Every year for the last several years, Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin has received more and more money from Sons of the American Legion Squadron 294.
The squadron on Friday presented Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin a check for $40,000, money that was raised during a cardboard village sleepout event Feb. 10-11.
During the annual event, the group sleeps in cardboard boxes and small tents in Hartland in Waukesha County to raise awareness about the homeless veteran problem nationwide and accepts cash donations, nonperishable food and new clothing to split evenly between VOW, 1624 Yout St., Racine, and West Allis-based Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative.
The post, based in Hartland and made up of sons or grandsons of military veterans, has done the sleepout event since 2020 and has raised more than $190,000 for homeless veterans.
It’s the organization’s biggest event, said Squadron 294 Commander Mark Pape.
In 2020, the group raised $20,000. In 2021 the group raised $40,000 and in 2022 it raised $55,000.
This year, the squadron raised $80,000.
“Each year we seem to be getting better at figuring this thing out,” Pape said. “This group right here is just an amazing group … if it weren’t for these guys, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“The first time we did it, it was like, ‘Here’s some money,'” Terry Casper of Squadron 294 said. “I like that we’ve grown into a partnership.”
Pape said raising the money makes him feel “fantastic” and “outstanding.”
“Just makes you want to cry sometimes,” Pape said. “We just try to do our part in helping our veterans that need help the most raise funds and get their lives turned around and back to where they should be in life.”
Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin Executive Director Zach Zdroik said the donation will help the organization connect with more veterans, such as connecting them to VOW’s tiny homes, marketplace or line 9 program.
The tiny homes house homeless veterans while supplying them with tools needed to break the cycle of homelessness.
The marketplace is VOW’s version of a food pantry for veterans and surviving spouses.
The line 9 program helps veterans with safe storage of medication or firearms, employment opportunities, healthcare or group support.
“The amount they came through with is unbelievable,” Zdroik said of the squadron. “It speaks volumes on the community support they receive.”
___
(c) 2023 The Journal Times
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
