Dear Reader,

This week, all Multi Media Channel publications and websites are collaborating with other newspapers across Wisconsin to bring new attention, and ideally, new action to a challenge that has plagued our state for decades – homelessness.

There are thousands of children across Wisconsin who are  homeless every day. And veterans. And single moms,  and elderly men. It is truly a crisis among us, and it crosses many demographics. In a way, October should be designated as Countering Homelessness Month. At MMC, we want to help address this statewide challenge. Earlier this year we initiated a symposium in Madison on the topic of addressing homelessness. We invited legislators, the business community, service providers and members of the media.

An important initiative that came out of the symposium is the statewide reporting project on the issue of homelessness in Wisconsin that you’re reading in all MMC products this week. We want to draw attention to this issue on as many levels as possible. Along with this week’s reporting project, next week all MMC papers and websites will be participating in a statewide editorial campaign on the same topic.

Last year there were 18,000 homeless people in our state. This year, the number has increased to over 20,000 homeless people. We are losing ground this fight, but we must not give up. We need to pull together to help the less fortunate among us in whatever way possible within our scope of capability and resources.

This is America. This is Wisconsin. Our grit, resolve, and can-do attitude built this state and this country to what it is today. If we increase the amount of time and energy we devote to solving the homelessness problem we can lick it. We need to pull together in a number of ways, whether by supporting our government representatives to devote resources to helping the homeless, patronizing businesses that are working for solutions, volunteering at a shelter or food pantry, or making a monetary donation to one of the service providers.

Whatever you can do, please do. Whatever you can give, please give. Let’s do this!

Patrick Wood, Publisher