The Challenge

Milwaukee faces some of the highest rates of poverty, trauma, and housing instability in Wisconsin. Each year, nearly 7,700 residents experience homelessness, while 25% live below the poverty line—more than double the statewide average. Poverty disproportionately affects those without high school diplomas, exceeding 40%, and significantly impacts children, youth, and elders.

Gun violence continues to devastate the community. In 2023, Milwaukee recorded 174 fatal shootings and 836 nonfatal shootings. The city’s homicide rate stood near 30 deaths per 100,000 residents, and nonfatal shooting rates reached approximately 148 per 100,000. As of 2025, Milwaukee has already reported more than 70 homicides, a rise from the same period last year.Domestic violence and intimate partner violence remain key drivers of trauma and instability. These incidents make up about 12% of Milwaukee’s homicides and roughly 3% of nonfatal shootings annually. Behind these numbers are families and children who continue to live in cycles of fear and silence.

Human trafficking adds another layer to this crisis. While only about 35 cases are formally reported each year, advocates confirm that underreporting remains widespread. Between 2013 and 2016, more than 300 young people in Milwaukee were identified as confirmed or suspected victims of trafficking. Wisconsin as a whole prosecutes only a handful of trafficking cases each year, revealing the need for prevention, outreach, and survivor-centered recovery.

Generational trauma runs deep, tracing back to survival responses that have been passed down for centuries. Studies show that humans have over 60,000 thoughts per day—and up to 80% are negative—demonstrating the urgent need to reframe mindsets, build coping skills, and break cycles of self-defeat.

The Solution

Walking in by Faith stands in the gap. At its core, WBF combines faith, community, and evidence-based practice into a holistic approach that addresses immediate needs while building pathways toward healing and long-term stability.

WBF provides young people with tools to build self-awareness, emotional regulation, and resilience. This program encourages youth to interrupt negative thought patterns, explore identity, and transform pain into purpose.

WBF provides:
• Residential Programs (30–120 days): Safe housing and wraparound supports for individuals and families.
• Community Centers: Accessible hubs offering food, clothing, therapy, mentoring, skills training, violence prevention, and harm reduction.
• Multi-Generational Services: Designed for children, youth, adults, elders, veterans, and families to heal together, not in silos.
• Faith + Evidence-Based Integration: Spiritual enrichment paired with CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, and harm-reduction models.
• Credible Messenger Approach: Trained mentors and leaders with lived experience guide youth toward transformation, helping them move from incarcerated or at-risk to free, alive, and thriving.
• Community Collaboration: Partnerships with schools, churches, nonprofits, and healthcare providers create a full circle of support, rebuilding the social networks that once kept communities strong.

Walking in by Faith is about community—no one walks alone. The work begins with faith and continues with action, creating a foundation where healing is possible, purpose is discovered, and hope becomes a way of life.