Food pantries, new warming shelter: How Fond du Lac is combatting living insecurity as temperatures begin to drop

Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter
·5 min read

FOND DU LAC — As the weather grows colder in Fond du Lac, not everyone can sit cozy inside their homes — and shelter assistance will look a little different this year.

This year, Holy Family Catholic Community will run the local warming shelter at a new location, 73 E. First St., from Nov. 15 through April 30 with space for up to 30 people to get a warm dinner, a place to sleep and breakfast between 5:30 p.m. and 7 a.m., and often leave with a packed lunch.

The church has also partnered with the Fond du Lac Family YMCA, 90 W. Second St., to provide showers for anyone who utilized the shelter the night before, according to Holy Family Director of Human Concerns Erin Cobb.

Over the summer, the Salvation Army of Fond du Lac communicated to local organizations that it wouldn't host the warming shelter this fall, and from there, many organizations brainstormed how they would help fill the need, Cobb said.

By September, Holy Family committed to buying the building, but knew the effort would need to be community-wide, rather than just one organization, to coordinate aspects like volunteers and fundraising. So far, businesses and individuals have offered to donate money, time or meals to the shelter.

"We've been very blessed to have everyone on board with helping," Cobb said.

The shelter's first year will look a little different than future years, but in addition to the basic necessities, it will also provide laundry and offer resources and advocates for things like housing and employment assistance and addiction recovery programs.

Fond du Lac's new warming shelter will be at 73 E. First St. and operated by Holy Family Catholic Community with support from other local community organizations. It opens Nov. 15.
Fond du Lac's new warming shelter will be at 73 E. First St. and operated by Holy Family Catholic Community with support from other local community organizations. It opens Nov. 15.

For the safety of everyone, there will be a security system in and surrounding the building, as well as a metal detector at the entry. Those getting shelter will have their belongings secured when they arrive and returned when they leave.

People can pre-register for the shelter before it opens. One opportunity is at the Fond du Lac Public Library, 32 Sheboygan St., from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 6 and 7 and noon to 3 p.m. Nov. 8. The other is at the YMCA from 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 6 and 8 to 10 a.m. Nov. 7.

Information about supporting the shelter is available at hffdl.org/warming-shelter, including monetary donations, an Amazon wish list, meal donations and volunteering.

Housing insecurity in FDL: Many Fond du Lac households' incomes don't match living costs. These organizations are helping fight the housing crisis

Local food pantries offer grocery and meal assistance

Fondy Food Pantry, 573 W. Rolling Meadows Drive, is open for walk-in 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays. The parking lot closes 15 minutes before the end of each session. Pre-registration information is available on its website, fondyfoodpantry.org.

The Salvation Army of Fond du Lac food pantry is open 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and clients are eligible to return once a month.

Ruby's Pop-Up Pantry through Grace Christian Church opens on select days. Registration for its next distribution Nov. 9 is available on the organization's main website, rubyspantry.org. Grace Christian Church's main pantry is available by appointment through 920-923-5292.

Holy Family's Blessed Bites program distributes meals Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. or until the food is gone at St. Mary's Church, 59 E. Merrill Ave.

Pantry volunteer Glenn Bulman packs dry goods into boxes at the Fondy Food Pantry in Fond du Lac.
Pantry volunteer Glenn Bulman packs dry goods into boxes at the Fondy Food Pantry in Fond du Lac.

Broken Bread Food Pantry inside the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 51 W. Division St., distributes food from 1 to 5 p.m. Fridays.

The Church of Peace Food Pantry, 158 S. Military Road, is open 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays through Thursdays. The Loaves and Fishes hot meal program is open 5 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.

Lighthouse Christian Church Food Pantry, 401 S. National Ave., offers bread and other donations on a first come, first served basis 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Holyland Food Pantry, W929 Kiel Road in New Holstein, distributes monthly. For more information, visit holylandfoodpantry.com.

The Lomira Food Pantry inside Trinity Methodist Church, 300 Church St. in Lomira, opens 10 to 11 a.m. the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

The Oakfield Community Food Pantry, in the basement of St. James Church, 101 N. Main St. in Oakfield, is open 4 to 6 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of every month.

A full list of food resources in the Fond du Lac area is available online at fonddulac.extension.wisc.edu.

More local organizations fight poverty and homelessness in Fond du Lac

St. Vincent de Paul Fond du Lac County and the Solutions Center operate the St. Katharine Drexel homeless shelter together, providing 90-day shelter and programming for families and individuals in the community.

St. Katharine Drexel Homeless shelter at 330 N. Peters Ave. houses families and individuals on a waiting list with access to resources and programming for employment, self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
St. Katharine Drexel Homeless shelter at 330 N. Peters Ave. houses families and individuals on a waiting list with access to resources and programming for employment, self-sufficiency and permanent housing.

In addition, St. Vincent de Paul Fond du Lac County, 330 N. Peters Ave., offers services beyond its thrift store and the shelter, with assistance for rent, utilities and food. It also makes referrals to aid in other services, including transportations, employment, meal programs, housing, health, counseling and abuse services. Those in need of assistance can call 920-922-3650.

The Solutions Center also offers several services to people experiencing domestic abuse and homelessness, including shelter, support and resources.

The Fond du Lac Area United Way brings together the community and organizations to aid in health, education and financial stability, and supports many local agencies, including ADVOCAP, the Solutions Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Drug Free Communities and more.

ADVOCAP has several programs for transportation, nutrition services, homeless prevention and homeowner assistance.

The Salvation Army of Fond du Lac, in addition to its pantry, offers emergency assistance in addition to regular programs. Its Coats for Kids program, for instance, is collecting winter coats through the rest of October with collection boxes throughout the community.

Hope on the Block Fond du Lac provides essential items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, tissues, shampoo and conditioner, hand sanitizer, non-perishable food and water at three pantries in the area: the Fond du Lac pantry at the public library, the North Fond du Lac pantry at Spillman Public Library, 719 Wisconsin Ave., and the Ripon pantry at Traded Treasures, 102 W. Jackson St.

Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac warming shelter will run at Holy Family Catholic Community