MILWAUKEE — Every day, Reverend James West’s Repairers of the Breach welcomes in Milwaukee’s homeless community. Sometimes, it’s just to make a phone call. 

What You Need To Know

  • Repairers of the Breach is a homeless shelter in Milwaukee

  • It is open year round as a drop in shelter

  • During the cold months, they also operate an emergency warming shelter

  • They are looking for donations of blankets, sleeping bags, hygiene products, and bottled water 

“This kind of helps people keep their doctor appointments. If they have a job on the line, they can call and receive messages such as that," West explained as a guest signed in to use the phone. 

Repairers of the Breach is open as a drop-in shelter year round, giving people a place to stay and even get a bite to eat.

“We offer breakfast, lunch and then a midday snack," West said. "But, then in the emergency warming room, we serve dinner."

Typically, Repairers of the Breach opens its emergency warming shelter in early December. 

This year, it started in mid-November. 

“Mother Nature said something else," West said. "We [have] seen the need. We got together and were able to make it happen.”

The extreme cold hasn’t hit quite yet, but it is forecasted for later in the week. 

Even so, the need for people to find a warm place to stay has not slowed. 

“We’re seeing over 100 people a day, just not at one time, and at night we’re averaging 40 people using all three floors for social distancing," West said. "It’s pretty busy, very challenging.”

Because the need has been so high and started early, it was hard to have enough staff ready to go. 

But, West said Repairers of the Breach has been able to tap into some extra help. 

“We have helped so many people, I have been getting calls from our alumni, our people who have went through our programs, who have graduated, who are doing great and saying, 'How are you doing this year?' and I'm just saying, 'I need ya,'" West said. "So, some of the alumni come down and volunteer their time and give back because they remember when they were on the other side of that door, hoping it would open, and it was open.”

With the extreme cold and snow expected this week, West said the shelter is looking for any and all donations — with blankets, sleeping bags, hygiene products and bottled water being the most crucial. 

“We’re just asking for the community to help us take care of the community," West said. 

Doors open for overnight stay at Repairers of the Breach at 7 p.m. It is open to adult men and women on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

If you are homeless and looking for a place to stay, you're encouraged to call 2-1-1