08/12/2026
A lesson I learned today… and one I feel compelled to share. ❤️
Today, two people came into my office.
Two very different stories, both reminding me that how we help matters just as much as whether we help.
The first shared that he had been kicked out of sober living after making a mistake. He had been doing well, but while talking with someone about homelessness, a stranger overheard and gave him $100.
He said, “I couldn’t resist the temptation.”
He used the money to go out partying, missed curfew, and lost his housing. You could hear the regret in his voice, but also his desire to start over.
Then another person came in.
She is living in her car.
She needed gas to get to upcoming medical appointments and was hoping we might have a gas card.
We didn’t.
The disappointment on her face said everything—this wasn’t about a want, but a need.
I left my office thinking about both of them.
About how much people want to help. About how generous our community is. And about how the way we give can make all the difference.
Giving cash to someone experiencing homelessness isn’t always the most helpful way to support them.
That doesn’t mean we stop giving—it means we pause and ask:
“What do you need?”
Maybe it’s a hot meal.
Maybe it’s socks or a shower.
Maybe it’s a bus pass or gas for a medical appointment.
Maybe it’s help connecting to shelter or services.
Here in Sheboygan County, there are organizations doing this work every day—the Sheboygan County Warming Center & Community Cafe, Salvation Army, Lakeshore CAP, The Refuge and many more.
So if your heart aches when you see someone struggling, please don’t stop caring.
Instead, consider giving to the organizations already walking alongside them.
And if you choose to help someone directly, ask what they need.
Because sometimes the most meaningful gift isn’t money.
It’s giving someone what they actually need to get through the day.
A meal.
Socks.
A bus pass.
Gas.
A safe place.
A connection.
A bit of dignity.
Today reminded me that helping isn’t always about giving what we believe they need- sometimes, it’s about giving differently.
It’s compassion without judgment—and a hand to help someone take their next step. ❤️
