In November and December 2023, our Valley of Milwaukee held our second annual collection of items to be donated to Street Angels Milwaukee Outreach to benefit and support Milwaukee’s homeless community. Street Angels Milwaukee Outreach is a mobile outreach program, dedicated to bridging the gap between homelessness and housing in the greater Milwaukee area. Their mission focuses on support, advocacy, and community collaboration. Operating three nights a week, Street Angels volunteers travel throughout the Milwaukee community providing essential services and supplies to the homeless, including hot meals, clothing, and shelter necessities. Making this year‘s campaign even more meaningful was learning Street Angels recently relocated operations to 125 N. 120th St. in Wauwatosa, putting their operation within a mile of our Valley offices.
Recognizing the urgent need of this vulnerable sector as we enter the winter months, our Valley of Milwaukee Scottish Rite Freemasons collected donations of blankets, new underwear for both men and women, sweatpants, jeans, blankets, mini flashlights, sleeping mats, socks, and ladies’ leggings – all essentials that provide not just physical comfort, but also a sense of dignity to those living on the streets. Brothers were also able to make cash donations to support this effort.
Brother Mike Reindl and his wife, Deb, played a pivotal role in coordinating the collection and special drop offs, ensuring a seamless and convenient process for donors. The collection drive, organized at the Valley offices, welcomed donations every Wednesday leading up to the December 20th stated meeting. Augmenting the efforts were collections organized at Deb’s employer Advantage+ Financing as well as collections coordinated at two of our Blue Lodges in the Milwaukee Valley – West Allis Lodge and Freemason Lodge.
This initiative, part of our ongoing commitment to community outreach, culminated in a substantial donation of critically needed items on January 8, 2024 when the collected items were dropped off at Street Angels operations center. Over 100 blankets and various items of clothing were presented to Street Angels. Augmenting the blanket and clothing donations was a check to Street Angels for $1136 representing the amount generously donated to the caused by Brothers in the Valley of Milwaukee. Thanks to your generosity, our Valley of Milwaukee was able to give a big Masonic hug to Milwaukee’s homeless community, bring them comfort and support on the eve of Milwaukee’s first snowstorm of 2024.
The Scottish Rite Valley Milwaukee’s initiative reflects our rooted, core values of the Brotherhood: compassion and community service. These contributions go beyond mere material aid – they offer hope and solidarity to those facing the challenge of street homelessness in Milwaukee. Thank you, Brothers, for your support of this important mission!
To learn more about street angels mission, please visit www.streetangelsmke.org.
