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Mission
Our mission is to provide meals and associated services to those who would otherwise go hungry. We respect the dignity and values of every individual we serve and value our volunteers who allow us to serve the community.
Our work is best expressed in our motto
"People in community feeding the hungry."
Services
Meal Programs: The Gathering provides ten free meals each week at three sites to approximately 100,000 of Milwaukee's hungry and homeless annually. This work is done by hundreds of volunteers.
• Breakfast Program - Monday through Friday
• Dinner Program - Monday & Wednesday
• Saturday Lunch - Three sites
Click Here for Meal Site Locations & Serving Times
Additional Services: The Gathering collaborates with organizations whose missions are complementary to ours to provide on-site services:
- Mental health
- Legal assistance
- Medical referrals
- Supply distributions
History
Begun under the direction of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee; we are now an independent nonprofit organization.
- January, 1982 - first meal served (Saturday lunch) at St. James Episcopal Church, downtown Milwaukee
- Spring, 1983 - Breakfast Program added at our St. James' site
- 1986 - Dinner Program & second Saturday lunch site began at St. John's Episcopal Church on Milwaukee's near south side
- 1988 - Third Saturday lunch site added at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (now Our Next Generation Neighborhood Center)
- 1990 - Jubilee House, a supportive transitional housing program fostered by Gathering volunteers, opened its doors
- 1996 - Homework Help, an after-school tutoring program began under the auspices of The Gathering; it is now a program of Faith Lutheran Church on Milwaukee's south side
- Fall, 2000 - Mental Health Program began at our breakfast site in collaboration with the Homeless Outreach Nursing Center of the American Red Cross
- Fall, 2002 - Dinner Program and south side Saturday lunch moved three blocks to The Milwaukee Outreach Center (now Christian Faith Fellowship Church South)
- 2004 - Michelle P. Mooney Scholarship Fund awarded its first two scholarships for education and training to Gathering guests.
- Fall, 2004 - The Mental Health Program received the 2004 Milwaukee Nonprofit Strategic Alliance Award
- Spring, 2005 - A pilot project - the Municipal Court Ticket Clinic - was instituted at the St. James' site by the Legal Aid Society.
Funding
The money to do this work is raised each year from various sources including churches, foundations, individuals, United Way Donor's Choice and special events. The Gathering Board of Directors, staff and volunteers continue to explore ways to meet the changing needs of those we serve.
Loaves & Fishes quilted mural created by Gathering guests and volunteers
under the direction of artist, Alice Pollock
2010-2011 Gathering Board of Directors
| Cindy Berndt, President |
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Twin Disc |
| James Brennan |
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Catholic Charities |
| Maggie Broeren |
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Milwaukee College Prep School |
| Joe Bruno, Secretary |
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American Exchanger Services |
| Karen Dardy |
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Legal Aid Society |
| Gene Detert |
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Detert Law Firm |
| Renee Heinitz |
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Milwaukee County Children's Court |
| Maya Held |
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Marquette University |
| Amanda Holtz |
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Johnson Controls |
| Greg Johnson, Vice President |
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Northwestern Mutual |
| Nancy Kiernan, Treasurer |
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Community Volunteer |
| Jim Leurquin |
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Grainger Industrial Supply |
| Joanna Linsley |
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Robert W. Baird & Co. |
| Harry Moseley |
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Retired, Aurora Health System |
| Mary Thickens |
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Community Memorial Hospital |
| Laura Thurow |
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Robert W. Baird & Co. |
| Teresa Trostmiller |
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Penfield Children's Center |
Gathering Staff
Virginia Schrag, Executive Director
Jim Ardis, Program Coordinator, Operations Manager
Marianne Bach, Office Administrator
Moses Cook, Security
Kasia Drake-Hames, Volunteer Manager
Ed Kowach, Security and Dinner Cook
Laura Luttrell, Program Development Manager & Marquette Trinity Fellow
George Neureuther, Breakfast Program Coordinator
Dennis Stokhaug, Operations Manager
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