VETERANS OUTREACH OF WISCONSIN

Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin opened our tiny homes for homeless veterans in 2017. We have served more than 100 veterans in this program, providing case management, employment opportunities, financial literacy services, mental health, alcohol and drug counseling and peer support counseling. Veterans in our program pay nothing for our service. Veterans in our tiny homes are provided with all personal items, food, clothing, transportation, etc. with the understanding that they will save their funds, pay off existing debt, so that when they are ready to transition from our facility, they are successful. Assisting Veterans in articulating their goals for recovery, identifying barriers to achieving these goals and advocating for themselves to obtain effective health services is paramount to their overall health and well-being. We remain connected to those veterans who leave, serving as a support system and referral agency for future service needs.
VOW Veteran Support program addresses suicide prevention in the Veteran population. One in five suicide deaths in Wisconsin are Veterans. VOW believes that clinical and community-based services for Veterans and their families should seek to promote wellness, eliminate risk factors, increase resilience and protective factors, link Veterans and their families in crisis with appropriate services and support, and address the environmental and social conditions that can contribute to suicidal behaviors. Our strategies align with the Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Plan (Wisconsin Department of Health Services), the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (US Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Surgeon General and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention), and the National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide 2018-2028 (Department of Veteran Affairs). As always, our primary objective is ZERO Veteran suicides.
In 2015, we opened a robust food pantry that serves any veteran and their family, as well as the surviving spouses of veterans. VOW has operated a food pantry since 2015. Our food pantry, The Marketplace, was born out of recognition that food insecurity was a significant need for our Veterans. The use of the food pantry has expanded by 35% in the last 18 months. VOW Marketplace currently serves more than 800 Veterans. The Market Place distributed more than 355,000 pounds of food and other essentials in 2024, a 40% increase over 2023. This year we added a social group for Veterans, “Cup of Duty”, that meets every Monday. This is an opportunity for Veterans to form a support group, socialize, and receive assistance from VOW if needed. All Veterans are encouraged to attend – it’s a great opportunity to have some good coffee, delicious pastries and hear some inspiring stories.

Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin’s vision is to make a positive difference in the lives of veterans and their families. VOW is proud of our strong base of community and veteran volunteers that have enabled us to accomplish so much. VOW is aware that funds and non-financial assistance we receive must be primarily directed to the veterans that we serve and the veteran community. From that mindset, we have intentionally kept the number of paid staff at a minimum, having nine staff running our residential program, food pantry, Veteran Support program and central office. Our strong volunteer base in this community helps make this organization effective. Additionally, we have an active board of directors, who feel strongly in the mission of serving all our veterans in a positive and sustainable way.
We have developed and maintained connections with service providers throughout the area (both civilian and veteran alike) to ensure our Veterans have access to and receive the services they and their families need. We have had the support of local businesses and are grateful for their commitment to our mission.

VOW is a 501(c)3 non-profit headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin