As a Catholic, Jesuit university located in an urban environment for 138 years, Marquette University is both compassionate and sympathetic to the individuals in our community who experience housing insecurity or homelessness. As we strive to be men and women for others, it is important to care for the most vulnerable members of our community. Through our Ignatian commitment to service, justice, and cura personalis (care for the whole person), Marquette partners with nearly 100 local organizations to serve and support Milwaukee’s homeless population.

This website contains Near West Side resources that are available for those facing housing insecurity and information for organizations and individuals seeking to respond to the needs of our neighbors.

COVID-19 Community Testing Sites

• Impact 2-1-1: COVID-19 Testing Sites
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services: COVID-19 Community Testing Sites

Resources

For Marquette students and employees:

• Food
• Housing
• Mental Health
• Spiritual Guidance

For all community members:

• Community Support Services
• Safety and Law Enforcement
• Food Services
• Housing and Rental Assistance
• Emergency Shelters
• Personal Safety and Domestic Violence
• Mental Health
• Business Resources

COVID-19 Responses

COVID-19 has presented the Near West Side with a unique set of challenges surrounding certain aspects of housing, security, and homelessness in the neighborhood. Near West Side Partners and Marquette University have taken a number of measures to help mitigate the spread in the community. Current efforts include:

• Near West Side Homeless Intervention Team provides outreach, engagement, and connections to social services to individuals experience homelessness. It assists Near West organizations who provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness and organizations impacted by homelessness. The team uses a multi-sector approach to collaborate on preventing and responding to homelessness by connecting individuals and organizations to resources and appropriate care services. The Near West Side Homeless Outreach Team is a collaboration between Near West Side Partners, Marquette University Police Department, Milwaukee Police Department, and the Milwaukee County District Attorney.
• Hosting supply drives to distribute essential supplies to seniors, emergency shelters, and agencies that serve vulnerable populations in the Near West Side.
• Engaging in public health messaging campaigns to inform residents of ways to take care of their health and mitigate the spread of virus.
• Actively addressing domestic violence. For some people, home is not always the safest place. Domestic violence can increase during times of stress. The City of Milwaukee has put together a list of resources for those experiencing domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis.