COTS

COTS began in 1998 when Reverend Orville Janssen placed fold-up beds on his porch to give homeless men in his community a safe place to sleep. Today, COTS plays a vital role in helping individuals struggling with homelessness. Unlike an emergency shelter, COTS is a housing program focused on helping single men and women, young adults, and veterans overcome barriers to independence and transition to self-sufficiency and stable, independent living. By providing housing stability, employment and education services, health (physical, dental, behavioral health) services, and social connections, COTS helps people gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to live on their own, maintain stable employment, and contribute positively to their communities. COTS also supports residents as they move to independent housing by providing periodic check-ins for case management, general assistance, and ongoing barrier removal for three years. “Once a resident graduates from the program, we’re still their family and we’re here to help.” COTS Development Director, Cari Groppel, continues, “We’re extending a sense of community and showing them that we care – that somebody is cheering them on.”

Location: Appleton and Oshkosh, WI

Grant Amount: $5,000

Grantee: Transitional shelter helping individuals experiencing homelessness in the Fox Valley overcome barriers and increase their opportunities for education and employment.