Homelessness Awareness Week
Homelessness Awareness Week runs November 16 – November 22, 2025, 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.
Get to know the work of your local shelters by joining the following events!
Salvation Army, Milwaukee – emergency shelter tour
Monday, November 17, 2025
11:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 12:00 p.m.
Salvation Army
1730 N. 7th St., Milwaukee WI 53205
Salvation Army will be holding tours of its Emergency Lodge beginning at 11:00, 11:30, and noon (tours will last about 30 minutes). Since 1979, the Emergency Lodge at 1730 N. 7th Street in Milwaukee has provided safe, emergency shelter for single women, single men and families with children. With 120 beds available, the Lodge offers more than just a place to sleep. Our caring staff are here to support you and connect you with the resources you need to help you move toward permanent housing and stability.
Hope Center, Waukesha – community center tour
Monday, November 18, 2025
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Hope Center
101 W Broadway, Waukesha, WI 53186
Building and Programs Tour on Monday 10:00am - 12:00pm and Tuesday 11:00am - 1:00pm.
For 44 years Hope Center has strived to minimize the poverty related risk factors that contribute to homelessness in Waukesha by providing, at no cost to County residents, food, clothing, and simple living items.
Hope House of Milwaukee – Emergency Shelter tour
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
12:00 p.m.-12:40 p.m.
Hope House of Milwaukee
209 W. Orchard St., Milwaukee WI 53204
Hope House of Milwaukee will be hosting a tour of its shelter and organizational headquarters. Tour is approx. 40 min.
Discover how Hope House has evolved over the past decade to embrace housing-centered strategies that create lasting impact. Learn how our shelter, housing programs, and supportive services have empowered more than 85% of our clients to maintain stable, independent homes — and explore what’s needed to continue working toward a community where everyone has a place to call home.
Meet & greet with government officials followed by tour of new Marcia P. Coggs Health and Human Services Center
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
10:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Marcia P. Coggs Health and Human Services Center
1230 W. Cherry St., Milwaukee, WI 53205
Join Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson's proclamation of Homelessness Awareness Week with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and DHHS Executive Director, Shakita LaGrant-McClain. Take advantage of this meet & greet to talk with government officials about Milwaukee's commitment towards ending homelessness. This will include a tour of the new Marcia P. Coggs Health and Human Services Center.
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center – youth shelter open house
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center
732 S. 21st St., Milwaukee, WI 53204
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center will be hosting an open house of their shelter. Tour the space, meet the staff, and learn about the services provided!
Guest House of Milwaukee – emergency shelter tour
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Guest House of Milwaukee
1216 N. 13th St., Milwaukee, WI 53205
Drop-in any time between 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. for a personal tour of Guest House’s main facility that includes a 3-dorm/86 bed shelter, construction of an expanded Mental Health and Addiction Clinic, common room, and Cream City Community Gardens.
Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center tour
Thursday, November 20, 2025
5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
Community Advocates
728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee WI 53233
Community Advocates is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families in achieving stability and independence. It provides resources, advocacy, and programs focused on housing, health care, mental health, and basic needs to improve the quality of life for those facing challenges.
The Rental Housing Resource Center (RHRC), an initiative of Community Advocates, serves as a collaborative hub for tenants, landlords, and community partners. RHRC connects individuals to housing resources, mediation services, and education, fostering equitable and sustainable rental housing solutions in the community.
Free rummage sale for youth & families
Thursday, November 20, 2025
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center
732 S. 21st St., Milwaukee, WI 53204
Walker’s Point will be hosting a free rummage sale at their shelter. Coats, clothing, and other items will be available at no cost.
Sojourner Truth House within Family Peace Center tour
Thursday, November 20, 2025
12:00 p.m.-12:40 p.m.
Sojourner Family Peace Center
619 W. Walnut St., Milwaukee WI 53212
Meet at reception (main entrance). Parking available on street or 7th street gated parking lot. We will walk down to the shelter portion of the building. No stairs required for tour.
Sojourner transforms lives impacted by domestic violence. The Sojourner Truth House is an emergency shelter within the Family Peace Center that serves those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. We work with other departments within Sojourner, co-located partners at the Family Peace Center, external partners, and the community to bring peace and safety to our community.
Hebron Housing Services – emergency shelter tour
Thursday, November 20, 2025
1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Friday, November 21, 2025
1:00 p.m.-3.:00 p.m.
Hebron Housing Services
1210 Sentry Dr. Waukesha, WI 5318
Drop-in any time between 1-3pm for a personal tour of Hebron. Hebron Housing Services is the largest homeless services provider in Waukesha County. Hebron operates three emergency shelters, seven housing programs, and an outreach program.
Pathfinders – youth drop-in center tour
Friday, November 21, 2025
12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Pathfinders
4200 N. Holton St., Suite 400, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Drop-in any time between 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. for a personal tour of Pathfinders youth drop-in center. Pathfinders offers a variety of programs and resources to ensure youth's immediate safety and long-term stability. This includes housing, clinical services, an emergency youth shelter, street outreach, and anti-sexual violence services. Young people provide extensive input on these programs to ensure they are effective for themselves and their peers. Youth can start their journey with Pathfinders through any program, and many access more than one to meet their unique needs.
Walker’s Point Youth & Family – office open house
Friday, November 21, 2025
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Administrative Office
1300 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, 53215
Visit Walker Point Youth & Family’s new office space and see how they continue to grow to serve youth and families.
Things to Know for Homelessness Awareness Week 2025
We are organized on the issue
The Milwaukee Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (also known as the Milwaukee Continuum of Care or CoC) is a community-based alliance of housing providers, emergency shelters, service organizations, and local partners working side by side to end homelessness in the City of Milwaukee. Rooted in collaboration and compassion, the CoC is building a more connected, responsive system to support individuals experiencing homelessness.
The City of Milwaukee serves as the CoC's lead agency. Additional partners include Milwaukee County Housing Division, IMPACT 2-1-1, and United Way.
Homelessness rates are decreasing in Milwaukee County
Thanks to strong collaboration among community partners, 968 individuals were experiencing homelessness in Milwaukee in 2025. While this represents a slight increase from last year, Milwaukee continues to maintain one of the lowest homelessness rates in the nation — well below the national average.
We can end homelessness
We are working together to end family homelessness in the Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County region by the end of 2025.
Since 2020, United Way has committed over $17 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 Homes Initiative has led to improvements in the court system (EvictionFreeMKE.org), better support for housing insecure students, supports resource connecton specialists for landlords and tenants (RentHelpMKE.org), and is filling the gap in rent support vouchers for families in shelter.
Learn more about Safe and Stable Homes.
You can join the fight to end homelessness
GIVE BACK ∙ ∙ ∙ Visit the websites above to learn where you might want to make a donation
OUR IMPACT ∙ ∙ ∙ Attend Homelessness Awareness Week events to get educated on the issues
GET INVOLVED ∙ ∙ ∙ Click on the Volunteer link on UnitedWayGMWC.org