Hope House of Milwaukee

"There are a few things that make the Milwaukee area’s approach to homelessness unique, local organizers said.

First off, the county’s “Housing First” strategy prioritizes offering people housing before requiring lifestyle changes like employment or sobriety.

“Housing First is kind of a set of practices, but also a philosophy that housing is a human right,” said Krystina Kohler, the financial stability impact manager at United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. “So to end homelessness, you need to get people into housing as quickly as possible.”

Other communities may try other steps first, or criminalize homelessness, Kohler said. Housing First could be why the Milwaukee area has been successful, she said.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said in a statement that the numbers show “our collective efforts are producing encouraging results.”

Milwaukee resists national homelessness trend A recent federal report shows homelessness documented in one night jumped 18 percent nationwide last year. But in Milwaukee, the number of people experiencing homelessness declined.

"Between January 2023 and January 2024, the number of unsheltered people living on the street in Milwaukee decreased by an estimated 36.4%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development‘s annual Point in Time Count.

The annual count also found the overall number of homeless, both sheltered (824) and unsheltered (61), decreased by 16%.

Meanwhile, the same count revealed an 18% increase in homelessness nationwide and an 11% increase across Wisconsin."

MKE County: Homelessness Decreases In Milwaukee, Increases Nationally Annual point in time count reveals 36.4% decrease in unsheltered homeless persons.

There is still time to make a gift supporting families experiencing homelessness: https://hopehousemke.org/donate/

Support Hope House of Milwaukee's work with families and individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity by donating before year end. Together, we can ensure everyone has a home.

Thank you to the donors and volunteers who supported our gift drive this year! We appreciate you helping spread holiday cheer ⛄️🎀🎁

Thank you CCB Technology, Seat at the Table, BOSTIK, Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel, Celio, St Anthony on the Lake, We Energies, Hilton Milwaukee City Center, and many others!

"Important to know that some people will say, oh, folks want to be homeless, they don't want to come inside.

And that first stretch where we brought 1,200 people inside, we did not offer housing to a single person who said no. All 1,200 said yes. But it has to be dignified. It has to be private...It's your own place with your own lock and key. You have access to bathroom, shower, kitchen.

It's got to be dignified. But if it's dignified, people say yes."

Inside America's homeless encampment sweeps Homelessness is on the rise. So are encampment sweeps. What does this mean for our cities and the people living on their streets? It’s our latest collaboration with the investigative newsroom, ProPublica.

Shout out to Milwaukee Area Technical College Athletics Women's Basketball Team for volunteering with Hope House this past weekend!🏀🎄🎁

MATC Women’s Basketball Volunteers at Milwaukee Hope House

In the spirit of giving, the Milwaukee Area Technical College women's basketball team took some time out of its Thanksgiving break to give back and volunteer at the Milwaukee Hope House homeless shelter on Dec. 1.

Full Story:
https://matcstormers.com/news/2024/12/2/womens-basketball-matc-womens-basketball-volunteers-at-milwaukee-hope-house.aspx

Every child should have a place to call home. Please consider joining us this by donating: https://hopehousemke.org/donate/

Every child should have a place to take first steps, to settle in and do homework, to relax on the weekend. Together we can end homelessness.

“We get to wash our own dishes!”, six-year-old Brielle blurted out excitedly. Pure joy for a simple task in her family’s new apartment. The power of a home.

We are thankful for you, our tremendous community of supporters, for fostering Brielle’s joy and providing the stability, dignity, and comfort of home to 200+ families this year. Thank you.

Brielle’s family had been without consistent housing for a year, doubling up with family and friends and when that was no longer an option, staying in emergency shelters. Brielle’s mom Candace connected with Hope House, and a light at the end of a yearlong tunnel and a path toward stability emerged. Hope House believes that those experiencing homelessness need housing first and foremost, with programs to help them sustain housing and improve their outlook provided with, but not as a prerequisite for, housing. This model is known as Housing First. So after a brief stay in Hope House’s shelter, the family settled into a three-bedroom apartment – made possible with your support. And Brielle gets to wash dishes, sleep in her own room, and share her joy with everyone she meets. Thank you for supporting Hope House of Milwaukee.

Want to learn more? Want to join the incredible community supporting Hope House? Visit: https://hopehousemke.org

We are thankful for everyone who has volunteered with Hope House this year! From leading clean-ups to tutoring young people to board leadership to organizing supplies, we are fortunate to have a tremendous community of supporters. Thank you!

A huge thank you to the amazing Forward Space team for donating their time and expertise to lead an incredible makeover of Hope House's youth and adult education rooms! What an incredible, welcoming space for young people in our Shining Stars Youth Program and Pathways to Progress GED program. Thank you Forward Space!

Hope Harvest was a fantastic evening! Thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate our progress in providing safe, stable housing for families in Milwaukee, learned about the Housing First strategy, and helped us expand our efforts to address homelessness. Your support means so much!

Young people in our Shining Stars Program have been having all the fall fun at Hope House and in our community this month 🎃👻

Thank you to our volunteers, and to Milwaukee Christian Center and Milwaukee County Parks' Kosciuszko Community Center for hosting Halloween events!

"...a September report from RentCafe suggests that Chicagoans — and Philadelphians, Milwaukeeans and Omahans, among others — face even tougher conditions [than New York renters]"

More here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/03/realestate/apartment-rent-renewal-rates.html

Our community is moving the needle on homelessness. Join us next Thursday for Hope Harvest and join that community!

Enjoy fall refreshments, a brief program, and tours of Hope House's St. Catherine's of Hope - an important asset in combatting housing insecurity in Milwaukee.

Thursday October 10th, 2024, 5-7pm
Saint Catherine’s of Hope - 1032 E. Knapp St., Milwaukee, WI
Free event, donations welcome
More info and RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/hopeharvest2024

Thank you to our sponsors Wintrust, Marsh McLennan Agency - Wisconsin, Summit Credit Union, and RitzHolman CPAs.

Thank you to Milwaukee Film's Dialogues Documentary Festival, moderator Derek Mosley, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, and Milwaukee County Department of Health & Human Services Housing Division for the screening and discussion of Beyond The Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness last week.