The first time I heard their founder Brad speak I realized immediately that there was a whole world of need that I was completely missing because it wasn't visible to me in my own life. Once you really start thinking about this with the perspective that these are children & the impact on their health and mental wellness it hits even harder. The work that Courage does is admirable and I've continued to support them since I heard that talk on day one. Their aspirations to continue to support our LGBTQ+ community in a bigger way is very worthwhile.
In the 6 years that I have been supporting Courage, I have been blown away by the care, empathy and love in this organization. Each year the aspire to improve, offerning new services to support children and now young adult in the Queer community. Borrowing from Lin, Love is love is love and it abounds here.
I am a BIG fan of Courage MKE and have been since they started helping displaced youths find a loving and accepting home. It breaks my heart that such a place still needs to exist in the world we live in, but I am so grateful one does in my community. I have had many opportunities to build relationships with several members of the staff and they are such wholesome people doing such amazing work. The company I work for volunteers with Courage as often as we can as well, and we were so thrilled and honored to help get the C2 apartments ready for residents. Courage is involved in the community and many community members show much-deserved love right back to them and I think that says a lot about the work Courage is doing in the Milwaukee area. I truly cannot say enough good things about this organization; Courage MKE definitely has my heart.
I recently retired from nursing so the well-being of all people is very dear to me. As I looked for a volunteer opportunity, I was drawn to Courage MKE. They (we) have been providing housing for LGBTQ+ youth since 2019. Many of these kids have been overtly or covertly the recipient of prejudice and bias in other foster settings. I am grateful for the safe haven Courage House provides for up to 5 kids at a time.
And a recent wonderful addition, C2 Apartments opened in March 2024 providing housing for up to 6 LGBTQ+ people ages 18-24 years old. Many young adults in the foster system find them selves homeless or adrift upon turning 18. C2 is the only home of its kind in Wisconsin and is breaking ground for setting an example of 'asking and answering-who is our brother and sister?'. My volunteering has included direct contact with the youth such as library visits and game nights, cooking or housekeeping tasks, fund-raising events and being a voice to help spread the word about the good work being done at Courage MKE (Courage Initiate LTD). I am honored to be part of such an impactful and compassionate organization.
Mary Botsford
Milwaukee WI
Hello,
Courage is the first and only group home providing housing SPECIFICALLY to LGBTQ+ youth in the whole state of WI. They are providing life saving, suicide preventing work. Courage is a younger organization and with all orgs, they continue to grow and evolve so they can do right by the clients they serve. With Courage, they are JUST starting and I am so excited for the magic they will create because our young people need spaces like Courage. Thank you Courage for everything you do, WI and the world is better because of it!
From the moment I first learned about Courage, I knew they were special. They understand that LGBTQ youth face unique challenges and barriers. Their dedication to improving the lives of these marginalized youth is unparalleled and their commitment to creating positive change is awe-inspiring.
One of the things that sets Courage apart is their approach to addressing social problems. Rather than simply providing band-aid solutions, they work to identify and address the root causes of the issues. These efforts are a testament to the passion and conviction of its staff and volunteers. This comprehensive approach has led to meaningful impact in their community.
From the moment we heard what Courage was all about and doing for the community, we were involved! It is very impressive how it all started with a thought and they built it from being in their garage with friends to seeing how for they have come! They do not only serve the residents at their homes, but they also do their best to help out other non profits, and the community as much as they can. I cannot think of a better non profit that deserves to be a Top-rated Non profit!
Courage MKE has been such a wonderful place to work. The passion for the work they do is infectious and they are able to make big changes because they care about their employees as much as they do the mission. Courage MKE is a family and one I am so thankful to be a part of.