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The Family Promise Five is a weekly update that focuses on the FIVE topics, issues, events, volunteer opportunities or needs of Family Promise Waukesha County. This communication will update, inform and advocate for families who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Here is the Family Promise Five for June 23, 2024.
Our mission is to help low-income families and families experiencing homelessness achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.
The Family Promise Five for June 23 are:
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"I am not a problem to be solved. I am a person. My life has purpose." – Unknown
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Thank you to Dan Herda, communications Director for United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties for sharing some of the photos he took of Courtney, a client and our Day Center. UWGMWC is a key supporter of the Family Homlessness Prevention Program. Dan will be taking photos at our Golf Outing and has offered a family photo shoot as a silent auction item.
Joe Nettesheim and Board of Trustee Lynn Marsh participated in a board recruitment fair hosted by United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties.
Thank you to the Milwaukee Insurance Adjusters Association shared their 50/50 raffle proceeds with Family Promise of Waukesha County.
Why do you think some landlords in Oconomowoc are hesitant to work with Family Promise?
1. OUR TEAM!
Changes to our staff are occurring as we prepare for the Shelter Diversion Program
Staff
As we prepare our Shelter Diversion Program we are adding staff members and changing some responsibilities. First, we want to announce the hiring of Justin Colon as the Shelter Diversion Coordinator. On his Linked-In profile Justin says my, "working experiences have afforded me the opportunity to manage projects, track deadlines, articulate research and create programming. I have been able to grow and nurture and enhance my communication, organization and collaboration skills and I'm eager to put these skills into perfect practice." His biography and picture are coming soon. Justin will officially begin his role in July.
Second, we are excited to announce that Family Advocate Kelly Hawkins will be changing her responsibilities. Her focus for case management will move from working with families in the prevention program to working with families in the Shelter Diversion Program. This gives us a "Family Promise veteran" who has experience with our processes and procedures caring for families experiencing homelessness.
We are also creating a new position: Operations Coordinator. This role will have a variety of responsibilities that touch on many areas of our mission. These responsibilities include assessing clients, supporting volunteers, data management, bookkeeping and facility management.
Finally, we will be hiring a Family Advocate for prevention.
Please share these roles with your network to help us find the right candidate. Filling these roles are crucial to providing effective services to families at an extremely vulnerable time in their life.
Visit our career page to learn more about both positions.
2. SHARE YOUR PASSION
Volunteer
You are invited to nominate yourself or another person for the Board of Trustees of Family Promise of Waukesha County. As a board member you are responsible for setting the vision/mission for the organization, providing financial oversight, reviewing the implementation of the mission, and helping to secure the resources to accomplish the mission.
The board plays an important role in the success of the organization and works closely with the Executive Director. Skills/interests of prospective board members:
Passion to help and compassion for families experiencing homelessness.
Willingness to serve as an ambassador for the organization sharing its impact with your network
Innovation, creative solution seeker and collaborative spirit
Dedication to justice, equality, diversity and inclusion
Interest in housing issues and understanding the impact that housing instability has on the entire community.
The three legal responsibilities of board members are:
If you have an interest in discerning if serving as a member of the board of trustees is right for you and Family Promise of Waukesha County please email Joe Nettesheim.
3. GET YOUR FP MERCH!
On Sale Now until June 30
Community
Share your Family Promise of Waukesha County pride and promote our organization by sporting some smart clothing apparel.
You can pick from the following items :
Click image to go to the online store.
Place your order using the link before June 30. Items will be shipped about 3 weeks after the online store closes. You can have your items delivered to your home for the cost of shipping or pick them up at the Day Center 139 E North Street Waukesha for no cost.
4. APARTMENT SHELTER PROGRAM TO EXPAND
Seeking a 2 or 3 bedroom unit in Oconomowoc
Program/Mission
Recently Family Promise of Waukesha County made a decision to add a sixth unit to our Apartment Shelter Program. This sixth unit would be in Oconomowoc. This decision was made after several conversations with the homeless liaison in the Oconomowoc Area School District. It is our itnention that we would pilot a program that would accept families referred to us from the social workers in the district. If this goes well it could lead to renting units in other districts.
A few reasons for trying this approach
There is a growing number of students in Oconomowoc experiencing homelessness or living in unstable housing.
Having an apartment in Oconomowoc, will allow those families to remain closer to their school and more involved in their community.
Less commute time to school from Waukesha.
Working with the school district provides another layer of support for families and children.
This is our obstacle: We have been unable to find a landlord willing to participate in the program. We are publishing this post asking you to reach out to friends, neighbors, groups to let them know what we are attempting to accomplish. It is more likely that we will be able to find a landlord willing to work with us if they know about our work and have testimony from someone they know and trust like you.
If you have a lead or someone with whom you think it would be beneficial for us to meet with please email Joe Nettesheim.
POLL OF THE WEEK
Why do you think some landlords in Oconomowoc are hesitant to work with Family Promise?
0%Stigma about families experiencing homelessness.
0%Belief that there is a higher risk of vandalism.
0%Not able to select the family staying in the apartment.
0%Would get push back from neighbors.
You can vote for more than one answer.
5. 10 YEARS OF TRANSFORMING LIVES
Volunteers tell us about why they were involved with Family Promise of Waukesha County
Ten Year Anniversary
This scene is our goal for every family.
Family Promise of Waukesha County opened our doors to two families in November 2014. In 2024 we celebrate our tenth anniversary! In the past ten years we have served over 400 families. We asked those who have been involved with our organization to answer a few questions so we can tell our story from over these past ten years. Today we share some responses from Ann Corning who is a Volunteer Coordinator from Our Savior's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oconomowoc
How have you been involved?
I helped with recruiting churches at the very beginning of our mission, volunteer coordinator for our church, cleaning apartments, helping out with the children.
What motivated you to get involved?
I felt called to help families and their children
What changes did you experience during your involvement?
I was committed to practice a nonjudgmental approach to serving which was not always easy.
What success did you see the organization have?
Every family that left the program in a better spot than when they entered
Getting the original Day Center [in Wales]
Moving the offices to Waukesha
The Apartment Shelter Program
What are the highlights of your connection to Family Promise?
Meeting amazing volunteers that have inspired me, and become friends with some of them! Seeing the families in our program growing in confidence as well as personally and professionally
Please share a story which captures the essence of Family Promise of Waukesha County
One of our first guests came in with her daughter. She was unsure, afraid, and beaten down by life. That was many years ago. She is now an independent, confident, and amazing woman, raising her daughter and providing for her family.
Share your story about your involvement in Family Promise of Waukesha County by completing this form.
Five Plus
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to a past shelter mom who just delivered a healthy baby girl! Plus she remains securely housed. Happy news!
GRANT AWARD
We are excited to receive a significant grant from the Otto Bremer Trust Community Responsive Fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. We have a deep gratitude for this support!
GOLF GRATITUDE
Over the next few weeks we will thank all of our golf outing sponsors. Please use their services and let them know you appreciate their support of families experiencing homelessness.
BIRDIE SPONSORS
Thank you to all of these birdie level sponsors of the Golf Outing. Your generosity will change the lives of families experiencing homelessness! Please use the services of these companies who care about families experiencing homelessness in Waukesha County and let them know you appreciate their support!
Visit this page to see all of our
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
June 24 Staff Meeting
June 25 Case Review
June 26 FP Apartment Shelter Meal Location: Day Center First Congregation UCC
June 29 Yoga on the Green to Benefit Family Promise
June 30 Presentation at Bethlehem Lutheran
July 4-5 Independence Day- Offices Closed
July 8-11 Catholic Heart Workcamp serve at Family Promise
July 17-18 Home for Everyone Conference starring Courtney, Maria and Joe
July 22 Golf Outing
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