Pillars annual report highlights winter overflow, staffing challenges

APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) - Thursday morning, Pillars, an organization that provides shelter to homeless people in the Fox Valley, gave its annual report to the community. The report includes both challenges and highlights the organization experienced in the past year.

Some of the highlights included the winter overflow shelter, which helped folks find shelter during colder months of the year, and a 7-day service program.

Some of the challenges included staff turnover rates and increasing wages. Executive Director Lisa Strandberg said the 12-month turnover rate was as high as 75% in the middle of last year.

Strandberg says Pillars increased wages. It received help from COVID funding, but it forces Pillars to operate with a deficit.

“But the good news is with that step change in wages, we’ve been able to turn the tide and most recently were down at about 49%, which is a significant shift,” Strandberg said. “And I have to tell you, it is so great to walk into a facility and see the same smiling faces week after week and month after month -- and that is important to me but it’s even more important to our clients to see those same smiling faces day after day, week after week, month after month.”

Pillars hopes community investment will help put the organization back in the black.

“Our community engagement team is hard at work to inspire that investment, particularly from the many hundreds of folks who made their first gift during COVID. We hope you’ll partner with us to encourage investment and fair compensation that’s sustainable,” Strandberg said.

The organization says it has goals for the next 3-5 years, including expanding affordable housing in the community and balancing its staffing issues.

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