MONROE - Although the bedrooms are still brightly decorated in the lime and teal stripes painted on the wall before Rick Gleason's arrival, the Men's Resource Center of Green County has officially separated into its own nonprofit, separate from Green County Family Promise.
"The longer term goal was to take this program and break it away from Family Promise and let it be a free-standing community shelter program," Gleason said. "We've accomplished that in what I think was a much shorter time than originally anticipated."
Gleason serves as the director of Green County Family Promise. He established a warming center to help single men who have no place to stay during the winter months.
Opened on Jan. 4, 2016 the seasonal warming center on 30th Street in Monroe is now a resource center. The official transition from warming center took place on April 1, with a fundraiser breakfast held on April 2 at the Monroe Moose Lodge. Most notably, the building now has a sign handpainted by Deb Hurlbert of Clarno, a connection through the Monroe Bible Church, which has dedicated its time to the center through Pastor Dan Krahenbuhl.
The facility still offers similar resources to what it had been, providing six beds split between two sleep rooms, free laundry facilities, a kitchen, shower and bathroom, as well as workshops on job acquisition and other tools for those who need them throughout the summer months. Each winter night, the building opens at 6:30 p.m.
Resource center board member Dave Burkhalter, who occasionally volunteers at the center overnight, said local television or card games are part of a social evening. He is one of about eight people who volunteer their nights to stay at the center.
Gleason noted that the center continually encourages volunteers. He added that couples can lend time together because the staff room accommodates two people. Facility staff is comprised of volunteers only. The resource center also serves as a safe place for people unable to afford an apartment in what Gleason said is "an extremely limited" housing market in Monroe, especially for those in need of low-cost options.
Fellow board member Dave Olsen has been with Green County Family Promise. Since Gleason first voiced the idea for the center to Olsen, he has brainstormed alongside him to make it a reality. Olsen agreed with Gleason, who said the facility is not a fancy place, but "it's comfortable."
"It beats the heck out of a gentleman we had in the middle of winter who was sleeping in his truck and he couldn't feel his feet in the morning," Olsen said. "Our goal is to get them into a job or into homes or housing, so that when they leave here they're not back on the street."
In all, there are nine members on the board for the resource center. Gleason said each is interested in providing a space for homeless men in the area to stay, but also contribute to the services the resource center provides. When the warming center was established, it was set up as a 90-day program for those without work, housing, or both, in order to help single men out of homelessness or near eviction. In all, Gleason said 21 people received the benefit of these services, such as job assistance and eviction prevention.
"We're not going to turn anybody away," Burkhalter said.
Funded through grant money from Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program Inc., there has been support for the center in the form of furniture donations. Salvation Army has also offered help by paying for a month's rent and providing a few pieces of furniture, which has been invaluable to maintaining the center.
"The longer term goal was to take this program and break it away from Family Promise and let it be a free-standing community shelter program," Gleason said. "We've accomplished that in what I think was a much shorter time than originally anticipated."
Gleason serves as the director of Green County Family Promise. He established a warming center to help single men who have no place to stay during the winter months.
Opened on Jan. 4, 2016 the seasonal warming center on 30th Street in Monroe is now a resource center. The official transition from warming center took place on April 1, with a fundraiser breakfast held on April 2 at the Monroe Moose Lodge. Most notably, the building now has a sign handpainted by Deb Hurlbert of Clarno, a connection through the Monroe Bible Church, which has dedicated its time to the center through Pastor Dan Krahenbuhl.
The facility still offers similar resources to what it had been, providing six beds split between two sleep rooms, free laundry facilities, a kitchen, shower and bathroom, as well as workshops on job acquisition and other tools for those who need them throughout the summer months. Each winter night, the building opens at 6:30 p.m.
Resource center board member Dave Burkhalter, who occasionally volunteers at the center overnight, said local television or card games are part of a social evening. He is one of about eight people who volunteer their nights to stay at the center.
Gleason noted that the center continually encourages volunteers. He added that couples can lend time together because the staff room accommodates two people. Facility staff is comprised of volunteers only. The resource center also serves as a safe place for people unable to afford an apartment in what Gleason said is "an extremely limited" housing market in Monroe, especially for those in need of low-cost options.
Fellow board member Dave Olsen has been with Green County Family Promise. Since Gleason first voiced the idea for the center to Olsen, he has brainstormed alongside him to make it a reality. Olsen agreed with Gleason, who said the facility is not a fancy place, but "it's comfortable."
"It beats the heck out of a gentleman we had in the middle of winter who was sleeping in his truck and he couldn't feel his feet in the morning," Olsen said. "Our goal is to get them into a job or into homes or housing, so that when they leave here they're not back on the street."
In all, there are nine members on the board for the resource center. Gleason said each is interested in providing a space for homeless men in the area to stay, but also contribute to the services the resource center provides. When the warming center was established, it was set up as a 90-day program for those without work, housing, or both, in order to help single men out of homelessness or near eviction. In all, Gleason said 21 people received the benefit of these services, such as job assistance and eviction prevention.
"We're not going to turn anybody away," Burkhalter said.
Funded through grant money from Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program Inc., there has been support for the center in the form of furniture donations. Salvation Army has also offered help by paying for a month's rent and providing a few pieces of furniture, which has been invaluable to maintaining the center.