NUESTRO COMIENZO
It has been an honor to serve the Center for the past 17 years as a board member, committee volunteer, donor, and Executive Director. It has been a humbling experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community through the Center’s work. As we celebrate 42 years of service to Kenosha County, I welcome you to the next chapter, a historic investment in Western Kenosha County: The Sharing Center’s Brick By Brick Growth Campaign!
I’ve witnessed incredible growth in the community needs over the years. The 2008 recession and housing market crash took those we serve nearly 9 years to recover. The Impact of the COVID pandemic stressed our resources in ways we’ve never experienced before. The post-COVID recession caused three times as many people to seek assistance, requiring we substantially increase capacity in all programming, implement new crisis services, and partner heavily with the community and other nonprofits to meet the need.
When I arrived as director in 2012, our annual budget, including the value of in-kind donations, was under $200,000. That is significant, as that included staffing the equivalent of 2 full-time employees. This year, our budget is reaching $2.5 million, as the amount of food and goods we distribute has quadrupled, and the intense need demands more trained, compassionate staff to assist. We are now a mighty team of 6, plus 300+ dedicated volunteers.
The Growth Campaign will fund a building expansion to meet the burgeoning need, which shows no sign of slowing or stopping. We outgrew our facility’s capacity years ago. The campaign will also include funding to meet our day-to-day needs, the capacity to plan for the future strategically, and investment in market-rate housing for seniors and families.
I hope you will join me in traveling this highway together for the next few years as we will break the cycle of poverty and trauma for generations to come, increase employment and education for all, and create a brighter future of health and happiness for rural Kenosha families.
WHO WE Are
The Sharing Center (The Center) is a nonprofit founded in 1983 by Rick and Kathy Fors. Originally serving out of their trailer home, it quickly outgrew that space. Since then, The Center has moved to its current space, the former Trevor-Wilmot Fire Station. The Sharing Center is run by six employees, a Board of Directors, hundreds of volunteers, and a supportive base of grantors, sponsors, and donors.
WHAT WE DO
We meet individuals and families where they are at. Through our food and resource programs, we help individuals and families get on a path to self-sufficiency. Over the last 40 years, our programs have grown, innovated, and increased in their scalability. These programs include food, career connection, housing, domestic violence, school meal & supply programs, as well as clothing & resource distribution. We believe that when those in need have the resources to avert crisis, they can focus on the most important priorities to achieve self-sufficiency.
HOW WE DO IT
In our 5,000 sq. ft. warehouse/community space, we distribute all of the resources that are entrusted to us by our supporters. We have a pantry distribution schedule, community programming, and by-appointment services. Our space provides us with the flexibility and confidentiality to serve. We serve around 6,500 unduplicated individuals, distributing nearly 500,000 pounds (230 tons) of food, and providing an economic impact to the community of $2.4 million.
We’re launching a historic investment into western Kenosha County’s
The Sharing Center Growth Campaign is a three-year, $8 million-dollar, capital campaign. Our effort is focused on investing into the health, wellbeing, and sustainability of western-Kenosha County through The Sharing Center’s facilities, programming, and strategic growth. The campaign consists of four pillars of priorities including sustaining operations, building expansion, program growth, and housing.
PRIORITY
1
Sustain Operations
$1.5 MILLION
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Keep the lights on
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Sustain staff levels
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Fund existing programs
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Continue to serve community
PRIORITY
2
Expand Brick x Brick
$3.5 MILLION
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Expand capacity, storage, and community space
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State-of-the-art facility that will serve for decades to come
PRIORITY
3
Programs & Rural Initiatives
$1 MILLION
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New programs
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Development of case study on best in practices
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Additional staff to support new programs
PRIORITY
4
Future Housing
$2 MILLION
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Long term project
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Development of housing solution for Western Kenosha County
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Modify current location
WHY NOW?
We’ve simply outgrown our current space and in order to position ourselves for the future, expand programs, and scale our impact, we need to make a transformational investment into The Sharing Center.
HOW WILL THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL GROWTH BE SUSTAINABLE?
Our campaign is based on stewarding and maximizing the resources you entrust to The Center. Priority 1 is to make sure we keep our current programs and staffing levels stable: we’re keeping the lights on. The other three priorities focus on careful, intentional, and achievable plans to address growing needs, a growing population, and the fact that we are western Kenosha County’s only emergency crisis center. We intend for new programs, facility growth, and our housing initiative to carry us for another four decades.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T REACH OUR GOAL?
We will continue to offer high quality service and respond to crisis. We will assess our financial resources and campaign progress and make decisions that best steward the resources you entrust with us. For our building project (Priority 2), we must have at least 75% of funds raised to begin this process.