Hope On The Block

08/30/2026

Real talk time. The Friday meal may not survive as it is. We’ve only got one week reserved for September, which means we’re looking at roughly $1,000 to cover meals for the rest of the month. We have about $3,000 on hand right now so this alone eats a third of our reserves in a single month. Pretty quickly the math don’t math.

We’re also trying to bring new resources into the community, and those projects also have a cost. We’re hoping to share details soon but even before that, we still have things to pay for to make it happen.

We want to keep working in the community and providing resources but we can’t do it without community support. We have a great new website that goes thru everything we do, and how you can help. As always we appreciate any support you’re able to give 🥰

Free food, hygiene supplies, and community meals for Fond du Lac neighbors — every week, year-round, no questions asked.

08/29/2026

Thank you sooo much Sara for the monetary donation, to Terri and Holy Stitches, Waupun Wisconsin for dropping off blankets/sleeping bags/towels, and Nancy for the umbrellas 🥰 The towels and umbrellas were definitely appreciated at the pantry today!

08/29/2026

Thank you Valerie for sending all these sleeping bags!

08/28/2026

It was the Amy edition of the Friday meal this week! Happy birthday to the most amazing person, kitchen manager, volunteer, all the things 🥰 And a huge thank you to Louann, Kathy, Barb and Linda for getting 150+ meals, treats and supplies out the door tonight! You all absolutely rocked it 😎

08/28/2026

Behold our weekly AI generated menu! See you at 5pm 😎 51 W Division St.

08/25/2026

Feed the people ✊🏻

08/25/2026

Here’s a little secret - some days I don’t feel like going to the pantries. For that matter, some days I don’t feel like answering emails or messages either; sorry to those waiting on responses 😬😅 But last night I wasn’t feeling all that great, there were a million other things I needed to get done, etc. I went anyway.

When I got to the FDL pantry our good friend that I mentioned the other day as always helping others stopped me. He said there was a woman nearby that needed a sleeping bag, which I just happened to have with me thanks to a recent donation. But I could tell the sleeping bag wasn’t enough this time. In his own quiet way he was telling me she wasn’t in a good place, so we both walked over to talk with her. And he was correct, it wasn’t a good situation.

In 4 years of doing this, most people, most days, most situations kind of blend together. When I finally get around to writing my book on all of this, there will probably be a handful of people or situations that get their own chapter. And maybe last night won’t get its own chapter, but I won’t forget it any time soon. This wasn’t right. I couldn’t in good conscience simply hand her a sleeping bag and walk away and hope for the best. So I did what I very rarely do and called the Katharine Drexel shelter in for help.

When I say I rarely do that, it’s not because I don’t think they’ll help. They’ve always gone above and beyond to help us and help in the community. But I simply can’t call them every time I come across a homeless person. Things just don’t work that way. But last night was just one of those times to do whatever it takes, and I’m so grateful for them not wasting any time getting over to this person and getting them the help they so desperately needed.

It may seem small to some - one person got the help they needed. But it’s not small to those who do this work. You have to celebrate the wins and the community collaborations because it might be the motivation that gets you moving the next time you don’t feel like moving.

08/25/2026

Thank you sooo much Sherry and Noah for your monetary donations, and Teresa for donating sleeping bags. Of the 3 sleeping bags we got yesterday, we’ve already distributed 2 of them.