Hope House of Manitowoc County, with its primary focus being on helping homeless families, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year.
Executive Director Lillian Lameraux says, “I don’t think we could have survived 15 years without the help of everyone and this community rallying around those who want to make a difference in homeless in Manitowoc County.”
Lameraux tells Seehafer News that homelessness in Manitowoc County is more prevalent in rural areas. “We’ve heard about unsheltered people sleeping in parks or wooded areas and along the beach. We’ve heard of people staying in garages and storage areas and “couch hopping” in potentially dangerous situations just looking for a place to sleep.”
Lameraux adds that homeless individuals here don’t fit the typical description of holding up a
cardboard sign asking for help. “They might be a coworker, your waiter or mechanic or someone in your child’s class or daycare. We might serve over 100 people in a year, and half of them are minor children under the age of 18.”
Reasons people are homeless vary but mostly come from loss of job or income. Lameraux says they generally have programs set up to get families back on their feet with some exceptions -within 90 days of arrival.
You can help Hope House by participating in their current “Donate a Day” online event. For more information visit Hopehousemc.org
