Housing Services
OutReach has had many forays into Housing Services over the years. Now, we have support for the LGBTQ+ community, providing essential housing services to those in need. With a commitment to inclusivity and compassion, OutReach and it's various programs offer some solutions for clients facing housing insecurity. Through our work, we ensure that every member of the LGBT community has access to stable and affirming housing options. Whether it's temporary shelter, transitional housing, or assistance with finding permanent residences, OutReach is there every step of the way, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment within the community.
Click the Links below to see more about our services.
What is YHDP? What is EverStrong?
EverStrong (YHDP Program)
The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is an initiative designed to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness. The goal of the YHDP is to support selected communities, including rural, suburban, and urban areas across the United States, in the development and implementation of a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness.
Madison/Dane County has been given funds to end youth homelessness within our community. This project will bring the community together and combine efforts to ensure system-wide changes and a foundation to drive the mission of ending youth homelessness into action.
The YHDP Coordinated Community Plan (CCP) has been developed with our Youth Action Board (YAB) at the helm, service providers, as well, as a variety of county sectors and community members.
EverStrong is the name for OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center's part of the YHDP program. Our EverStrong Program Director is DaMontae January and our EverStrong System Navigator is Skye Gia Garcia.
What is the role of the System Navigator?
What is the role of the ES Program Director?
Our System Navigators provide thoughtful services to program participants through accountability, connection, and empathetic support during all stages of participants’ journey to housing stability. These positions also support program participants in getting connected to services, including providing assistance in setting appointments and following up with providers. They will also walk alongside participants as they create and achieve realistic and attainable goals that honor the participant’s individual identity, like building life skills such as grocery shopping or maintaining a clean and organized life and home with the ultimate intention of supporting the young person to thrive socially, emotionally and physically!
Our EverStrong Program Director plays a key role in providing intensive, housing-focused system navigation services to program participants to support them through all stages of their journey to housing stability, with the ultimate goal of supporting the young person to thrive socially, emotionally, and physically! The System Navigator provides mobile engagement, support, and case management for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness or housing crisis, one-on-one community resource navigation, support in creating individualized goal plans, and assistance in helping reach those goals. The purpose of the System Navigator is to help homeless and at-risk youth increase independent living skills and prevent them from entering the homelessness services system if possible or help them rapidly exit the homeless system into the safest and most permanent arrangement available.
How to contact our EverStrong Team
To contact System Navigator, Skye Gia Garcia, email skyegia@lgbtoutreach.org or call 608-255-8582. OutReach offices are open M-F 12-7. If she can not take your call right away, she will get back to you.
To contact System Navigator, TaMaya Travis, email tamayat@lgbtoutreach.org or call 608-255-8582. OutReach offices are open M-F 12-7. If she can not take your call right away, she will get back to you.
To contact ES Program Director, DaMontae January, email damontaej@lgbtoutreach.org or call 608-255-8582. OutReach offices are open M-F 12-7. If he can not take your call right away, he will get back to you.
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EverStrong Drop-In Center
Starting in June 2024, the EverStrong program will have its own Drop-In Center in the same building as OutReach (2701 International Lane, Madison, WI 53704), Suite 100.
The Drop-In Center case management is intended to help the clients resolve their homelessness via access to a diversion conversation, coordinated entry, or to prevent homelessness. It also supports the client in obtaining permanent connections, education/employment, stable housing, and social-emotional well-being. The intensity of case management services differs by client. The clients may choose goals of their own to work toward.
Willma's Fund
What is Willma's Fund?
Willma's Fund is a project of OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center that provides relief for LGBTQ+ homelessness or support to prevent homelessness.
Donald Haar founded Willma's Fund. Donald was the former Kettle Campaign Coordinator at the Salvation Army of Dane County, and in addition to this Donald is an activist who works to end homelessness in the LGBT community. Because he was concerned about homelessness in this population in Dane County, he started Willma's Fund in April 2011.
Donald is an openly gay man who has been a drag performer since the 1970s. The Willma’s Fund project was funded primarily by drag shows that feature his drag character, Willma Flynn-Stone, and other performers who donate their time, energy, and money to help homeless people.
Since that time, Willma’s Fund now receives grants, private donations, and additional support for other entertainers in the community.
Currently, the Willma's Fund Coordinator of OutReach works with the case-by-case management of those that apply for Willma’s Fund.
For further information about this program, contact Jason Hope at OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center – 608.255.8582 or email jasonh@lgbtoutreach.org.
Willma's Fund Process
Willma's Fund is available Mondays and Fridays from noon to 5pm by calling 608-255-8582. If our Willma's Fund Coordinator can take your call immediately the assessment process can begin right away but they may need to take your call later. If there is a waitlist, you will be informed of the next time the Willma's Fund Coordinator can call you.
The assessment takes about a half hour to 45 minutes to process and go through. After that, we can determine how best we can help.
Things to know about Willma’s Fund assistance:
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We cannot guarantee exact amounts we can help with or what we can do until we have an assessment.
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Willma's Fund only assists with short-term, immediate needs.
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We cannot do long-term stays at hotels or pay both a security deposit and rent for permanent housing.
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We do not guarantee amounts we can give for rent or a security deposit.
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If we provide a hotel room for clients they must also abide by the rules of the hotel or they forfeit help from Willma's Fund.
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We only help with one financial gift per year per client.
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We do not find places to live for clients, they must do the leg work and if they are offered a place to live, we must have a copy of the lease so we know where to send a check.
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If clients need a hotel instead we have a maximum of days we can do that. We would determine through an assessment.
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An assessment over the phone or in person needs to be done to determine the amount we can give or the help that is needed.
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We are only budgeted a certain amount for each month as the fund continues to be used. Sometimes we have to suspend the fund after a certain point each month if funds are low.
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While some of our funding is to assist homelessness or low income, we do not turn people away if they are in crisis. If there is a significant financial strain due to factors in people's lives, we will assist them regardless of income level.
If you are in need of rental assistance, please contact us or drop-in between 12:00 and 5:00pm on Mondays and Fridays.
