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This blog provides the top 5 highlights or updates about Family Promise of Waukesha County for Friday, March 17, 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:
This week we had a staff meeting which included orientation for Kaylee. We are also grateful for the gift from 100 Women Who Care Waukesha County.
Which term do you prefer affordable housing or workforce housing?
1. WELCOME, KAYLEE
Family Promise of Waukesha County is proud to announce that Kaylee Chojacnki has joined our team. Kaylee will provide case management to families who are experiencing homelessness in both the Apartment Shelter Program and Community Shelter Site. Kaylee graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Social Services. She has served as a case manager for a Rapid Rehousing program in Wausau. We are fortunate to have her join our team. Please welcome Kaylee Chojnacki to Family Promise!
Kaylee can be contacted at 262-968-2321 ext.106
SMS/Text Only: (262) 289-4156
March is Social Worker Month
We celebrate the contribution social workers make to assisting others to improve their lives. We are grateful to have four excellent social workers focused on helping families achieve permanent housing. They may have similar names but they each have unique tasks and talents serving families experiencing homelessness.
2. 7 WAYS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY SHELTER
The new Community Shelter will open April 24 and we need your help! Here are ways you can get involved!
1. Become a Partner Organization
Invite your church, workplace, book club, card club, rotary club, neighbors, college alumni group, to commit to one recurring day a month. We need partners for Friday, Saturday and Sundays!
2. Volunteer with a Partner Organization
Volunteer with your group or organization that is already a partner or we can help you connect with an already established partner.
3. Serve as a Lead Volunteer (5-10pm - twice per month)
Make sure families are well cared for and volunteers have direction. Join us for an info meeting Wednesday, March 22.
4. Daytime Shelter Support (Monday through Friday 8 am - 5 pm)
Provide hospitality during the daytime for families not at work or school. Two hour shifts are requested.
5. Overnight Shelter Support (Sunday- Saturday 10 pm - 7 am)
Stay overnight with guests. A private sleeping room is available for overnight volunteers.
6. Breakfast Club (Saturday or Sunday 7 - 9 am)
Provide a hot breakfast for families one time or on a recurring basis.
7. Lunch Bunch (Saturday and Sunday 11 am - 1 pm)
Provide a hot lunch for families one time or on a recurring basis.
Click the button below to get more information about volunteering.
Questions? Email Maria.
I AM READY TO VOLUNTEER, NOW WHAT?
All volunteers are asked to complete the online training. Online training includes two sessions with modules which can be done at your own pace. Volunteer 101 is about 15 minutes and covers overview info about Family Promise. Volunteer 102 takes about 75 minutes and goes into more detail about working with families experiencing homelessness. These sessions should be completed before April 1.
Once online sessions are concluded, please select one in-person session.
Wednesday, April 12 12 pm or 6pm
Thursday, April 13 1 pm or 5:30pm
Saturday, April 15 10 am or noon
Tuesday, April 18 12 pm or 5pm
Wednesday, April 19 12 pm or 6pm
Thursday, April 20 1pm or 5:30pm
Saturday, April 22 10 am or noon
3. BECOME A LEAD VOLUNTEER
Lead Volunteers will provide leadership for the Community Shelter from 5-10pm. Our goal is to have Lead Volunteers work as partners. As a Lead Volunteer you will give direction to partner organizations and ensure that families are safe and secure.
We are offering an information meeting for anyone who is curious about becoming a lead volunteer. Join us via zoom Wednesday, March 22 at 6pm.
4. WORKFORCE VS. AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Some have suggested to us not to use the term affordable housing. Apparently the term affordable housing denotes someone who is poor, lazy, needs assistance and is not contributing to society. The connotation of “workforce housing” are upstanding community members who are working hard at jobs that demand lower housing costs. Putting aside the obvious stereotypes or myths associated with those who are poor, the problem is that workforce housing is in a price range that is out of reach of the clients we serve. When a developer wanted to build workforce housing in Brookfield it was defined as "In Brookfield, ‘workforce housing would be affordable for individuals and families with an annual earned income of $42,952 to $85,904," the Waukesha County Business Alliance said in a letter to the council." People can get behind this type of housing because it is being presented as housing that is for teachers, police officers and firefighters.
We must ask what about the single mom who is working full time at a printing company making $16 an hour? She is hard working. She is contributing to society. She is not making enough money to afford an apartment in Waukesha County.
According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development housing qualifies as affordable when its cost doesn't exceed 30% of a household's earned income. Affordable housing for a person making $16 an hour would be $925 a month. The average rent for a two bedroom apartment is $1,350 a month. For our community to thrive, for businesses to function our community needs teachers, firefighters, police officers AND administrative support staff working at print shops. Are we willing to make room for them too?
DID YOU KNOW: In Waukesha County for every 100 households that need affordable housing, there are 28 units available.
POLL OF THE WEEK
Which term do you prefer?
- 0%Workforce housing
- 0%Affordable Housing
- 0%Does not matter- we need mixed income housing in Waukesha Co
5. GOLF OUTING JULY 24 SPECIAL GUEST
Mark your calendars and plan to join us for the Family Promise Golf Outing on July 24. Green Bay Packaging will once again be the presenting sponsor.
We are excited to announce that singer Ben Tanjai will join us for the 19th Hole -- the post golf program and dinner. Ben is a world renowned and award-winning singer who may be best known for singing the national anthem during the Bucks playoffs and finals. He is the first person in history to have sung the National Anthem for every playoff game in an NBA teams world championship run. Tajnai became known as the Milwaukee Bucks’ “good luck charm” after the team won every game during the 2021 NBA Finals when he sang his rendition of the National Anthem.
The theme for the July 24, 2023 golf outing is A Bed to Sleep In.
When asked what was her best day at Family Promise of Waukesha County, Ann responded, it was the first day because she was "seeing my kids sleeping in a bed." After two months in her car sleeping in a bed had to feel like a luxury.
YOU ARE INVITED: IFTAR 2023
Our partners at the Islamic Society of Brookfield invite you to Noor’s Interfaith Iftar 2023. This will be held on April 1 at 6pm. Iftar is a meal eaten after sundown during Ramadan. The celebration will include:
Middle Eastern food from Taqwa’s Bakery
Tours and a brief presentation
Participants will be allowed to witness Magrib prayers. This is a prayer at sunset about 5-10 minutes in length.
Please register soon as there is a limited number who can participate to ensure ease in moving around for the tours.
We are grateful for the partnership of the Islamic Society of Brookfield and hope you will see this as an opportunity to bring people together.
A CALL TO END HOMELESSNESS
Join SOPHIA (Stewards of Prophetic Hopeful Intentional Action) on March 18 from 1-2:30pm at First United Methodist Church 121 E Wisconsin Avenue, Waukesha WI 53186 for a seminar titled: A Call to End Homelessness. Kevin Nye, author of Grace Will Lead us Home: A Christian Call to End Homelessness, will be the speaker.
JOIN US: TREASURES OF THE CHURCH AWARD
It is not too late to register. Join us at 11:30 on March 28 at St Anthony on the Lake Parish in Pewaukee when Family Promise of Waukesha County is awarded the Treasures of the Church Award from Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
March 19 Presentation at St Leonard, Muskego
March 22 Community Shelter Lead Volunteer Info Meeting - 6 pm via Zoom
March 28 Lenten Luncheon: Family Promise receives Treasures of the Church Award
Registration required. St Anthony on the Lake, Pewaukee
April 1 Islamic Society of Brookfield Noor's Interfaith Iftar 6:00 pm
Apr 2 - Apr 8 Host: St. Anthony on the Lake
April 12 In-Person Volunteer Training at 12pm or 6pm
April 13 In-Person Volunteer Training at 1pm or 5:30pm
April 15 In-Person Volunteer Training at 10am or 12 noon
April 18 In-Person Volunteer Training at 12pm or 5pm
April 19 In-Person Volunteer Training at 12pm or 6pm
April 20 In-Person Volunteer Training at 1pm or 5:30pm
April 20 GIVING DAY
April 22 In-Person Volunteer Training at 10am or 12 noon
July 24 Family Promise Golf Outing
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You can also join our Facebook volunteer group to learn about volunteer opportunities.