2. United Way
* indicates further explanation at the end
Disclaimer: when referring to people experiencing homelessness, it is important to refer to them exactly like that, as people. The people in these situations are often not here by choice, and it is important that those of us with the privilege that we have, are able to recognize this and feel empathy towards them. In short, they deserve personification and not a title; i.e. they are PEOPLE experiencing homelessness, not homeless people. And with that, let’s begin.
United Way (UW) is a non-profit organization that works with over 1200 offices throughout the country and utilize fundraising and donation efforts to offer support to those in need. United Way was originated in Denver, CO in 1887 by a woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi. And, as much as that sounds like the start of a bad joke, it’s really what happened. According to the United Way website, “Frances Wisebart Jacobs, the Rev. Myron W. Reed, Msgr. William J.O’Ryan, Dean H. Martyn Hart and Rabbi William S. Friedman put together an idea that became the nation’s first united campaign, benefitting 10 area health and welfare agencies” (United Way history).These five individuals ended up starting a movement. A movement that would later become United Way. UW has locations in nearly 40 countries and has offered support and assistance to those in thousands of communities all over the world.
United Way of the Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County originated in 1909 and has helped thousands of community members since then. Milwaukee area UW partners with 13 local organizations and assists them in order to best serve the community. These organizations span across broad spectrum of community needs such as health, education and financial stability.
One of Milwaukee are UW’s most notable events of the year, Project Homeless Connect (PHC), is the biggest event hosted for members of the Milwaukee community experiencing poverty and homelessness. PHC offers a wide range of services for community members to take advantage of from a clothing bank to dental services to a job fair to eye doctors to haircuts- you name it. This event is hosted each year at Marquette’s Alumni Memorial Union (AMU) and stations are set up on all three floors of the building. PHC has been hosted by Marquette for the past 10 years and before my experience volunteering there with Marquette MARDI GRAS*, I had no idea this event existed; much less, right on my own campus. This event occurs each year over the fall break and what’s astonishing to me is that (from what I could tell) Marquette doesn’t seem to do much (if any) advertising for the event on campus which is interesting seeing as many students stay on campus for the break. It makes me think, as a university that prides itself on service, why not encourage students to volunteer at an amazing event happening just steps from where they live on campus?
*Marquette MARDI GRAS is a student-run, student-led disaster relief organization that was founded in 2006 after a student from Loyola University — New Orleans was displaced due to Hurricane Katrina, and was sent to Marquette to continue her education. She knew that she wanted to go back to help rebuild the community that was demolished in the storm and thus, MARDI GRAS was born. Since then, MG has sent over 3,500 students down to New Orleans and the Gulf Region.
information noted above courtesy of the United Way website
more about MARDI GRAS
