As the largest nonprofit provider of low-income housing for unhoused people in Dane County, Porchlight, Inc. strives to reduce homelessness by collaborating with the community to provide shelter, affordable housing, and supportive services that eliminate barriers and empower the individuals and families Porchlight serves.
Porchlight owns and manages 375 units of housing and provides supportive services to assist residents in their journey from homelessness to housing stability. It provides a continuum of services that helps our unhoused neighbors transition from homelessness to housing.
Porchlight also manages the City of Madison Men’s Drop-In Shelter, the only emergency nighttime shelter for homeless men in the Madison area. Guests are provided with shelter, meals, showers, and case management services. The Shelter serves on average 255 men nightly in the summer and expands to serve 280 to 300 men nightly during the colder months. In 2023, 84,132 nights of emergency shelter were provided to 1,616 men experiencing homelessness. To date in 2024, 74,861 nights of emergency shelter have been provided to 1,488 men experiencing homelessness.
It is with great excitement that Porchlight looks forward to operating the City of Madison’s new Men’s Shelter, scheduled to open by December 2025. This new Shelter will be located on Bartillon Drive on Madison’s east side.
For individuals with mental illness experiencing homelessness, Porchlight offers the Safe Haven day shelter on Madison’s east side. Eligible guests may access drop-in services seven days per week, including meals, laundry, showers, and case management.
Porchlight staff also provide Crisis Stabilization services to guests who present in acute crisis. Safe Haven served 602 shelter guests in 2023, and has served 625 guests to date in 2024.
Job skills are critical in promoting independence. The Porchlight Products program provides a supportive employment environment for disabled and formerly homeless individuals, where they produce high-quality food products that are sold in popular retail outlets and served in restaurants throughout Dane County.
Porchlight celebrates 40 years of shelter services with its 2024 Annual Recognition Gala, held on November 7 at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center.
Eighty-eight percent of all contributions received by Porchlight from the community go directly back into programs that help individuals who need them. To learn more about Porchlight’s programs, donate to Porchlight’s programs, or learn more about Porchlight Products, please visit porchlightinc.org.
Submitted by Porchlight, Inc.
Photographs provided by Porchlight, Inc.
Porchlight
306 North Brooks Street
Madison, WI 53715
608.257.2534
porchlightinc.org