Freedom House is pleased to announce its Third Annual Water Park Pizza Party event designed for the whole family. Mark your calendars for this “Families Helping Families” event to benefit Freedom House homeless shelter in Green Bay and have some old-fashioned family fun in the process. The event will be held at Tundra Lodge on Sunday, February 26, 2012 from 1 to 4 p.m. and includes a buffet pizza lunch and lots of splish-splashing fun. Tickets are currently on sale at all Pioneer Credit Union locations.
“This has really become one of our favorite events,’” said Robyn Davis, Freedom House President, “because it allows us to both have an event for the whole family and give back to other families in need. It’s become a tradition for us to open it up to families at other homeless shelters in the area. It’s just a great way to come together, enjoy good, clean fun and help those in need. Everyone is welcome.”
Tickets are $20 each and may be purchased at all Pioneer Credit Union locations around town. Children 3 & under are free. All proceeds will benefit Freedom House Ministries of Green Bay. The event is cosponsored by Tundra Lodge and Pioneer Credit Union. “We’re delighted to partner with Tundra Lodge and Pioneer Credit Union for this special event,” Davis explained. “We are a shelter that focuses on families with children, so it’s a real joy to focus our community events on families as well. And who can’t use an excuse for some family fun this time of year?” she said. “What better way to wipe away ‘no Packers in the Super Bowl winter blues?’ We hope everyone comes out to join in the fun. It’ll be a win for everyone.”

Talented physicians with a passion for music will take the Meyer Theatre stage on Saturday, January 21, 2012 for the 6th Annual Doctors in Recital. More than two dozen area physicians from all avenues of medicine and all area hospitals join forces with the Ashwaubenon High School Jaguar Jazz Band to perform a wide variety of music from classics to jazz to pop at the fundraising event. Even Freedom House President Robyn Davis will perform on the cello. Proceeds from the event will benefit Freedom House, the only shelter that serves all types of families with children in Brown County. The event is sponsored by Heid Music, Steinway and Sons, the Brown County Medical Society and the Brown County Medical Alliance and has raised more than $120,000.00 for area charities.

Doors will open at 6 PM, the recital begins at 7 PM. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-895-0071 or online at ticketstaronline.com.

The 13^th annual Spirit of the Holidays dance celebration to be held this weekend at the Meyer Theatre in Green Bay will not only showcase the talents of its many area dancers, but help those most in need by raising funds for Freedom House, Brown County’s only shelter that serves all types of homeless families.

“It is a privilege to be the recipient of the proceeds from this year’s ‘Spirit of the Holidays, A Celebration of Dance’ performances,” said Robyn Davis, Freedom House President.

Spirit of the Holidays is an opportunity for the dancers to perform, but so much more than that. It’s the owner’s way to lead by example and instill in each dancer the desire to “give back” to the community.

“I just really want our students to understand that their talent and love for dance can help support the wonderful work of Freedom House,” said Barb Cedergren, founder and owner of the dance studio. “It certainly defines what the holiday season should be all about. We hope our dance students will bring much joy to those attending our shows during this special time of year.”

Cedergren’s desire is more personal than the heart she tries to instill in her dancers – it’s something she models by opening her studio and performances to those in need. “Barb’s extends invitations to our families to attend the performances as well,” Davis said. “We love the idea that we can provide our adults and children with the opportunity to experience the beauty and artistry of dance. But more than that, Pete and Barb Cedergren also provide the opportunity for interested children to participate in dance classes as a special gift throughout the year. Our partnership extends beyond the financial investment that Barb’s Centre for Dance makes into our work.”

“We take so many things for granted,” Cedergren explained. “We need to make the effort to reach out and share what we have with others. Isn’t that what this season is all about – giving, not receiving,” she asked

This is the 13^th time the studio has performed a special holiday show for the benefit of the area’s nonprofits, and the third time Freedom House has been the recipient. Last year Barb’s raised more than $15,000 for Freedom House. Over the years, Barb’s Centre has raised over $83,000 for local non-profits that serve the needy in our community.

Each of 13 different competitive teams created a “theme” basket to auction off. And authentic autographed Green Bay Packer Memorabilia will also be auctioned.

”I can’t begin to describe how much this means to us,” Davis said. “Helping families that are in crisis and telling them they are valued, they matter … that they really can achieve their dreams,” Davis said. “I just can’t put it into words.”

Show times are Saturday, Dec. 3rd at 7 PM and Sunday, Dec. 4th at 1:00 PM, both at the Meyer Theatre, Green Bay.  Tickets may be purchased at ticketstaronline.com; through Ticketstar at the Resch Center, 920-494-3401 or at the door. Prices are $12.50 main floor and $9.50 mezzanine with all proceeds to benefit Freedom House Ministries of Green Bay.

In recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Freedom House will be hosting an OPEN HOUSE on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH from 5-7 PM at our family shelter located at 2997 St. Anthony Drive, Green Bay.  This will be your opportunity to tour our facility as well as interact with staff and members of our Board of Directors.  See and hear what goes on in our building as we serve homeless families with children.

Freedom  House will be hosting its 8th Annual Celebration of Hope at Lambeau Field Atrium from 6-10 PM, tomorrow, Saturday, October 29th.  The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of the growing homeless problem we are facing in our community as well as raise financial support to help homeless families with children.  Our event underwriters and table sponsors include: ST Paper, PAi, Pioneer Credit Union, Arketype, Inc., Schneider National, Skyline Exhibit Resource, Green Bay Pallet, Community First Credit Union, Foxwood Associates, Consumer Insurance Advocates, Living Hope Church, Interim Health, Barb’s Centre for Dance, Mike Fabich.  We deeply appreciate the support of our underwriters and table sponsors.  We look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening…we know it’s going to be special!

Here’s your opportunity to hear from the three speakers for our 8th Annual Celebration of Hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SfMSYBumk

Pioneer Credit Union, the first not-for profit financial institution in the Green Bay area and sixth in the state of Wisconsin,  has been a longtime and faithful partner of Freedom House.  Pioneer’s investment in our mission includes offering its employees the opportunity to volunteer during their work days as well as providing expert counsel in human resource management, fiscal management and information technology.   In addition, Pioneer Credit Union organizes an annual winter coat drive throughout its Brown  County branches specifically for Freedom House families.  The winter coat drive allows Freedom House to provide coats, hats and mittens to our resident families, Aftercare families and even those families who are waiting to enter our shelter.

“Pioneer definitely lives up to the credit union philosophy, ‘People Helping People’,” said Robyn Davis, president of Freedom House.  “Throughout our partnership, Pioneer has never hesitated to help us whenever they can.  Tom Young, the president of Pioneer has even spearheaded remodeling jobs for us like creating a special teen room and renovating our front desk area. No job has been too big or too small.”  This year, Pioneer joined ST Paper and PAi as underwriters of our 8th Annual Celebration of Hope.  The event will be held at Lambeau Field Atrium on Saturday, October 29th from 6-10 PM.   Freedom House is deeply appreciative of Pioneer’s investment of time, talent and treasure and looks forward to a long partnership as we work together to serve Brown County’s homeless families with children.

For more information about the Celebration of Hope, call Melissa Hyska at 920-432-4646, ext. 105 or email Melissa at melissahyska@freedomhouseministries.org.

PAi, located in DePere, WI, provides full service 401 (k) administration and payroll processing for small businesses nationwide. For nearly 30 years, PAi has been successfully serving the small business industry by making strategic, effective and innovative investments in people, technology and processes.  PAi was named the 2011 Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the fifth time in six years.  The Blue Ribbon Small Business Award is designed to recognize businesses that demonstrate excellent practices in several areas, including business strategy, employee development, community involvement and customer service. PAi was the only 2011 recipient from the state of Wisconsin.

Earlier this year, the Charitable Giving Committee and the staff at PAi chose Freedom House as its Key Charity for 2011 and has committed to raise support and collect supplies to help change the lives of homeless families with children in Brown County.  PAi’s commitment to investing in people is evidenced by its company-wide support of the work of Freedom House.  PAi employees have volunteered at Freedom House throughout the year and have also supported Freedom House events in the community.

PAi has joined ST Paper as an underwriter for this year’s Celebration of Hope, which will be held on Saturday, October 29th at Lambeau Field Atrium from 6-10 PM. “PAi’s support this year has been a great encouragement to our staff, volunteers and Board of Directors and of course, has provided a great service to the shelter and our families.  PAi was eager to find another way to help support homeless families with children in our community.  We are proud to have them as an underwriter for this year’s event,” said Robyn Davis, President of Freedom House.

ST Paper, LLC of Oconto Falls is the major underwriter for the 8th Annual Celebration of Hope.  The company owns and operates a tissue-making facility on the banks of the Oconto River in Oconto Falls, a rural community of about 2,800 residents located 30 miles north of Green Bay.  The mill employs nearly 100 workers and is one of the largest employers in Oconto Falls.

ST Paper places great importance on giving back to the community and desires to help not only the people of Oconto  Falls, but the neighboring communities where many of its employees, friends and neighbors reside.

After touring Freedom House and learning more about its program model, ST Paper enthusiastically came on board as Freedom House’s first major underwriter of the event.  “We are delighted and humbled that ST Paper would partner with us in providing support for our event and the work that we accomplish at Freedom House on a daily basis, ” said Robyn Davis, president of Freedom House.

ST Paper has a demonstrated history of giving back to the community and Freedom House is pleased to be a recipient of its generosity.

You can join with ST Paper in supporting the life-changing work of Freedom House by attending the event at Lambeau Field Atrium on Saturday, October 29th from 6-10 PM.  The evening’s program includes speakers Sheena Holewinski, a 2010 Freedom House “graduate”, Ali Draheim, principal of Jefferson Elementary School and program administrator for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Program and At-Risk Program for Green Bay Area Public Schools and Robyn Davis, President of Freedom House.

Table sponsorships are still available and individual seats can be reserved at $75.00 each.  For more information, contact Melissa Hyska at 920-432-4646 or email at melissahyska@freedomhouseministries.org.

Quality-of-life survey shows increased number of homeless people in Brown Co.

12:35 AM, Oct. 9, 2011  |

5 Comments

Written by

Charles Davis

Green Bay Press-Gazette

Online chat

On Wednesday, reporter Charles Davis will be taking questions about the Brown County LIFE study. To take part in the online discussion, visitwww.greenbaypressgazette.com.

It’s the economy.

Local leaders blame a slow economy for a growing number of homeless people, families receiving public assistance and others waiting for help, revealed in a recent survey on the quality of life in Brown County.

Freedom House shelter in Green Bay can serve up to 12 families at a time, and had 75 families on a waiting list as of September, said president Robyn Davis. The shelter normally has a waiting list of between 10 to 15 families, but jumped to about 35 families last year, Davis said.

That number peaked at 84 earlier this year and now is at 52.

The shelter is free for families and funded primarily through private donations, Davis said.

“We have seen those funds decrease even as the need has increased. That’s obviously a concern for us,” she said. “Typically our families are the first ones to experience the brunt of any kind of economic downturn, and they may be the last to recover.”

The 2011 Leading Indicators for Excellence, or LIFE, study was launched in August 2010 and used data to paint a picture of the socioeconomic conditions in Brown, Calumet, Outagamie and Winnebago counties. Last week, the effort released a regional study as well as separate reports on Brown County, southern Winnebago County and the Fox Cities. The project cost $212,000 and was funded by 10 organizations and groups.

Davis was part of a Brown County study panel discussion on self-sufficiency.

“We do have a significant homeless problem here in Brown County, and there are some barriers that need to be overcome by ourcommunity so that our families can be more successful,” Davis said.

For example, the Green Bay Metro bus service does not coincide with the schedules of low-income residents working second and third shifts, she said. Organizations that conducted research on the issue still are determining what kind of impact the current economic situation caused, she said.

Freedom House has a 95 percent success rate, which means families that leave the shelter do not return for additional services. About 5 percent or less of families return, Davis said.

However, when families leave the shelter, they still may face problems finding permanent housing, she said.

Freedom House typically offers an eight- to 12-week program for families, which includes mandatory budgeting and parenting classes for adults. Parents are required to save 75 percent of their income, if there is any, for future housing, Davis said.

The Brown County Housing Authority administers the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Choice Voucher program, known as Section 8, through a contract with Integrated Community Solutions. The program subsidizes rent for 3,100 families across the county depending on income and family size.

In January, 236 families were on the voucher waiting list. That number since has swelled to 822 families with a wait time of about 16 months, said DonElla Payne, head of ICS programs. Based on Brown County’s population of 248,000, as many as 3,234 families could be on the voucher program, Payne said.

“We have people applying that have never applied for any assistance before. They’ve lost their jobs. They’ve lost their house. They’ve never had to go through this before,” she said, adding she’s heard stories of up to four families living together.

Housing authorities across the nation have reported an increased need, Payne said.

However, budget cuts have forced the program to limit the number of families who are assisted through attrition, meaning new families will not be given vouchers when others leave the program, she said. The ICS program Leaving Homelessness Behind, which is funded by private donations, has been put on hold due to a lack of funds, Payne said.

The LIFE study reported that Brown County food pantries have also seen an increased need.

An average of 27,606 families in Brown County receive FoodShare benefits each month, according to August data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. That’s more than double the average number of families who were assisted in 2007 and is due to a number of factors, said spokeswoman Stephanie Smiley.

“Obviously, when there’s a downturn in the economy, people are going to look to supplement their food,” she said.

Smiley said the department tied their application process with the BadgerCare Plus health insurance program in 2008, which led to more residents being notified they qualified for food assistance.

To qualify, a family of three would have a net income of $1,545 a month or less, Smiley said.

The spike in need for food assistance is statewide, she said.

“It’s the highest it has ever been.”