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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 over 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 St. Andrew's Episcopal Outreach 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
2009-2010 Gathering Board of Directors
Laura Thurow, President
Cindy Berndt, Vice President
Nancy Kiernan, Treasurer
Joe Bruno, Secretary
Jim Brennan
Maggie Broeren
Joe Bruno
Lucy Cooper
Karen Dardy
Gene Detert
Maya Held
Greg Johnson
Katherine Labinski
Joanna Linsley
Harry Moseley
Kevin Stewart
Margaret Tackes
Mary Thickens
Teresa Trostmiller
Gathering Staff
Virginia Schrag, Executive Director
Jim Ardis, Dinner Site Coordinator
Marianne Bach, Database Manager
Moses Cook, Security
Ed Kowach, Cook
George Neureuther, Breakfast Program and Volunteer Coordinator
Dennis Stokhaug, Operations Manager
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