43-year-old Evan came to COTS in May of 2016. He applied at COTS thinking it would be temporary, since he had some money saved up from previous employment. However, once connected with Partnership Community Health Center’s satellite clinic at COTS, Evan found out that he… Read More
A young adult resident is motivated to move his life forward 23-year-old Jake slept on his aunt’s couch in her basement for six months before he moved into COTS. He knew he needed a stable place to get his life on track. “I wasn’t moving… Read More
“They don’t teach this in high school. If we can teach [residents] to manage their money, we can reduce their stress so if–really when– bad things happen, they don’t resort to bad habits. The chance of a positive outcome is a lot higher,” says Pete… Read More
A resident’s journey toward independent living “I was homeless, I was in trouble with the law and had very limited resources,” recalls 75-year-old Jason while reflecting on his time before COTS. After a stint in jail, Jason was left with only his clothing and a… Read More
On Tuesday, July 19th, we held our monthly resident community dinner in combination with our first-ever “healthy hour,” featuring a special guest presentation by Julia Garvey and Trish Sarvela from Partnership Community Health Center. While enjoying a delicious meal that they prepared themselves, residents were… Read More
COTS resident furthers her life while giving back “I heard there was a lot of help here,” says Eleanor of her decision to apply to COTS. Eleanor heard about COTS while living in Appleton, but didn’t apply until it was time for her release from… Read More
Forty-eight-year-old Jake has struggled with bipolar disorder and anxiety for much of his life. When his father passed away, alcohol became his coping mechanism. Due to Jake’s heavy drinking habits, he lost his job of seven years, which later led to the loss of his… Read More
54-year-old Tom, a referral to COTS from Homeless Connections, decided living paycheck to paycheck was not helping him have a better life. For Tom, “budgeting is a big factor and goal in starting over.” The “structure” at COTS allows Tom to learn and apply valuable lessons… Read More
Resident of Veterans’ Program finds happiness and purpose Michael’s life changed when he hit a semi at 70 miles per hour. He was paralyzed from the neck down for 5 weeks. Due to the accident, Michael had to give up his 20-year welding career. After… Read More
Future paralegal gets her life on track “I was kind of stuck,” Beth explains of her reasons for coming to COTS. Beth spent the last 12 years of her life caring for her parents while working. When her father became sick two years ago, her… Read More