Oct 29, 20235 min read

FRIDAY FIVE : COMMUNITY SHELTER ENDS

Updated: Oct 29, 2023

This blog provides the top 5 highlights or updates about Family Promise of Waukesha County for Friday, October 27, 2023.

The Friday Five is a weekly update that focuses on the 5 main things happening at Family Promise Waukesha County. This communication should update, inform and advocate for families who are financially vulnerable.

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:

COMMUNITY SHELTER COMES TO A CLOSE
TOUR Z'S NEW HABITAT HOUSE
UP NEXT: EMERGENCY OVERFLOW SHELTER
WELCOME LAURA BARAJAZ
FAMILY SERVICES DIRECTOR

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The test of our progress is not if we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough to those who have too little.

-Franklin Roosevelt

WEDDING OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Kelly and Ranj on their wedding! Wishing you a life of happiness and love.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

This week we participated in the Winter Glow, Project Homelessness Connect, and the Waukesha County Community Fund Breakfast titled Giving Forward. Plus today was the last day of the Community Shelter! It was a busy and eventful week.

POLL OF THE WEEK

Would you recommend that Family Promise host the Community Shelter again in 2024?

1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY SHELTER

Community Shelter is now on hiatus

We have now finished one season of the Family Promise of Waukesha County Community Shelter! It is a bittersweet moment. Sweet because of the ability to serve more families, but also sad that it is coming to an end today.

We are thankful to our partner organizations, volunteer coordinators, volunteers, Board of Trustees, Staff, Housing Action Coalition of Waukesha County and Secure Resources. Overall it was a great success.

We are a stronger, more experienced organization for completing this program. Most importantly we provided shelter to 13 additional families. As the shelter ended every family had a place to go and secure plans.

During our seven months we provided shelter to 13 families. Here is an overview of the Community Shelter.

Average length of stay - 52 nights
Nights of shelter - 676
Total volunteers fully trained - 226
Partner groups - 24
Adults - 14
Children - 31
Children under 5 - 15
Female adults - 13
Male Adults - 1
Female Children - 11
Male children - 20
Single mom - 12
Single dad - 0
Couple - 1

Ethnicity

Black or African American - 32
White - 2
Two or more - 11

Exit

Transitional Housing - 1
Permanent Housing - 6
Other Shelter - 2
Unknown - 3
Hotel - 1

2. Z's JOURNEY TO HOME OWNERSHIP

Z spent one day this week working at her Habitat House.

Zajanelle is getting closer to owning her Habitat for Humanity home. This past week she spent the day working with volunteers as they constructed a fence. Part of her task was to dig holes. Not an easy job!

She also showed us around. Imagine what this home means to her and her daughter's future. Check out this short tour of her home and watch for more information about Z and her home soon.

3. EMERGENCY OVERFLOW SHELTER

You are invited to an Open House on Thursday, November 9

Planning is underway for the Winter Emergency Overflow. Family Promise of Waukesha County will manage this program in partnership with Hebron Housing Services. Our focus will be on serving the families experiencing homelessness while Hebron Housing Services will provide support and case management to individuals.

You are invited to an Open House sponsored by the Housing Action Coalition of Waukesha County. We encourage you to come and show your support for the Housing Action Coalition, Hebron Housing Services, and Family Promise of Waukesha County.

The open house will run from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and then again from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM on Thursday, November 9.

4. WELCOME LAURA BARAJAZ

Laura will be the Shelter Manager for the Winter Overflow

Family Promise of Waukesha County is excited to announce the addition of Laura Barajaz. Laura will serve as the Shelter Manager for the Winter Emergency Overflow Shelter and the Community Shelter. She came to us from Friends, a shelter in West Bend that serves individuals experiencing domestic violence.

She provided us with her biography:

I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. I graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2020 with a Bachelor’s of science in human social services. I love spending time with my family, friends and my cat (shay). My hobbies include fishing, hiking, and watching the Chicago Bears. I have a passion for helping those in need and I’m very excited to be a part of the Family Promise mission.

NOW HIRING: SHELTER ADVOCATE

Family Promise of Waukesha County is continuing to seek shelter advocates for the Emergency Overflow Shelter.

You can view information about this role here or apply via Indeed

5. FAMILY SERVICES DIRECTOR

Courtney Rutkowski takes on a new role focused on programs

Courtney Rutkowski joined our staff as the Lead Case Manager in November 2021. As our services and number of clients that we serve grows we have a need for one staff member to focus on the programs and services we offer. Therefore we are pleased to announce that Courtney is taking on a new role as Family Services Director. She has earned this new role through her compassion, commitment, skill and care for families experiencing homelessness. We are grateful to Courtney and excited for her to further use her gifts at Family Promise of Waukesha County.

Here is an overview of her role: The Family Services Director is responsible for the designing, implementation, and assessing of programs for families experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. These programs will focus on assisting families to achieve sustainable and self-sufficient housing. This role will work closely with the Executive Director and program committee in identifying needed programs to best serve families in Waukesha County. This role also includes mentoring and coaching of Family Advocates in their role to assist families. The FSD will promote a trauma informed approach for all programs and case management.

POLL OF THE WEEK

Would you recommend that Family Promise offer the community shelter again in 2024