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Several Cedarburg churches joined together to make an annual donation of 350 sleeping bags to Repairers of the Breach, an organization that provides an array of outreach programs for the homeless. The churches hope the sleeping bag donations will help keep the homeless warm during the cold winter months.
"Homelessness is often a life or death issue, especially in the kind of weather we have here," McCanon Brown with Repairers of the Breach said.
Church volunteers say they've been donating over 2,500 sleeping bags for the past six years, and every year, every sleeping bag is used, which is proof of the great need for protection against the bitter cold in Milwaukee.
Ricky Williams has been suffering from homelessness for months, and was thankful to receive his new sleeping bag. "It's going to be my lifeline and keep me warm at night, and keep me from getting frost-bitten. It's really a great thing that they reach out and help people who are in need, because a lot of times people don't want to help people like me," Williams said.
In addition to receiving sleeping bags, a clinic was also held to educate homeless individuals on how to protect themselves from hypothermia and frostbite. "Our main focus is providing everyone a one-stop-shop, all of the tools and resources for them to get out of their homeless situation," Brown said.
If you would like information on ways to help Repairers of the Breach, or if you'd like to receive a sleeping bag, you're asked to call 414-934-9305.