A young man’s journey from addiction to independence “Don’t ever use drugs….they caused me financial, legal, relationship, and emotional problems.” Garret is a 23-year-old resident of the COTS Young Adult Program. He came to COTS after going through treatment for his addiction at The Mooring… Read More
For the last several years, COTS has benefited from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University virtual course. Dave Ramsey is an expert in the field and offers wonderful guidance and advice. One thing that was lacking, however, was the ability to interact with him or someone like him. Now,… Read More
Written by Katie Daw I graduated from UW-Oshkosh in December of 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services. Previously, I worked for Family Training Program, where our goal was keeping families united. I started out at COTS as a volunteer in December of 2014… Read More
“I always get more than I give in these [volunteer] situations,” states Mary Lou McCord, an enthusiastic volunteer at COTS. Mary Lou spent a good portion of her adult life working as a social worker for the Department of Corrections. Before bringing her vast wealth of… Read More
Written by Krista Krueger I graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (UWO) with a degree in Communication, emphasizing in Rhetoric and Public Advocacy. I minored in Social Justice, concentrating on Social Activism and Women and Gender Studies. At UWO, I was a member of Women’s… Read More
Sarah O’Hearn first learned about COTS’ Meal Ministry program when she was looking for Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities for her and her husband. She found the opportunity on our website and knew she had found her calling. “I love it!” she exclaims. “For me, it’s perfect… Read More
Jeremy moved into COTS because, “I was homeless in that I would have wound up on the street.” Jeremy had been in and out of the hospital three times due to his excessive drinking. The third time, he decided to go into treatment at The… Read More
“I was struggling to figure out who I really was,” explains Jake. In his early 20’s, Jake began examining his identity. His family did not support his ultimate decision, and they kicked him out of the house when he was 20. He was able to… Read More
Each year, COTS participates in 91.9/91.5 The Family’s “Help for the Homeless” hygiene drive, and each year, we are absolutely blown away by the tremendous amount of support provided by our neighbors! This year, $157,000 worth of hygiene products was collected through the drive, which is up more… Read More
Written by John Polakowski As COTS’ Aftercare Coordinator, my activities and duties vary from one day to the next and tend to keep me very busy. Thus a typical day includes interaction with current and former residents. I do enjoy making contact and keeping in… Read More