OSHKOSH, Wis. — The number of people experiencing homelessness in Wisconsin increased last year to just over 4,800 people, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

Winnebago County has launched a program that works toward housing stability for residents called H.E.L.P. or Homeless, Eviction and Loss Program.

Winnebago County resident Tracy Cook said she remembers being homeless. Cook said her longest stretch of being unhoused was 10 months.

“It was during the coldest days of wintertime, and we had to get up and get outside, no matter what, and walk,” Cook said.

Shelters are an option but Cook said walking to a warm place in the winter can be tough, especially without enough money in her purse.

 “It’s expensive too, so hard to find somewhere warm to go, especially when it’s freezing out. I can tolerate it when it’s warmer out, but either way, it’s still really, really hard,” Cook said.

To combat the homelessness issue in Winnebago County, H.E.L.P. was created in 2022. Sara Brown is the H.E.L.P. program supervisor. Brown said this program provides services to the homeless and anyone facing housing instability.

“We have some people who can stay in their housing, but they just fell behind a little bit. And we have some people who can get into housing, but they’re struggling with coming up with security deposit and first month’s rent, things like that. And then we have our unsheltered people who are also helping trying to find shelter. So, it’s really just this big scope of helping anybody within the housing continuum,” Brown said. 

H.E.L.P. specialist Brianna Hausladen said more families are facing housing instability. She said in this tight economy, a wide range of people are struggling to stay in their homes, including the elderly.

“I have had someone as old as 90 who, you know, I was able to do a little bit, ended up not needing so much of like your mainstream housing. I’ve had couples. I’ve had, you know, the homeless population. I’ve had aomebody who just fell on hard times in their own home, so like singles, I’ve had married couples,” Hausladen said.

The H.E.L.P. program is personal for Brown. As a child, Brown said she remembers sitting in a housing office.

“My family faced a lot of housing instability. You know, my mom worked, she worked sometimes more than one or two jobs until she wasn’t able to. She had a stroke, she was disabled, and we bounced around from a lot of places,” Brown said.

So, Brown said she wants to soften the stigma surrounding those struggling with housing instability.

“If we can almost keep as many people as we can from having to go through any sort of traumatic experience with regards to homelessness or instability, we will absolutely do it, and it’s exactly why we continue showing up,” Brown said.

Cook said she now has a place to stay thanks to the H.E.L.P. program.

She said it’s comforting knowing she wasn’t forgotten.

“It’s somebody really cared, and a lot of people don’t, and a lot of people have no clue what it’s like, and sure hope it doesn’t happen to somebody else,” Cook said.