Pillars: Shelter, Support, Solutions

WOW! We are feeling extremely grateful today. Last week, we posted about some of our urgent hygiene and winter product needs. Today we had 39 boxes of Amazon wish list donations arrive, and there's more on the way! We are so thankful to live in a community that steps up when we share our needs. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! ?? Not pictured are the numerous donations that were dropped off separately from the Amazon list. We are so very grateful to these individuals, too!

Today we honor the brave individuals who serve or have served in the U.S. Military. Not only is it Veterans Day, but we are also in the middle of Homelessness Awareness Month. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, on a single night in January 2023, there were 35,574 veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States. 20,076 veterans were sheltered, while 15,507 were unsheltered. Over the past year, we have served 56 veterans. Pillars is honored to provide shelter, support, and solutions to those who have done so much for us. Thank you for your service, veterans!

Did you know Pillars serves over 1,900 people per year in the Fox Cities? That is 1,900+ people in your community who need shelter, affordable housing, and/or services to keep a roof over their heads. The problem is so much bigger than most people realize... and our waiting lists only continue to grow. Ways that you can help: - Prepare and/or serve a meal at one of our shelters - Donate items like hygiene products (shampoo/conditioner, body soap, deodorant, etc.) and winter weather accessories (hats, gloves, blankets) - Monetary donations Find out more about how to get involved at www.pillarsinc.org.

We are looking for collection sites for our annual Giving Tree Donation Drive! The drive will take place from November 28th to December 15th. We rely heavily on the donations from this drive to supply our almost 2,000 clients a year with basic essentials like food, personal care products, and cleaning supplies. If your business or organization is interested in participating, please contact [email protected] by November 27th for more information.

As homelessness continues to rise nationwide, we are seeing the effects in our community. During the bi-annual PIT (point-in-time) count this past July, teams in the Fox Cities counted a record high of 148 people unsheltered in our community during the night. As the numbers increase, keeping our shelves stocked with critical items like hygiene products becomes harder and harder. When asked how this feels, a Pillars staff member said, "It's heartbreaking when I can't provide our clients with basic necessities like shampoo, conditioner, and deodorant and I have to watch them walk away empty-handed. I feel helpless when I see our shelves of hygiene products rapidly decreasing when I know there are so many people in our community in desperate need." We are always in need of hygiene items. Additionally, we anticipate needing items like winter hats, insulated gloves, and blankets as it continues to get colder. If you would like to help, please drop off donations at our Adult & Family Shelter, which is open 24/7 and located at 400 N. Division St. in Appleton. You can also donate using this Amazon list and your purchases will be sent directly to us: https://loom.ly/gnwVxBw Thank you for your help.

Finally getting around to sharing some photos from Keys to Hope! We are so grateful to all of those who attended, sponsored, and donated to our event. This year you helped raise $216,000 for shelter, support and solutions in our community. We couldn't do this work without you!

Will you help us meet the match?! J.J. Keller is generously matching up to $40,000 in donations from our Keys to Hope Fund-a-Need. We only have $6,650 left to go and you can still contribute to the match now through the end of October. Any NEW or INCREASED donations will be matched up to $1,000 per donor, up to $40,000 total. Donate here: https://loom.ly/dzm7fWw

We are gearing up for the colder months, which means we are in big need of winter items. If you are willing to donate new or gently used waterproof gloves, winter hats, and/or blankets, please bring them to our Adult & Family Shelter located at 400 N Division Street in Appleton. Donations like this are so helpful in keeping clients warm and safe during cold weather. Thank you! If you are looking to donate through our Amazon List, check it out here: https://loom.ly/mDmLOz8

Today is the day! We can't wait for Keys to Hope tonight. Did you miss your chance to get tickets? Join us virtually by registering for FREE here: https://loom.ly/NVQX80Q Your virtual ticket will allow you to bid on silent auction items and participate in our fund-a-need section. Note: if you are a virtual ticket holder and win a silent auction item, you must be able to pick it up at our main office location in the days following the event. Happy bidding!

??FREE GIVEAWAY?? UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed and our winners have been selected! Our winners are David J, Ana W, Rebecca V, and Vickie B. Keep an eye out for an email from [email protected] with more details on Monday. ?? Don’t miss your chance for you and a guest to attend Keys to Hope for FREE. Come see what the event is all about! Keys to Hope is held at Bridgewood Hotel & Conference Center on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. The evening will be a special night of fundraising for housing insecurity and homelessness in our community. Four winners will be selected and each winner is eligible to bring a guest. To be eligible, you must submit your name, email, guest’s name, and meal preferences on the entry form below. Winners will be chosen at random at noon on Friday, October 11. ENTER HERE: https://loom.ly/xBETqhY Winners will be notified via email. Emails will be sent from [email protected] only.