years of hard work to get to this point, so I am extremely excited to move forward with my career and to see where it takes me both professionally and personally. Additionally, I am overjoyed to finally begin saving and working towards homeownership!
2. What about your work at FP makes you most proud or what do you feel you accomplished?
Being part of a team that never loses sight of our mission has been incredible. I have always felt a sense of pride working with such a strong, professional, and devoted team of amazing people. Through highs and lows, you never feel alone at Family Promise. Not only do we do great work for our clients, but internally we do great work with each other. I have never worked for such a healthy, well-functioning organization that not only acts as a well-oiled machine but offers support from people that genuinely care about you as a person. We do great work here, both inside and out. I have felt a sense of accomplishment in collaborative skills and program development.
3. How have you seen FP grow over the past 2 years?
When I first started at Family Promise, it was a very small operation, and there was a lot of work to do. I was the only social worker and on my own with both of our programs, and it was quite the balancing act! This agency has been growing ever since; with Joe’s continuous growth mindset, and our agency’s ability to take risks and learn from both success and setbacks, we are always moving forward. I have witnessed amazing growth in all our programs and within my colleagues. Family Promise has a knack for bringing on incredible people with invaluable skills and compassionate hearts. This organization has made immense gains internally, as well as remarkable contributions to our community, and it couldn’t be done without rock solid leadership and the outstanding collaboration of our team. I know Family Promise will continue to grow to meet the ever-present needs of Waukesha’s families, and there will always be amazing people here to carry our mission.
4. What has been challenging?
Challenges at Family Promise typically consist of feeling overwhelmed by the community’s need for help. There are simply not enough resources to combat the plight of Waukesha’s struggling families. It can be heartbreaking to hear the stories of families that sleep in their cars, or single parents that have lost their home due to illness. It never gets easier; however, having the support of our staff acts as a buffer, and we all support each other as much as possible.
5. What will you miss?
I will miss my colleagues and the healthy atmosphere. We have built strong relationships and have endured many things together. I will miss the people I have grown to trust and care for and who I can lean on in hard times and celebrate with in success. I will also miss witnessing the successes of my clients. It is inspirational to watch clients set and achieve goals, make great gains in their lives, and to find sustainability. Hearing their stories and witnessing their hard work is always a rewarding experience.
3. VOLUNTEER DRIVING PROGRAM
Family Promise to pilot a Volunteer Driving Program
Family Promise of Waukesha County is seeking a few volunteers to serve as drivers for clients. This is a new program that we would like to pilot. An important part of volunteering for this opportunity is your willingness to provide feedback and ways it can improve. The plan is to have a driver available at specific times each week. For example on Wednesday afternoons from 1-5pm. Clients could make appointments during those times and we would have a person able to drive them. Clients would have to give a 48 hour notice if they needed a driver. If there was not a client interested we would cancel the driver.
Drivers would use the Family Promise van.
The volunteer commitment includes:
Willingness to drive once a week
Openness to driving a minivan or sometimes a 15 passenger transit van
Go through the online and in person training program
Have insurance of $300,000/$100,000
Submit to a criminal and driving record background check
We will offer an informational session for anyone interested in learning more. For more information join us for an information session on Monday, July 17 at 6pm. You can participate in person or online. Or contact Maria for more information: maria@familypromisewaukeshawi.org.
4. FAMILY HOMELESSNESS AND CHILDCARE
Reducing financial support for child care will hurt families experiencing homelessness.
Most of the children in our shelter programs are under five years of age and being raised by a single mom. This means that access to childcare they can pay is essential to their ability to work, which is essential to their ability to secure housing. This is why it was disappointing to see the Wisconsin legislature vote to remove funding for child care assistance. Losing these funds could lead to childcare becoming more expensive, lowering the standard of care, lessening wages for childcare workers. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a recent study found that, “Infant care in Wisconsin costs $4,092 [which is 48.3%] more per year than in-state tuition for four-year public college.”
Childcare costs are out of control for most families. It hits harder to those who are already economically vulnerable and trying to make a new life for themselves. We hope you would consider advocating for returning these funds to the state budget. Here is how you can contact your legislator.
POLL OF THE WEEK
How would you assess the Friday Five?
Excellent
Very good
Good
Needs improvement
5. COMMUNICATION SURVEY
Help us improve how we communicate with you.
The Friday Five is going to take a break for the next couple of weeks. We appreciate your readership and attentiveness to what is happening at Family Promise of Waukesha County and the issues facing families experiencing homelessness. It is our hope that this communication builds understanding, empathy for the families we serve and may spur others to get involved. Of course, we are biased, but we hope everyone would have a passion for assisting families and children without homes!
Sometimes people do not get involved because they do not know about the issue, so how we communicate and the effectiveness of our communication can have a direct impact on the most vulnerable families. With this in mind could you take a moment to participate in a survey about how we communicate? It is only eight questions and can make a huge difference. If you have more you want to add, please send a note to Joe Nettesheim: joe@familypromisewaukeshawi.org.
Thank you for your help.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
June 26-July 5 Joe N out of the office
June 26-28 Family Promise Midwest Regional Meeting, Indianapolis
July 4 Independence Day: Offices Closed
July 8 Block Party at Our Savior Lutheran, Hartland
July 19 or 20 A Home for Everyone - Oshkosh
July 24 Family Promise Golf Outing - Oconomowoc Golf Club
July 30 Presentation to Church of the Resurrection, Pewaukee
Aug 6 Oakwood Church Picnic
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You can also join our Facebook volunteer group to learn about volunteer opportunities.