In 2022, St. John’s Ministries made a bold decision rooted in our belief that the women we serve deserved a shelter and resource center designed and built with them in mind. Although we sheltered women since our founding in 2005, our dining space, restrooms, and shower facilities were all shared with men at what is now our Men’s Shelter. Although functional, we knew women deserved better services and a focus on enhanced privacy and the implementation of trauma-informed care.
So, we developed a plan and acted. With community support, we acquired Wellspring, a year-round daytime resource center for women. We then purchased the other half of our current Walnut Street facility and renovated the space to create an overnight shelter. Both facilities are under the same roof, especially important for women with mobility challenges. These steps provided the daughters, mothers, sisters, and grandmothers of our community with the privacy and dignity they deserve as they overcome homelessness.
Although we were blessed with those improvements, our community faces another crisis, which has affected the vulnerable women of our community particularly hard. From 2023 to 2024, Brown County experienced a surge of 14% more people experiencing homelessness. Nationwide that increase was over 18%.
Our first three seasons at Women’s Shelter operated under our original permitted capacity of 58 women. We hoped that number would be sufficient for years to come, but we now face a new reality. This season, during the evening of January 22nd, we sheltered a record-shattering 57 women, and we experienced 16 nights with 50+ women needing overnight shelter compared to just one night of 50+ women the season before. St. John’s Ministries has seen firsthand that the homelessness crisis is real and deep, but we are committed more than ever to respond in bold ways. We invite you to join us in supporting women in the community who need us the most.
Our staff has begun planning for next shelter season, knowing November 1st will be here quicker than we realize. We are ready to tackle our to-do list to prepare for what could be another record-breaking season at Green Bay’s only women’s shelter.
To-Do List
Modify part of our Walnut Street facility to begin increasing our shelter capacity for the expected increase in women seeking shelter.
Upgrade furniture and mattresses as many of our guests have chronic health problems requiring a variety of sleeping options.
Increase case management hours so guests are provided with multiple paths and options out of homelessness and into stability.
Our work is only possible because of our community, made up of people like you – full of compassion and the belief that everyone deserves safety, dignity, and the opportunity to rebuild their life. With the number of women in need continuing to rise to unprecedented levels, your support is appreciated and needed more than ever.
Sincerely,
Jesse Brunette, Executive Director
Please consider supporting us today to ensure every woman arriving at our facilities receives the support and care they deserve. For a limited time, the first $25,000 given in support of the Women’s Shelter will be matched 1:1 – if you give today, your impact will be doubled. You can follow this link below to support your neighbors in need.
