ABOUT GUEST HOUSE
OUR MISSION OUR MISSION
Guest House of Milwaukee provides shelter, housing, education and services to Milwaukee’s homeless who seek to transform their lives with dignity and purpose.
OUR VISION OUR VISION
change t
overcome the root causes of homelessness.
OUR APPROACH OUR APPROACH
For more than 40 years, Guest House of Milwaukee has been serving our most vulnerable neighbors with understanding, compassion, and dignity. Since first opening our doors as a short-term emergency shelter in 1982 in the same location we stand today, Guest House of Milwaukee has grown to provide a full continuum of onsite and community-based programs that address the comprehensive, evolving needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity
These programs are designed to not only meet our clients' immediate needs, but to provide the resources necessary to guide them along their journeys toward sustained independence Our service delivery model employs an integrated, client-centered approach to:
Providing advocacy, placement and stabilization services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk for becoming unhoused Reducing the recurrence of multiple shelter stays for clients who have experienced either temporary or chronic homelessness
Ensuring accessible, critical behavioral health services for clients struggling with mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders
Increasing the recovery rate from drug and/or alcohol abuse among our client populations, leading to long-term sobriety and stability
Empowering clients to set and achieve personal goals, increasing their likelihood of earning a living wage and securing permanent housing
OUR TEAM
Over the past year, with our renewed emphasis on optimizing our organizational structure, Guest House has invested in recruiting, training, and retaining the most caring and competent team members. Today, we’re as committed as ever to building the collaborative culture that is needed to affect the greatest amount of change in the lives of those we serve.
“We are a family here at the Guest House and strive for excellence in all that we do. Everyone has a mission in life and my mission in life is to try to help end homelessness.”
-Director of Residential Services
With a team of 50+ individuals working across housing, residential services, case management, operations, clinical services, and leadership, Guest House of Milwaukee is committed to meeting our clients where they are while growing our impact with the urgency and purpose that our clients deserve.
“Our ability to grow as a team this past year is about more than just numbers - it’s about impact. Growth means we can provide more beds, more meals, and more services to those at-risk.
Beyond that, though, it represents our commitment to finding new and innovative ways to break the cycle of homelessness.”
-Steve Bauer, CEO
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
SHELTER
We begin with addressing our guests’ basic needs by providing a safe and warm place to sleep with fresh bedding, at least one hot meal per day, and access to showers and laundry facilities. Then, we match each individual to a qualified case manager to begin the process of developing an Individualized Service Plan. Our shelter programs include:
Emergency Shelter (GATES)
Serving up to 52 men per night, Emergency Shelter program clients are eligible to stay at Guest House for up to 90 days.
Pathways to Permanent Housing
A safe haven shelter for both men and women who are experiencing severe and persistent mental health challenges
Veterans’ Dorm
Serving up to 12 men for a maximum shelter stay of 2 years through a contract with the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Community Cots
A referral program through Impact 2-1-1 to accommodate up to 8 individuals for short-term
emergency stays at Guest House.
Winter Warming Center
In partnership with the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County and the Milwaukee Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, Guest House serves as a seasonal warming center from late
November through March, providing overnight accommodation and other essential services to up to 50 men on a nightly basis
Marsha’s House
Marsha’s House is an internal transitional living safe haven program that addresses the lack of housing options for individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community residing in Milwaukee County.
NEW IN 2025: ELDER JUSTICE PROGRAM
Guest House is one of only five agencies across the country participating in this program, serving up to 22 men aged 60 and over to improve emergency housing and stabilization services We are proud to be part of a larger effort to address an increase in the experience of homelessness for older adults across the US, as well as here in Milwaukee.
PROGRAMS & SERVICES, cont’d
HOUSING
Aligned with the Housing First model, Guest House helps ~ 415 individuals and families obtain, and maintain, stable housing through an array of community-based housing programs that are designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness
Many of these programs also provide case management services, partner outreach and referral services, and financial/rental assistance to help clients maintain their housing placements and stay on a path to long-term independence.
Rapid Re-Housing
DIDYOUKNOW?
Guest House of Milwaukee has the largest footprint of any housing provider in the region?! We partner with City and County agencies, private foundations such as Greater Milwaukee Foundation and United Way, and more than a dozen property owners and management companies to ensure the efficacy of our array of housing programs. \
CASE MANAGEMENT CASE MANAGEMENT
Homeless Prevention Program
Housing First
MyHome
VA Transition-in-Place
Homelinc
Guest House provides personalized case management services to ensure clients across our full spectrum of shelter, housing, and clinic programs have access to internal as well as community resources and supportive services; are able to develop an Individualized Service Plan and set goals for achieving independence; and be equipped with the personal tools necessary to identify and overcome barriers to achieving those goals. -Homeless Prevention Case Manager
“Being in a position to prevent homelessness has been such a humbling experience. I am so grateful to be able to provide clients with basic life skills in order to become independent and provide self-advocacy.
Learn more about our featured program for 2025, the Guest House Counseling Clinic, on the following page:
FEATURED PROGRAM
The Guest House Counseling Clinic is the only state-certified outpatient mental health and AODA clinic located at a shelter site in the State of Wisconsin. With the need for behavioral health and comprehensive supportive services on the rise, particularly among those populations who are least likely to seek treatment, Guest House is uniquely positioned to reduce traditional barriers to receiving these critical services and grow our capacity to serve more individuals across our programs and from the surrounding neighborhoods.
WHERE WE ENVISION GOING
WHAT WE CURRENTLY PROVIDE
Trauma Informed Counseling
Individual and Group Therapy;
Mental Health, Substance Use and
Dual Recovery Supports
Individualized Treatment Plans
Wellness Groups
Referrals for community resources to
meet client identified needs
Medication Management
Programming for fathers of minor
children that struggle with mental
health or substance use
Clinical Consultation for onsite clients
participating in shelter and housing
programs
WHY THE CLINIC IS CRITICAL
Grow our impact in the community by strategically increasing capacity and expanding the delivery of treatment approaches to reach more individuals
Provide quality educational and training opportunities for on staff clinicians, as well as future
graduate level interns, to ensure our team is better prepared to meet the acute needs of those we serve
Expand our patient referral network and become a provider of choice for behavioral health services
Be at the forefront of delivering integrated, solutions-focused homelessness prevention services
Over the last year, more than 75% of individuals who entered our shelter programs reported experiencing a mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorder. Effective treatment has shown to help clients address traumas, resolve negative feelings, maintain stability and sobriety, and work toward a better overall quality of life; making them far less likely to return for multiple shelter stays.
2025 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Last year, in partnership with a well-established nonprofit consulting agency, we led a significant remapping of Guest House of Milwaukee’s staffing and organizational function to inform an intentional and strategic approach to becoming more sustainable while optimizing mission impact over the next 3 to 5 years. While recent policy shifts indicate a troubling trend for the availability of government grants and contracts that support our full continuum of programs, Guest House is implementing proactive strategies to ensure we continue serving those who need us most
Effectively utilize our physical footprint to maximize program efficacy while
providing access to a safe place to sleep and critical supportive services for an
increasing number of individuals experiencing homelessness throughout the year;
Expand partner programs to reach more individuals in need - including
operating our elder justice dorm and seasonal winter warming center onsite throughout 2025 and beyond;
Ensure all shelter clients have access to individualized, service-based approaches to comprehensive supportive services while in the agency's care;
Provide access to ongoing training for staff, establish uniformity in policies and
improve collaboration across programs, and streamline data collection and usage practices to inform our practice and ultimately improve client outcomes;
Improve the financial stability – and long-term sustainability - of our organization by emphasizing diversification of our revenue streams and increasing support from mission-aligned private sources; all while advocating for continued funding to protect the most critical programs;
Enhance our Counseling Clinic’s services to reach more individuals across our programs and from the surrounding communities, thus reducing the recurrence of homelessness due to mental health and/or addiction issues
YEAR IN REVIEW: HIGHLIGHTS
Awarded 1 of only 100 Lowe’s Hometowns 2024 project grants nationwide, receiving $97,000 and volunteer sup to renovate our commercial kitchen and improve our community garden space, Cream City Gardens
Hosted Mayor Cavalier Johnson for the City of Milwauke news conference unveiling plans for year 2 of its Winter Warming program
Re-engaged to serve as a leadership member of the Emergency Shelter Taskforce and Milwaukee Coalition Housing and Homelessness (Continuum of Care)
Resumed partnerships with Community Outreach Healt Advocate Aurora Health mobile van, Street Angels and to provide onsite services to clients and neighbors
Hosted delegates from the US Department of Housing Urban Development at the invitation of City officials
Expanded shelter programming to provide essential services and housing placement support to Milwaukee’s older adult populations
Awarded a grant through Milwaukee County’s Better Ways to Cope program for the Counseling Clinic to provide support for fathers of minor children struggling with substance use disorders
Partnered with the Center for Veterans Issues to secure housing for 27 disabled veterans and their families after a funding crisis threatened to leave them unhoused
Launched a community storage facility in partnership with local agencies to receive and distribute critical resources to clients and community members
Welcomed 2 new board members, Nick DeSiato, Chief of Staff for Mayor Johnson’s Office and AJ Jefferson, Area VP Human Resources at Advocate Health
SNAPSHOT: CLIENTS SERVED
SNAPSHOT: CLIENTS SERVED
5,000+ 5,000+ nights of warmth, safety and support provided this
“A lot of people have succeeded through the Guest House. Not just me.
YEAR IN PICTURES
KEY PARTNERS & FUNDERS
*More information on Guest House of Milwaukee’s 2024 financials along with a full listing of contributors will be published following completion and approval of our audit.