For 50 years, Community Advocates has been a cornerstone in our community, providing individuals and families in need with essential support and advocacy to help them overcome these challenges and live with dignity.

Through our 40+ programs across Basic Needs, Behavioral Health, the Milwaukee Women's Center, and the Public Policy Institute, we serve over 60,000 people annually, addressing essential needs such as housing stability, eviction prevention, emergency shelter, employment assistance, mental wellness, substance use prevention and treatment, positive youth development and case management, and community collaboration.

Save the date! You're invited to join Community Advocates at the Baird Center on September 18, 2026, as we celebrate 50 years of nurturing hope in our community.

If you would like additional information about sponsorships or tickets, please contact Deborah Heffner, Chief Advancement Officer, at dheffner@communityadvocates.net.

We’re thrilled to announce that Community Advocates has been selected as the 2025 nonprofit partner of Feed Your Soul, a vibrant and creative annual event that unites artists, designers, and changemakers to make a positive impact in our community.

Now in its 22nd year, Feed Your Soul features live painting, entertainment, an art auction, interactive installations, and more, all designed to celebrate creativity and generosity. This year, Community Advocates is honored to join this powerful collective as its new nonprofit partner!

This year’s event will take place at the newly located House of RAD — now at 324 N. 12th St. — a dynamic, artist-driven space that perfectly aligns with the event’s creative energy and community-centered mission.

Mark your calendars for Friday, November 7, and check out additional ways you can get involved. Whether you attend, sponsor, or help spread the word, you’ll be part of a movement that fuels connection, compassion, and creativity in Milwaukee.

On Thursday, September 18, Community Advocates Public Policy Institute hosted “Housing in Milwaukee: What’s Changed since 2020?,” a panel discussion moderated by Community Advocates COO Maudwella Kirkendoll on how the city’s housing landscape has shifted in recent years, what resources remain, and what’s needed to build a more stable future. 

Panelists included Dawn Anastasi, Landlord and Executive Committee Member of the Rental Property Association of Wisconsin; Ericka Crowley, Director of the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center; Jonny Davis, Property Owner and Real Estate Investor; Kari Southern, Deputy Director of Community Advocates Public Policy Institute; and Nick Toman, Housing Team Managing Attorney with Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee.

After the panel, a lively Q&A with guests touched on how tenants can overcome barriers to finding good housing as well as the resources that are available to community members. Guests also enjoyed treats to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the RHRC. The event was sponsored by the PPI Members Network.

Community Advocates hosted a guided tour for community partners, donors, and Board members to highlight our facilities and programs.

The tour began at our downtown offices, including the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center, and traveled to the Milwaukee Women's Center and Autumn West Safe Haven. These sites aim to engage with community members in easily accessible, culturally informed settings to meet their needs and walk with them as they reach their goals.

A special thank you goes out to United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha, which has been a steadfast supporter of our programs for people with unstable housing through their Safe and Stable Homes initiative.

The 2025-2026 Energy Assistance Benefit Season begins October 1, 2025, and runs through May 15, 2026. 

During the benefit season, eligible Milwaukee County residents can apply for a one-time payment to help cover a portion of their energy bills. The amount of the benefit varies depending on a number of factors, including household income and size, as well as their heating bills. Residents may also qualify for other benefits as well to reduce their utility costs. Check out this season’s eligibility requirements on our website.

If you are eligible, you may apply via phone, mail, or online. Please schedule your appointment by calling 414-270-4653 or by going to keepwarmmke.org. At the time of your scheduled appointment, you will receive a call to start your application. If you prefer to apply online, you can access the link to apply online at keepwarmmke.org. 

Community Advocates In-Person Energy Assistance Hours: Community Advocates has limited availability for walk-in clients at our downtown offices at 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee. Stop by between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to apply in person. 

August 31 is observed worldwide as International Overdose Awareness Day, and in Milwaukee, the RISE Drug Free MKE community coalition has marked it for nine years to honor those who have been impacted by overdose. Over the years, the threat from ever-more lethal opioids has taken a toll on our community. At the same time, the community has come together with more resources, compassion, and hope. As a result, Milwaukee County recently saw a significant drop in overdose deaths, from 652 deaths in 2023 to 450 fatal overdoses in 2024.

In August, the RISE Drug Free MKE coalition, organized by Community Advocates Public Policy Institute, organized events around the theme of "Driven by Hope" to support the families and friends of those lost to overdose as well as people living with a substance use issue. The events culminated with the Hoan Bridge lighting up purple on August 31, thanks to coalition partner Light the Hoan. 

Community Advocates provides a range of programs and services for tenants and landlords in Milwaukee County.

Our programs include:

• City of Milwaukee Rental Assistance: Rental Assistance is a resource for eligible City of Milwaukee residents at risk of housing instability due to a temporary financial hardship. Click here for more information on eligibility criteria and how to apply if the criteria are met.

• Landlord/Tenant Programs: For tenants and landlords dealing with housing instability or lack of resources that could lead to eviction. Learn more.

• Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center: The RHRC walk-in clinic, located in the Community Advocates building at 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233, operates Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. During these hours, tenants and landlords can consult with an intake specialist on a first-come, first-served basis. The intake team will assess needs and offer resources or referrals for rent and utilities assistance, landlord/tenant dispute resolution through neutral mediation, and relocation services. Visit the RHRC in person, go to RentHelpMKE.org, or call 414-895-RENT (7368) for more information.

In 2024, the state Department of Justice and Berrada Properties Management and its owner, Joseph Berrada, negotiated a settlement for alleged legal violations. The settlement included programs and services specifically for Berrada tenants and the public to be delivered by Community Advocates.

Community Advocates helps current Berrada tenants with payment plans, short-term rental assistance, and move-out agreements. Berrada tenants can visit the Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center located within our downtown Milwaukee offices at 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee. 

In addition, we’re offering monthly rental housing events for people who want to move into a Berrada property and pay rent based on their income. Follow our Facebook page to learn when the next events will be scheduled this summer.

We’ve been committed to supporting our community members since 1976. But we have never done it alone. We are immensely grateful for the generous contributions made by individuals, foundations, and corporations to help us continue to serve. We are grateful for the recent gifts made to Community Advocates and the Milwaukee Women’s Center:

• We Energies Foundation contributed to the Autumn West Safe Haven/Homeless Outreach Program.
• American Family CAT Cares Program donated to help Community Advocates’ clients who were affected by the August flood.
• Greater Milwaukee Foundation-Otto Bremer Trust awarded funding for the Autumn West Safe Haven.
• The Jewish Community Foundation contributed to the Milwaukee Women’s Center.
• Schlossmann Subaru City made a generous donation to the Milwaukee Women’s Center’s Emergency Shelter.
• Molly M. asked the guests at her bridal shower to donate to the Milwaukee Women’s Center. Learn more.
• Kohl Philanthropies gave its support to the Milwaukee Women’s Center.
• The Greater Milwaukee Life Member Club of AT&T Wisconsin donated two carloads of diapers, wipes, and formula to the Milwaukee Women’s Center.
• At their annual summer picnic, the Harley-Davidson Retirees collected school supplies for Community Advocates’ families, a gift they have given for more than 10 years.
• Amareon Allen, Susie Fortman, and Kids in Community provided and served dinner when the Milwaukee Women’s Center cook was on vacation.

Thanks for strengthening our community!

Looking for a meaningful way to give back to your community? We invite you to prepare and serve a meal to the 75 guests staying at the Milwaukee Women’s Center’s Emergency Shelter on the Near South Side of Milwaukee.

Details:

• Meals should be prepared, purchased, and served by volunteers at 6 p.m. daily.
• We provide a fully equipped commercial kitchen with all the utensils, pots, pans, and dishes, along with a commercial stove/oven. If you prefer, you can bring in fully cooked meals that are ready to serve.
• Volunteers will be required to wear hair nets, gloves, and masks when necessary to ensure the safety of all guests.
• Volunteers must complete an application and pass a background check.

This is a great opportunity for individuals, families, or groups to make a tangible difference in the lives of adults and kids who have survived domestic violence or homelessness.

Interested? Contact Jeri Kavanaugh at jkavanaugh@communityadvocates.net to discuss the details and schedule your date to serve.

Together, we can provide comfort, nourishment, and hope to those who need it most. Thank you for your support!

Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee has partnered with the Rental Housing Resource Center (located inside of the Community Advocates building, 728 N. James Lovell St., Milwaukee) to help individuals currently looking to remove past evictions from their CCAP Search.

This free clinic will be held on the second Wednesday of each month from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is currently open to individuals with dismissed evictions and completed payment plans only. Only open to Milwaukee County. Walk-ins welcome. Appointments preferred. The next clinic will be held on Wednesday, October 8.

Community Advocates recognizes that people who live with Opioid Use Disorder and are in recovery need to live in a safe and stable home. To make that happen, we are providing Recovery Vouchers for up to six months of supportive housing for individuals and their families. To be eligible, the individual must be age 18 or older and have documentation of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) or receiving treatment to address OUD within the previous 12 months. In addition, the individual must have documentation of homelessness (Category 1, 2, 3, or 4).

To obtain a referral form, email Maudwella Kirkendoll.

The program is funded by the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration Division of Energy (DEHCR), Housing and Community Resources.

You can get in touch with us in the following ways:

• Call: 414-270-2992
• Email: Contact Us
• Facebook: facebook.com/CommunityAdvocatesMilwaukee
• Milwaukee Women’s Center’s 24/7 Crisis Line: 414-671-6140
• Milwaukee County Energy Assistance Program: 414-270-4653 or KeepWarmMKE.org
• FSET at Community Advocates: 414-290-7700
• Rent HelpLine: renthelp@communityadvocates.net
• Bottomless Closet: 414-270-2984
• Emergency services after hours or on weekends: 2-1-1