GREEN BAY, Wis. — The state has experienced bitter cold temperatures recently. For people who live in their cars, the winters can be especially tough.

One Brown County Program is helping to fill a gap in housing the homeless.  


What You Need To Know

  • Safe Place Parking Program allows people living from their vehicles to park overnight  in a designated lot safely and undisturbed

  • The lot is staffed by a safety monitor to help ensure all parkers are registered and and help parkers access community resources

  • Volunteers with Green Bay First Church provide hot meals, blankets and some necessisities for those using the lot

  • The program has 12 battery banks available for loan to plug in electric blankets or C-PAP machines

The Safe Place Parking Program helps the homeless living in their vehicles by allowing them to park in a lot.

Beverly Scow is the Director of Wise Women Gathering Place and one of its projects is the Safe Place Parking Program.

She said the lot is a temporary home for people to sleep safely in their cars. It has portable restrooms, batteries, and electrical banks which are a lifeline during winter.

"They can plug into electric blankets in their cars to stay warmer, their devices, WiFi devices so they can stay connected to family and resources. And some have medical equipment that they need to plug in to for the night," Scow said.

A safety monitor makes sure all cars are registered and safely parked. 

Volunteers like Lynn Lopez, who is the Director of Outreach for Green Bay First Church, make sure people are warm and don’t go hungry. 

She's delivered food to several homeless programs including the Safe Place Parking Program. She said for her this mission is personal.

"I was a single mom. I had two kids, and we lived in the projects in Tampa, Florida for many years, and there were times that we struggled with food insecurity as well. So, it's personal to me, because when I see a kid out there that's struggling, or a parent that's struggling to feed their child. It makes me want to do even more," Lopez said.

Lopez said the Safe Sleep lot is probably one of the most heart-wrenching places she visits.

"It's very, very hard to see when you when you see a child out sleeping in a car, you know, they can't play outside," Lopez said.

The lot opens at 6 p.m. and the 46 spaces are usually full. Scow said a permanent home is ideal, so she can connect those sleeping in their cars with other housing options.

"If they like, we enter them into the coordinated entry system, which will connect them to as housing options become available in the region," Scow said.

Thanks to a team of advocates, Scow said a few families no longer sleep in their cars.

"It just feels really good, really good to see that success and feel the relief you know, that they can settle in," Scow said. 

Safe Place relies on donations to support individuals sleeping in their vehicles. Items include gas cards, electric and regular blankets, warm socks/gloves/hats, healthy snacks and toiletries. Cash donations help ensure the lot operates all year long

You can donate to help the Safe Place Parking Program achieve its fundraising goal of $30,000, here.