The Road Home helps find solutions to homelessness with help from Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation grant

The PGA TOUR Champions American Family Insurance Championship raised a record $2.5 million in 2024. The Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation continues to make an impact in our communities, distributing $19.7 million via grants to 1,010 charitable organizations since 2016. As we lead up to the 2025 event, we highlight one of those organizations and the important work they do.

 

Homelessness puts incredible stress and pressure on families, especially those with young children, and puts them at great physical, emotional and developmental disadvantage. Affordable housing is a way to help combat the problem of homelessness, and the city of Madison, Wisconsin has provided funding to make affordable units available. In addition, organizations like The Road Home Dane County, a nonprofit that works with families – not only to relieve the immediate crisis of homelessness, but also to build skills, resources and relationships that set the stage for long-term success – has established itself as a major contributor to helping individuals and families find essential housing.

 

In 2024, homelessness increased slightly in Dane County, but a silver lining was the decline in the number of homeless families. Since 2010 there’s been success, with a 25% decrease in homeless families. However, Dane County still has a critical shortage of affordable housing, continuing to push vulnerable families out of housing, leading to a risk of homelessness. Today it’s estimated between 7,000 and 27,000 people need affordable housing than there are housing units available.

 

Critical services for families in jeopardy

The Road Home Dane County has been serving families since 1999. The organization offers numerous programs, including housing options as well as other services with the goal of providing a path to long-term stability.

 

According to The Road Home Development Director Meghan Salzwedel, each year they help more than 250 families (and more than 500 children), transition into housing and other services. They also work to bring about overall change in the community that aligns with their goals.

 

Housing
Rapid housing programs help families who are facing a short-term crisis and need housing as quickly as possible. Permanent supportive housing programs address chronic homelessness and significant barriers and include vouchers and partnerships with various apartment complexes that offer affordable rent based on income.

 

Supportive services
Supportive services meet each family’s needs whatever their current immediate situation is and look to provide resources that lead to success in the future. They include:

 

Housing advocacy/case managers meet regularly with families and cover topics such as employment, education, mental and physical health and securing basic needs.

 

Skill-building, such as creating a resume, budgeting and completing job applications.

 

Other services. Contribute to a family’s long-term success and include education support, screening and assessments, diagnostic evaluations and mental health services.

 

The Road Home also provides case management for community partner Healing House, a unique recuperative care facility for homeless families. It provides a safe place for families when someone needs to prepare for or recover from a medical treatment, hospitalization or other procedures.

 

Community change

To affect community change, The Road Home works with other agencies to coordinate approaches and address issues from a larger lens.

 

This can mean serving on boards, working with government and other agencies to create housing opportunities, studying best practices on effective methods for addressing homelessness, providing opportunities for volunteers and donors, building awareness and education through presentations, facility tours and other events, and working to fight injustices that exacerbate racial housing disparities.

 

Foundation grant has important impact

Salzwedel expressed gratitude for the support of the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation.

 

“The grant from the Foundation has made a powerful impact, supporting case management for 12 adults and 28 children in our housing program at the Tailor Place Apartments on Madison’s west side,” Salzwedel said.

 

“Thanks to this support, families have transitioned from homelessness to safe, stable and affordable housing,” she said. “Once enrolled in the program, each family partners closely with the on-site Housing Advocate (case manager) to set self-determined goals in areas such as employment, education and financial mobility, with the ultimate goal of empowering families to achieve financial independence and long-term self-sufficiency.”

 

Learn more
To learn more about The Road Home, their mission and programs, visit their website.

 

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Media contact:
Janet Masters, Media Relations
[email protected]
608-438-4317

 

About Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation
Established in 2013 when Steve Stricker became a brand ambassador for American Family Insurance, the mission of the foundation is to inspire and develop strong families and healthy kids so they can pursue their dreams. The foundation supports organizations that produce tangible outcomes that align with this mission. Web: https://amfamchampionship.com/foundation-amfam-champ-grants-scholarship/; X: @StrickerFNDN

 

About the American Family Insurance Championship
The American Family Insurance Championship was created in 2016 by American Family Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions and PGA TOUR player and Wisconsin native Steve Stricker. Since its inception, the championship and associated events have raised $19.7 million for the American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities. The 2025 championship will be held June 2-8, with tournament play
June 6-8, for the first time at TPC Wisconsin in Madison. For more information: Web: www.amfamchampionship.com; X: @AmFamChampionship; Facebook: American Family Insurance Championship; Instagram: amfamchampionship; TikTok: @AmFamChampionship. #AmFamChamp