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WALKIN

SURVIVAL BACKPACK

Products and Services:

Each Survival Backpack includes a sleeping bag and the following items:

  • Homeless ID Card
  • Directory of Social Service Providers for the Homeless Population
  • Client Rely Card
  • Personal Shower Hygiene Kit
  • Meals Ready to Eat
  • Winter wrap
  • Summer wrap

 

At The Door 

Assistance program was incorporated to help individuals and families who moved beyond shelter into their own apartment or home to maintain stable housing. By providing basis household items and furniture when donated to turn an empty apartment into a warm, functional living space and lasting stay.
 
 
 
 
 

 

IDA’S HOUSE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING PROGRAM 

Is not a shelter. It is a one stop referral and service center to assist homeless youth of all ages up to age 24, male and female, be connected with community resources to transition from the streets of Kenosha into permanent housing.

Our goal: is to provide at first point of contact, food, information and transportation services to help aid homeless youth to safety leave the streets and obtain access to emergency housing within 24 hours of contact.

 

Healthy Livin’ Preventative Outreach Program

 
Walkin’ In My Shoes developed Healthy Livin’ Preventative Outreach to help save a life. To educate the homeless population and provide resource information and supportive services for homeless individuals and people at-risk of homelessness to be able to have a routine check-up and medications needs at no cost to them.
 

HLPO facilitates 8 ways one can take better care of themselves and their body and we want to help them make a commitment to a healthier you by providing:

  • Transportation to and from clinic/dental visit.
  • Referrals and voucher payment for initial clinic visit co-payment.
  • Financial assistance with initial low cost medication prescription drugs and refill needs not available in sample meds.
  • Exercise and Nutrition Planner.
  • Free Goody Bags (includes: medical alert bracelet, journal book, pen).
  • Free recipes to eating smart, healthy and taste good taken from the American Diabetes Association cookbook For People With Diabetes, Weigh Watchers or All-Time Favorites cookbook and Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone cookbook.
  • Free glucose meter and strips, Medical Fact Sheets Guide/chart/pamphlets on Diabetes, Hypertension and Kidney disease, Alcohol and Drug Prevention, Asthma, Prenatal Care, Mental Illness Health initiative guide sheet on food that taste great and Kids Eat Too. Prescription and Medication samples provided by Kenosha Community Health Center, Inc.

In The Hands of Hope

 
People returning to their community from jail or prison often face numerous barriers with accessing housing, employment; food and clothing. A person with a criminal record may face greater challenges in getting employment, which makes it harder to successfully reenter into our community.
 
In October, 2014, the Kenosha County Jail Chaplaincy Office of Kenosha County Detention Center asked Walkin' In My Shoes to team up with their office. The plan was to incorporate (in a separate, but combined partnership formed) with community organizations, human service providers, and faith-based organizations, including the Department of Corrections. We integrated community resources and referrals inside the prison/jail to assist homeless inmates (returning to their community) upon their release, without duplication of services.
 

With this plan, it can save the state and taxpayers thousand of dollars, shortage of qualified foster homes, and delay the transition process for families to be reunite upon their release from prison.

Reunification Action Plan Clients are mandatorily required to:

  • Be in full compliance with the Department of Children: meet the requirement of their permanency plan, in a timely manner

  • Working full-time, part-time or receiving disability income

  • Save two paychecks, or 75% of their take home earnings to contribute toward their first month rent

  • Participate in the process to obtain permanent housing (by finding suitable, and affordable housing) so they can make a home for their children

 

STEPPIN’ UP

What We Can Do Together

Steppin’ Up is a new program incorporated in 2008 to provide information and referrals for grandparents’ and other relatives such as aunts, uncles, cousins, older siblings, and family friends who have taken on the responsibility of “Primary Caregiver” raising children in their home and lack the support services needed to fulfill their care giving role to meet basic needs such as food and clothing.

 

Opening Doors 

Homeless Youth Drop-In Center

The drop-in center is the first step toward youth accepting help from community social services that allows trust to develop as it provides interaction between a youth and society.

Which promotes the belief that youth are capable of reaching their goals and are capable of doing so in a safe and supportive community. With this approach, trust is established and youth are more likely to be inclined to consider other services offered in the community to leave the streets and into permanent housing.

Services include:

  • Individual Need Assessment 

  • Life Coaches 

  • Case Management 

  • Referrals 

  • Housing Placement 

  • Two Meals A Day

  • Clothing

  • Computer Access To eSchool

  • Personal Care Items 

  • Transportation

 

Boutique For the Homeless

Taylor Gabbylill Boutique for the Homeless was incorporated in 2009 due to the lack of clothing being provided for the homeless population in Kenosha.

Thanks to the generosity of the community donating clothing to Walkin’ In My Shoes clothing closet we are able to provide each client of WIMS a complete wardrobe to youth, men, women, and children at no cost to them.

The boutique also provides each client with a personal shopper to assist them in selecting the finest clothing to suit them.

For every season (summer and winter) each client are given five to seven complete outfits, socks, shoes, jacket, belts, handbag, scarves, and accessories when donated and providing it is in their size. Clothing are also given by appointment only.

Clothing is also given to fire and flood victims, grandparents and other relatives gaining custody of a minor child, hospital, police department and school social worker and teacher seeking clothing for their students.

Clothing is also given to other social service agencies referrals, and community improvised families based on their income.

**Please be mindful that clothing must be cleaned, in good condition, and free from stains, cat hair, and rodent dropping due to medical/hygiene reason.

Please contact us at 262.764.0214 or email us at: info@walkininmyshoes.org to arrange drop off times or pick up.

 

Seed To Harvest Community Garden

For the past ten years, we have seen a rising number of children, on average, who are battling cultural obesity, food allergy, mental illness, juvenile diabetes (type 1 and 2), and hypertension. We’ve seen it firsthand in our homeless youth population and families at risk of becoming homeless.

An Alternative Approach

This garden is open to the public, it will provide homeless and low income families, the opportunity to garden with their children, learn how to garden together, and how to prepare nutritional meals, and live healthy, at no cost to them.

Our mission is to provide a local source of organically grown fruits and vegetables, educate young people and adults about sustainable living in common space.   

 

 

DONATIONS NEEDED

Help Us End Homelessness In America by Donating to provide a Survival Backpack to a Homeless Person in need.

Please donate today.

THANK YOU!