It’s a rainy day in the city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. You are walking down 8^th street with your black umbrella while glancing in the windows of the shops as you pass by. What is the first thing you notice about your surroundings? I’m sure it isn’t the man sleeping under the tree in Fountain Park or the woman pushing the shopping cart filled with everything she owns down the street. The thing is, there are countless people who are homeless in Wisconsin and the numbers are increasing. Programs need to be developed to help governmental services such as corrections, mental health services, health care and workforce development help these people get back on their feet since homeless adults find it hard to successfully reintroduce themselves into society. Let’s not forget that a majority of the homeless are children as well. 

There hasn’t been much aid for the homeless from the State of Wisconsin in the past 20 years.   In fact, the funding provided to run homeless programs by Wisconsin’s government has remained at $3.25 million every year. This is behind the majority of states in the United States. Minnesota for example has provided $44.3 million per year to finance programs for the homeless. In order to increase the State’s success in combating homelessness in Wisconsin, every county needs to be productive in this cause.

So what is Sheboygan County doing to aid this reform? The United Way of Sheboygan County is assisting with the bi-annual Point in Time survey. Lakeshore CAP, a United Way-funded partner agency, is leading the charge to have a group of volunteers conduct a count to determine the amount of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals. From this survey, the community will be able to see the major issues that result in homelessness and come up with plans to resolve these issues in Sheboygan County. This count will also be used at the state level. There will be surveys conducted in counties across the entirety of Wisconsin. Once all of the results are compiled together, the main issues that bring about homelessness can be identified and fought against on a larger scale throughout Wisconsin. By compiling all of these counts together and targeting the specific issues necessary, the amount of homelessness in Sheboygan County, as well as in Wisconsin as a whole, will see a reduction in size.

The next count in Sheboygan County will be conducted later this month on July 30. Multiple volunteers will be needed to conduct the count in specific zones in the community. To be a part of this coalition, you can contact Ruth Evans at Lakeshore CAP by emailing her at ruthe@lakeshorecap.org or calling her at 920-803-6991. The United Way would greatly appreciate anyone who is willing to volunteer for this great opportunity!

Abby Klockow completed the research and writing of this article as part of her coursework in a service learning class at Viterbo University as part of her studies. Additionally, Abby is the daughter of current United Way of Sheboygan County Board Member Tony Klockow.