Current Events

2/15/2016

There has been a lot of talk and a lot of confusion surrounding Bethel's Homeless Ministry over the last few weeks. Is Bethel going to close it's doors? If so, will it be forever? Where will we go if that happens? Is there going to be a new Day-Center? Will it be ran by Conner Wild, Mark Willson, and Skyler Van De Weird? These questions come with a lot of fear and worry for the Homeless Brother's and Sister's who have come to rely on Bethel for support over the eight years that the Ministry there has been in operation. This is going to be a difficult time for us. It will be even more difficult for those who are newly homeless. As Bethel has been the main source of triage for the newly homeless for some time now.

As of now Bethel's Homeless Support Services remains open Monday - Friday 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. (They open early and close late when the weather is extremely bad.). They will continue to with this schedule until April 30th this year. May 1st and beyond, Bethel will be open for spiritual support, guidance, and counseling one or two days a week. Although the exact particulars are unknown at this time

As of May 1st, the Hospitality House will be the only Day-Center for the homeless available here in Madison. It is not known if there will be a Downtown Warming Center next winter or not.

The fate of Conner, Mark, and Skyler's Ministry remains unknown. It has been re-born as Stepping Stones, which is basically Bethel's Homeless Support Services without Bethel Lutheran Church. We can only hope and pray that they will be given the opportunity to continue their mission. As they are now, and have long been the single greatest asset and allies that the homeless community has. So, far they have not been awarded the contract for the proposed new Day-Center. Although they are the ONLY ones who have taken the Mayor's plea for help seriously enough to actually do the work of making a proposal (called an R.F.P. which means: Request For Proposal.). Still, they were denied, the given reason being that they lack the "Structure" which the City is looking for. Read as, "Your not Porchlight..." Which is a tragedy, as anyone who has had the misfortune of being forced to rely on Porchlight can tell you. It is also bordering on illegal, as at this point Porchlight has an effective monopoly on services for the homeless here in Madison, Wisconsin. I cannot stress this enough, ONLY Stepping Stones has submitted an R.F.P. in the two plus years that the Mayor's office has been requesting a proposal. Yet, they were turned away. Why doesn't the Mayor's office simply say that they are only going to accept a proposal from Porchlight? Because at this point, that's exactly how it seems. This is one of those times when we say call your Representative, your Alderman, your Sheriff, your Mayor, and ask them to accept the R.F.P. submitted by Stepping Stones. Lives do hang in the balance.

For those who do not know, Mark Willson started a support system for the homeless eight years ago when a homeless Brother who he had grown close to died from exposure on the steps at Bethel Lutheran Church. Saddly, the need for this support system is as great now as it was then. Our shelters are not working. We know this because now, as eight years ago, a homeless brother has died of exposure. If Porchlight's Shelter's were a safe place, why are men choosing to risk death and disfigurement rather than go into the shelters? This is Wisconsin, and our Winters are deadly, but the shelter's are so bad that men would rather take their chances with frostbite, than take their chances in the shelters. This IS significant! You really need to spend a moment and think about that fact! These shelters are being ran by the same people who the Mayor wants to administer the new Day-Center. The same people run the Hospitality House. Do we want there to be no option other than Porchlight for a Day-Center in Madison? Do we want to hand Porchlight a monopoly on services for the homeless? If the Hospitality House was a success, why would need another Day-Center? If the Hospitality House was a safe and welcoming place, why is Bethel's Homeless Support Services the #1 choice for the homeless who are trying to get access and referrals to the help that they need in order to get re-housed? If the Hospitality House is so great, why was/is Bethel's program ever began? We know that their shelters are a last resort for the homeless. We know that their Day-Center is a slum and also the last resort for those who are looking for a place to stay out of the killing cold. Why would we think that things are going to be any different with the proposed new Day-Center? Especially when you consider that Porchlight has yet to even submit an R.F.P. for the administration of this new Day-Center? None of that makes any sense!

What makes sense is to provide Stepping Stones with exactly what they have requested in the only R.F.P. to be submitted to Mayor Soglin in the whole two plus years that he has been asking for one. Even better, let's all get %100 behind Mark, Conner, and Skyler - in the form of Stepping Stones and provide them with the funding they need to do the work we all know with confidence that they can actually do. Lets build them a purpose built structure in which they can house their program, so that they have the facility's they need to get the job done right. Lets all go the extra mile here, because we know that is what they are trying to do for our community. Lets have them administer dry and a wet shelters for men, women, and families with children; so that there is another option besides freezing to death if you are unwilling to subject yourself to the abuse which is Porchlight! Lets do that now!