Friends of the State Street Family

10/20/2026

💚More Than a Meal

When Friends of the State Street Family heads out for outreach, meals are often where conversations begin.

Sharing food gives us a chance to check in with our friends, hear how they're doing, learn what they need, and build relationships over time.

Of course, providing a good meal matters. But so does showing up consistently, remembering someone's name, and taking the time to listen.

The meal may bring us together, but it's the friendship that keeps us connected. 💚

You can help make these connections possible! Please consider signing up to provide a meal through our Meal Train calendar. Whether you're an individual, family, or group, your contribution helps keep our outreach teams stocked with meals to share.

Have questions? Email us at [email protected].

Our Mission is to provide help, hope, and friendship to our neighbors struggling with the challenges of homelessness.

10/16/2026

A huge thank you to Race Day Events for donating extra T-shirts from your summer events! 💚

These shirts will be put to great use and make a real difference in our community. We’re so grateful for your generosity and for thinking of us when you had extras to share. Donations like these help us make the most of available resources and put them to good use!

Thank you for your support and for helping us make a difference! 🙌 💚

10/15/2026

At Friends, we’re lucky to have THREE Maddies on our outreach team!💚💚💚

Our “Why” series gives volunteers a chance to share what brought them to Friends, the connections they’ve made, and what keeps them coming back. Today, another of our Maddies shares her perspective after two years on the outreach team. Thanks for being part of Friends, Maddie!

Helping folks who are experiencing homelessness has always been a cause I've felt drawn to. When I moved to Madison for school and lived near the downtown area, I saw people often who were facing this struggle, and felt deeply for them. I also often observed folks being overlook or ignored by others passing by. I decided to look for ways that I could get involved to give back to the Madison community, and that was how I came across FSSF! This team of passionate and empathetic volunteers is so wonderful to work with, and it always feels great to be able to help someone who may be struggling and make their day a little brighter, whether with a snack or just some conversation. You never really know what someone may be going through, and sometimes just taking the time to greet someone or offer a listening ear can make huge difference. I am so glad that I found FSSF and have the opportunity to help others through outreach!

10/13/2026

The Outreach Team will not be walking on our Tuesday downtown route this evening. We will do our best to return next week!

10/13/2026

This morning, we lost a friend. Someone many of our team members saw every week and were rooting for. It always hurts to lose a friend who is working toward stability and housing. This one stings a little more. Our team saw them and their partner just yesterday and celebrated that they would be getting housing at the end of the month.

In 2017, we lost our friend Dennis, someone our team also knew well. Lnz, who was on our outreach team for five years, wrote this piece at the time. We shared it at a few presentations along with our favorite picture of Dennis. Today feels like a time to share her words again.

We send love to our friend’s partner, family, and friends, and to the people across outreach and service organizations who got to know this couple and were rooting for them right alongside us.💚

10/11/2026

😎 We’re loving the weather in the 80s this weekend, but we’re already thinking about what Wisconsin will feel like in another month!

Our Amazon Wishlist is updated with winter essentials—gloves, hats, thermals, and more—as we prepare for our Winter Warmth distribution in November. Our goal is to outfit 350 unhoused friends with the warm clothing and layers they’ll need for the months ahead.

Can you help us stock up? Choose an item from our wishlist or pick up some winter essentials while you’re out running errands. Every donation helps our friends prepare for a Wisconsin winter. 💚 ❄️

10/10/2026

On World Homeless Day, we recognize the daily realities our unhoused neighbors face here in Madison: finding a safe place to sleep, keeping belongings dry, getting to appointments, and preparing for another Wisconsin winter.

At Friends of the State Street Family, we show up with meals, supplies, and time to listen. Building relationships helps us understand what our friends need, earn their trust, and connect them with support. Their experiences and voices need to be part of the decisions that affect their lives.

Thank you to the outreach teams, shelter staff, housing advocates, health care workers, and other service providers working every day alongside our neighbors. We share a goal: a community where everyone has a safe place to call home—and a day to raise awareness about homelessness is no longer needed. 💚

10/09/2026

While putting together our “Why” series, we also invited our friends to share how their interactions with Friends of the State Street Family impacted their time on the street.

Here, Butch shares his story in his own words. Thank you, Butch, for sharing your perspective and reminding us how much it matters to show up, keep our word, and get to know the person. 💚

My name is Butch. I lived outside for 20+ years. I’m a peer advocate. I work in upstate New York. I met the people from Friends of State Street Family about 10 years ago when I was still living outside. They helped with everything from a pair of socks to a smile, even a gift card for Starbucks for coffee. The one thing that I can say about Friends of State Street Family is they keep their word. They don’t tell somebody they’re gonna do something and then not do it.

I remember I broke my leg, my tibia and my fibula, real bad back in 2019. The hospital had to cut my shoe off and my pants off, so when I got to the hospital, I only had one shoe. I remember Beth taking a picture of that one shoe so she could ask her people to get me a pair of shoes. “Give a little piece of my story” is what she said. That’s another thing about Friends of State Street Family. They make you feel like a person. They tell your story. You’re not just a person standing in line. My name was Butch.

I could probably go on and on, as I think the people at Friends of State Street Family are awesome. They helped save my life. They helped me help save my life. Beth helped get me into Occupy Madison, or at least gave me the idea. I feel like I can speak for several people when I say I don’t know where we would be as a city and a community downtown without Friends of State Street Family.

Thanks, y’all.

💚 💚 💚

10/07/2026

We’re continuing to share the “whys” behind our outreach team! Jade has been part of Friends for about a year, giving her time to connect with our unhoused neighbors and support our street outreach.

Thank you, Jade, for being part of this work and sharing what brings you to Friends. Here’s her why. 💚

Growing up in Milwaukee, I was exposed to the lasting effects of housing and financial inequality from a young age. I would get frustrated and felt helpless when people around me would continue to stigmatize the unhoused community, and urge me not to interact with them. Throughout high school I would volunteer with food pantries and other similar organizations, but I knew when I came to Madison I wanted to continue working with the unhoused community at a more personal level, and I found Friends! I was especially drawn to FSSF because of the opportunity to interact with our friends during outreach instead of helping from a distance. From my work in healthcare especially, I have learned to truly appreciate listening to each person’s unique story and how that has shaped the person they have become today. During outreach, I have had the privilege of meeting people with so many different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences!

10/06/2026

Thank you, Midwest Scholastic, for the boxes of hoodies, long-sleeve T-shirts, and joggers! Our outreach teams have already begun sharing them with our friends, who are so appreciative of the extra layers as the weather gets colder. Thank you for helping us keep our unhoused neighbors warm and comfortable! 💚

Supplying Midwestern schools with Graduation Supplies including caps & gowns, diplomas, class rings and announcements. We also specialize in corporate awards.