.png)
February 24, 2025
The Family Promise Five is a weekly newsletter whose purpose is to update, inform, and advocate for families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
The mission of Family Promise of Waukesha County is to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.
In this edition, you will find these stories:
What is the root cause of homelessness?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Joe Nettesheim and Mike Hallquist attended the Waukesha Rotary Pancake Breakfast.
On behalf of P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter EG, a philanthropic educational organization, Barb Kirschner gave a donation to Family Promise.
1. WELCOME CELESTINA
Staff
Family Promise of Waukesha County is pleased to announce that Celestina Hertz has joined our team as a Family Advocate for Prevention. Her first day was Monday, February 10th. Celestina's responsibilities will include:
Assessing clients seeking financial assistance
Managing the Coordinated Entry List for prevention
Making home visits for habitability
Providing case management to prevention clients
Celestina received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and specializations in Substance Abuse Counseling as well as Community Engagement and Activism.
Please welcome Celestina Hertz to Family Promise of Waukesha County. Her contact information:
Phone: 262-968-2321 ext.104
2. BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Welcome Monica Murphy to the Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of Family Promise of Waukesha County is a group of volunteers who give of their time to set the vision, mission and provide accountability for the organization. A strong board is an essential part of the ability of any non-profit to function effectively. We are grateful for the dedication and service provided by the Family Promise of Waukesha County Board of Trustees.
Recently, five new volunteers joined the Board of Trustees. They are: Dan Budde, Robert McCormack, Monica Murphy, Jen Veum, and Julie Wiech. Over the next few weeks we will profile each new member.
Today we focus on Monica Murphy. Monica retired in 2022 after a long career as a civil rights attorney. Most of her career was working for a non-profit on behalf of people with disabilities representing them in employment, fair housing, and special education matters. You can read more about Monica on our Board of Trustees webpage.
Welcome Monica!
3. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
Gratitude
Family Promise of Waukesha County is full of gratitude for two recent gifts.
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT
Recently we were awarded a grant from the Catholic Community Foundation. This grant was to support the Apartment Shelter Program. Even though Family Promise of Waukesha County is a secular organization our mission aligns well with faith communities. One focus of the Catholic Community Foundation is to fund initiatives that help neighbors in need.
ST. LEONARD CATHOLIC CHURCH TURKEY TROT
We are also grateful to St. Leonard Catholic Church who raised over $23,000 for Family Promise of Waukesha County through their annual thaksgiving Turkey Trot walk and run. The Turkey Trot had a grand total of 1,872 runners and walkers, the largest turnout in the 13 years that we’ve been hosting this event! There were 900 male participants and 972 females. There were 1,032 runners and 840 walkers. The largest age group was 18 and under with 418 participants. The second largest age group was 50-64 with 385 participants. You can read more about the run below. Thank you to all from St. Leonard's who participated in the event and gave generously to Family Promise of Waukesha County!
4. SHELTER DIVERSION PILOT
Joe Nettesheim, "Shelter Diversion Pilot in Waukesha County," Wisconsin Counties Magazine
Program
The February Issue of Wisconsin Counties Magazine , a publication of the Wisconsin Counties Association, is titled Confronting the Homelessness Crisis. The entire magazine is focused on homelessness across the state of Wisconsin. Joe Nettesheim, was asked to write an article about the Shelter Diversion pilot being implemented by Family Promise of Waukesha County.
The Wisconsin Balance of State Continuum of Care is a nonprofit organization supporting 69 counties. It comprises agencies that serve, support and care about those experiencing homelessness. The nonprofit won a $1 million grant from the Bezos Day One Fund, established by Jeff Bezos, the founder and former CEO of Amazon, to pilot a shelter diversion program. Family Promise, which provides shelter, rent assistance, and utility and vehicle repair assistance, was selected as a sub-recipient of the grant.
The grant provides $200,000 per year for five years to pilot a program that focuses on working with families with minor children who meet the definition of homeless established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. We hope that, after five years of trial and error in Waukesha County, we will have created a program that can be duplicated across the state.
The shelter diversion program, which began in July 2024, aims to identify all families experiencing homelessness, end street homelessness, reduce the time families spend in shelters, and reserve shelter space for those who need it most. Below is a summary of the article.
Client-centered approach
The premise of shelter diversion is to help the client identify possible solutions and find alternate resources to the stressed shelter system. Clients end up on a hamster wheel, moving from agency to agency without a likelihood of finding help. It is no wonder that clients get exasperated by the system.
Effective case management
Effective case management centers on the client, empowering them, respecting their autonomy and expanding their options. We start by asking a few key questions to help clients identify the resources they may already have, even if the possibilities are not initially apparent to them during a crisis.
Community Response
For a diversion program to be successful, every agency that comes in contact with families experiencing homelessness must be on board with finding alternative solutions if possible. We’ve contacted law enforcement, school social workers, hospitals and health clinics, libraries, food pantries and meal programs, and other shelters to build stronger collaborations with partnering agencies.
Click below to read the full article:
POLL OF THE WEEK
The root cause of homelessness is ....
Low wages
Lack of affordable housing
Unemployment
Racism
5. WISCONSIN OUT OF REACH AND GAP REPORT
The National Low Income Housing Coalition produces two annual reports that document the housing needs and affordability challenges faced by renters of different incomes and across different geographies.
The Gap measures the supply of affordable rental homes that are available to extremely low-income households and other income groups throughout the United States. . The report also examines the demographics, disability and work status, and other characteristics of the extremely low-income households most impacted by the national shortage of affordable and available rental homes.
Out of Reach highlights the disparity between wages people earn and the cost of modest rental housing in the united states. The report shows that affordable rental homes are out of reach for millions of low- wage workers, seniors, people with disabilities, families with low incomes, and other renters.
To access the full reports click below.
FIVE PLUS
SAVE THE DATE- GOLF OUTING JULY 21
The Family Promise of Waukesha County Golf Outing will be Monday, July 21 at the Oconomowoc Golf Club. Our theme for 2025 is Raise Your Hand; Lift Their Future. Our foundational value has long been community involvement. Your participation in the golf outing can have a generational impact. Save the date and watch for more information soon.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
46% of the families Family Promise of Waukesha County served in 2024 were black. There is a long history of racial discrimination impacting housing in Milwaukee.
During Black History Month, The National Alliance to End Homelessness is highlighting the voices of Black leaders in the movement to end homelessness. Here's what Kahlib Barton has to say on why we should continue to commitment to racial equity and justice to address this crisis:
TARGET GIVING CIRCLE
Do not forget when you are out running errands this weekend to use your Target Circle App and assign your points to Family Promise. We are one of the Target Circle recipients for the first quarter of 2025.
VJS CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOUNDATION 5K!
Exciting news, this year, we’re a beneficiary at the 5th Annual VJS Construction Services Community Foundation 5K! Join us on Saturday, May 3rd, 2025, at 8 a.m. at this fun 5K run/walk starting in the VJS parking lot and circling the Pewaukee Business Park. Strollers and pets are welcome; we are excited to see you there!
Volunteers are needed! Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C48ABA82DAAFEC07-54499315-vjscs#/
CALENDAR
February 25 Diversion Advisory Counsel Meeting
February 26 New Staff Orientation
February 26 Finance Committee Meeting
February 27 New Staff Orientation
February 27 United Way Annual Meeting
February 28 New Staff Orientation
February 28 Bezos Shelter Diversion Check-in
April 22 Giving Day
May 3 VJS Foundation Run/Walk to benefit Family Promise of Waukesha County
July 21 Family Promise of Waukesha County Golf Outing
TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, CLICK THE ICONS BELOW
Access our Threads account through Instagram
Comments