Council committee supports $100K funding for Walker’s Point youth homeless shelter

The Community and Economic Development Committee today recommended approval of a resolution that would provide much-needed $100,000 funding to help keep a key city youth homeless shelter open.

Council file #241000 – chiefly sponsored by Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II, and Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa – proposes using $100,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (through the city’s Community Development Grants Administration) and sending that money to the Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center, a nonprofit on Milwaukee’s near south side that provides help and shelter to minors who have nowhere else to go.

The facility was recently notified that it was not renewed for a key federal grant, and needs to find $200,000 by January 1 to remain open. “The Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center provides a temporary home for young people, and volunteers are there to help them through whatever crisis they are dealing with,” Alderman Stamper and Alderwoman Zamarripa said.

“We are talking about 50% of the youth shelter beds in the city of Milwaukee possibly disappearing, and the only shelter available for pregnant and parenting teens. We thank our colleagues for their support of this important file,” they said.

Co-sponsors of the file are Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Alderwoman Sharlen P. Moore, Alderman Peter Burgelis, and Alderman DiAndre Jackson.

The file is expected to be taken up by the full Council on November 26.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.