GUEST HOUSE OF MILWAUKEE INC

Mission Statement
Since 1982, the Guest House of Milwaukee has been a leader in providing shelter, housing, education, and services to Milwaukee’s homeless who seek to transform their lives with dignity and purpose.

The Guest House of Milwaukee is the largest publicly funded homeless shelter in Milwaukee. Located on North 13th Street between Juneau & McKinley Avenues on Milwaukee’s north side, the Guest House is open 24/7 providing shelter, housing, education, and services to Milwaukee’s homeless who seek to transform their lives with dignity and purpose. Approximately one half of the 86 men served onsite are in an emergency shelter program, meaning they are entitled to stay for up to 90 days. The remaining guests are in a transitional housing program and are entitled to stay up to 2 years. Nearly 10% of our guests are veterans of the armed forces. The Guest House also provides case management to 400 permanent, supported housing units for formerly homeless men, women, and families. We also provide overnight warming beds November 1-March 31.

What Differentiates Us
• We focus on the entire individual, which extends beyond providing each guest a warm bed and regular meals. Additionally and more importantly, each guest is strategically matched with a qualified case manager to create a personalized plan to overcome homelessness. This plan starts with identifying the factors that resulted in the need for services and continues all the way to placement into permanent, supported housing or until there is otherwise no longer a need for shelter services. The overwhelming majority of guests leave our shelter with permanent housing, a self-sustaining income, and maintained sobriety or stable mental health. The Counseling Clinic at the Guest House is certified by the State of Wisconsin and provides mental health and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) counseling.
• We offer permanent, supported housing programs for men, women, and families in over apartments or homes throughout the greater Milwaukee area. Here, individuals are also matched with qualified case managers who help them sustain their housing and overall well-being. We are also a proud leader of the “housing first” initiative!
• Educational opportunities are also available to all guests and clients of the Guest House. We provide classes on diverse topics including: financial literacy, health & wellness, life skills, and goal setting.
• Across the street from our shelter and offices on North 13th Street, is a one-acre plot of land known as Cream City Gardens which is owned and operated by the Guest House. The Cream City Gardens program provides fresh, homegrown produce to the Guest House as well as to local food pantries.

Our Key Values
o The guests and clients come first. Their needs motivate and inspire our every action.
o We place a high value on building upon our strong tradition of implementing innovative programs and practices that restore dignity and transform our guests to a life of purpose. For more than 40 years, we have led the community in erasing homelessness.

Questions? Christine Jacobs at 414-315-7291 or christinej@guesthouseofmilwaukee.org