Javascript is required to use this website.

Editor's Pick Special Report

'We are failing': Need overwhelms patchwork of homeless service providers

From the Homeless in Madison | A City Challenged series

Despite immense goodwill and new initiatives, the community's patchwork of homeless services is strained if not overwhelmed, hampered by a lack of leadership, organization and resources

DEAN MOSIMAN and DOUG ERICKSON | Wisconsin State Journal
Aug 28, 2016
Aug 28, 2016
10 min to read

Death, for Roy and Cindy Jacobs, had become preferable to the grind of living on the streets from their 1983 Chevy van.

Out of work, into the woods: Life in a tent in Madison's urban forest

Out of work, into the woods: Life in a tent in Madison's urban forest

With no options, Brannon Prisk and Adria Mackesey built an encampment in the woods, enduring frigid and sweltering temperatures.

Roy and Cindy Jacobs in van front seat — Cindy and Roy Jacobs pass time in their van in late March. When the weather gets warmer, they often seek daytime air conditioning at a library, church or fast food restaurant.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Will Brewer street outreach — Will Brewer, right, who does street outreach with Porchlight Inc., shakes hands with Denison Reese, who is homeless, on State Street. Tight resources limit outreach and case management critical to helping the homeless and contribute to low wages and high turnover for agency staff members.
M.P. KING, STATE JOURNAL

Ellie Kyser and Michelle Vacha, Friends of State Street Family

Progress made, but housing remains most critical gap for homeless

The Dane County Homeless Services Consortium's new 21-page community plan to prevent and end homelessness sets first-time housing benchmarks.

Roy and Cindy Jacobs outside — Roy and Cindy Jacobs grill out hamburgers in late July with some of their homeless friends who also live in their vehicles.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Beds for the homeless in Madison — LAURA SPARKS, STATE JOURNAL

From the hospital to the streets: Madison's homeless need health care, respite, hospice

From the hospital to the streets: Madison's homeless need health care, respite, hospice

Some don't access care until illness or dental needs become acute. Mothers with newborns and those recovering from surgery can be discharged to the streets. The terminally ill may have no place to die with dignity.

Roy Jacobs, Karen Andro — Roy Jacobs, left, is introduced to food pantry volunteers by Karen Andro, director of outreach ministries for First United Methodist Church Downtown, center. Jacobs and his wife, Cindy, often volunteer at the church, registering people for the food pantry this day.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Roy Jacobs fixing window — Roy Jacobs takes weather-sealing plastic off the windows of the van he lives in with his wife in late March. Another homeless man, David Burndt, lives from the RV in the background.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Skyler Van De Weerd — Skyler Van De Weerd helps a homeless man get onto a prioritized list for housing during outreach at First United Methodist Church. Van De Weerd, 24, has volunteered for two organizations helping the homeless and is now a community health worker with Heartland Health Outreach, helping people get into permanent supportive housing at Rethke Terrace on the East Side.
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Roy Jacobs outside van — Roy Jacobs stands outside of his van last March. “I want people to know what we’re going through,” he said. “They just don’t understand.”
AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

In this Series

Homeless in Madison | A City Challenged

Marketplace

Recently Listed

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

Auctions

Featured

Farmer Today Auction Calendar

13 hrs ago

Marketplace

Notifications
Settings

Topics

Breaking News