Homelessness Awareness Week
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United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County

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Homelessness Awareness Week

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Homelessness Awareness Week runs October 17 – October 21, 2022 across greater Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. The purpose of this week is to increase public education on the current state of homelessness in our local communities.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022 ▪ HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK PRESS CONFERENCE

Time: 9:00am - 9:30am

Location: United Way JCI Volunteer Center, 200 W. Pleasant St. Milwaukee WI 53212 (Proof of vaccination is required to enter.)

Description: Press conference of government officials discussing work being done in our communities to address homelessness. Speakers will include Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly, and representatives from the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County Housing Services, and United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.


TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2022 ▪ STREET OUTREACH PANEL

Time: 1:00-2:00pm

Location: Zoom

Description: What do street outreach workers do to support people sleeping on the street? What is the right thing to do when you see someone experiencing homelessness? Find out at this panel discussion from experts, including the Homeless Outreach Nursing Center (HONC), Outreach Community Health Centers, Street Life Ministries, Veterans Affairs, Milwaukee County Housing Services, and Impact. This free virtual event is open to the public.


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022 ▪ LANDLORD APPRECIATION EVENT

Time: 3:00pm-4:00pm

Location: Zoom

Description: Milwaukee agencies will highlight programs that work alongside landlords in the fight to end homelessness. Two awards will be presented to outstanding landlords that have gone above and beyond in supporting our community. Are you a property owner or manager that is interested in taking on tenants with housing vouchers? Come to this event to ask questions directly to the administrators of supportive programs. This free virtual event is open to the public. 


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022 ▪ HOMELESSNESS ADVOCACY EVENT

Time: 5pm-6pm

Location: Zoom

Description: Interested in how you can use your voice to advocate for ending homelessness? Come to this event and find out from leaders in the field. We’ll celebrate an outstanding advocate and hear their story. This free virtual event is open to the public.  

Things to Know for Homelessness Awareness Week 2022

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We are organized on the issue

The Milwaukee Continuum of Care (CoC) is a network of 100+ organizations working to end homelessness in Milwaukee.

The CoC is filled with call reps, street outreach workers, social workers, case managers, shelter and safe haven staff, nurses and doctors, employment specialists, and so on, that work 24/7 and all use a shared database to record the individual case plans and housing plans for every person experiencing homelessness in Milwaukee County. The CoC is led by the City of Milwaukee and all CoC agencies are united to get every person experiencing homelessness back on their feet and into safe and stable housing.

Learn more at: http://MilwaukeeCoC.org

Homelessness rates are decreasing in Milwaukee County

In 2022, Milwaukee County had the lowest street homeless count, per capita, in the nation. Between 2015 and 2021, homelessness decreased by 46.3% in Milwaukee County because of our Housing First programs.

Housing is a human right. The Milwaukee County Housing Services has led the CoC’s Housing First work of securing housing vouchers, working with people in their street outreach work, and making connections with landlords. The following agencies all work together in an effort called “Coordinated Entry” to make sure those with the most significant vulnerabilities are prioritized first for housing as housing vouchers become available: Cathedral Center, Community Advocates, Center for Veterans Issues, the Guest House of Milwaukee, Heartland Alliance, Hope House of Milwaukee, IMPACT Inc., Institute for Community Alliances, La Causa, Milwaukee County Housing Services, Outreach Community Health Centers, Pathfinders, Salvation Army, Sojourner Family Peace Center, Vivent Health, and Walkers Point Youth and Family Services. 

Learn more at: www.HousingFirstMilwaukee.com

We can end homelessness

We are working together to end family homelessness by the end of 2023.

Since 2020, United Way has committed nearly $10 million into Safe & Stable Homes Initiative strategies that prevent family homelessness whenever possible, and in those situations that can’t be prevented, make them rare, brief, and one-time experiences. The Safe & Stable Initiative has led to improvements in the justice system (EvictionFreeMKE.org), better support for housing insecure students, supports resource connection specialists for landlords and tenants (RentHelpMKE.org), and is filling the gap in rent support vouchers for families in shelter.

Learn more at: www.UnitedWayGMWC.org/Safe-and-Stable-Homes

You can join the fight to end homelessness

GIVE ∙ ∙ ∙ Visit the websites above to learn where you might want to make a donation

ADVOCATE ∙ ∙ ∙ Attend Homelessness Awareness Week events to get educated on the issues

VOLUNTEER ∙ ∙ ∙ Click on the Volunteer link on UnitedWayGMWC.org