Safeguard Shelter, Housing, and Mental Health Support for Milwaukee's Youth in Crisis (11-25 yea

Monetary Donation

Contact Name: Erik Koepnick

Details on what is needed:

For over 45 years, Walker’s Point Youth & Family Services has provided safety to Milwaukee youth and young adults (11-25 years old) through free and confidential counseling and case management, temporary shelter for youth, and housing for young adults. We provide youth in crisis with an inclusive and stable space where they are empowered to create a safe and healthy life. We envision a Milwaukee free from youth and young adult homelessness and trafficking. We work daily to cultivate a thriving community designed for and created by our youth. Our role in that vision is to end the stigma around mental health needs and homelessness, prioritizing our youth through providing critical access to relevant services and resources regardless of their ability to pay or their life experience. At its very core, our purpose is to help our young people thrive now and set them up for a lifetime of prosperity. -Shelter- Among the largest in Wisconsin, our emergency shelter serves youth between the ages of 11 and 17–some of the most vulnerable in our community. We are the only shelter in Wisconsin equipped and able to serve parenting youth and their children, keeping families united during a time of crisis and housing instability. During their 21 days in shelter, all youth have access to and receive crisis services, referrals to essential services, mental health counseling, and all their basic needs are met–eliminating worry about where they will find their next meal, safe place to sleep, or caring person to provide emotional support. Last year alone, we served 300 youth in our emergency shelter. -Mental Health Clinic- Our free and confidential in-house mental health clinic provides critical support to youth ages 11 to 18. We do not seek payment of any kind, even insurance. We have two fully-certified Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), including one with a Ph.D. in Counseling, as well as a rotation of 2-4 graduate-level counseling interns working toward their LPC certification. In addition to serving youth in shelter, our clinic is open to the public to any youth that meets the above age criteria. Further, any youth over the age of 14 are eligible to seek mental health treatment at our clinic without requiring parental permission which is especially important for youth whose crisis is rooted at home. -INSIGHTS Housing Program- For over 30 years, our INSIGHTS Housing Program as provided supportive housing for young adults ages 18-25 experiencing homelessness. Young adults and their families are given the ability to choose an appropriate apartment within Milwaukee County and are provided with a security deposit and rent for up to two years. During this time they receive weekly intensive and supportive case management to increase skills and stability ensuring a successful transition to housing independence. This program serves a variety of single young adults and young adults who are pregnant and/or parenting. We currently serve 14 single young people and 10 families. Upon completion, 90% of our young people successfully maintain independent housing for the long term.