Community Advocates, Inc.

Community Advocates was established in September 1976 as a general advocacy agency serving low income Milwaukeeans. Three volunteers founded the agency with the vision of providing fundamental assistance and information to Milwaukee’s low-income and disadvantaged populations. Those three volunteers began by resolving landlord-tenant disputes, preventing utility shutoffs, offering basic budget advice, representing customers in applications and appeals to bureaucracies and assisting individuals and families with healthcare and other consumer problems.  Thirty-seven years later, the agency now has a paid staff of 125, but the vision remains the same.

The agency has evolved from dealing primarily with those in crisis to providing programs and services that help prevent the crisis.  Because of our proven hands-on, grass roots approach—one that remains as vital as ever—CA works with clients and the community to identify problems and needs and then find and design solutions to meet those needs.  Community Advocates identifies internal and external gaps in programs and services, pinpoints systemic barriers to accessing those programs and services, and effects change to better serve our clients and the community as a whole.  Whether there is a need for safe, affordable housing, services for individuals experiencing chronic mentally illness, or quality health care for all, CA has addressed these needs with effective, innovative programs and services that work.

Community Advocates has also been a major contributor in the development of collaborative networks which address social issues including homelessness, child abuse and neglect, and health care access.  The networks have taken a broader systemic advocacy approach to dealing with each issue. Two significant outcomes resulting from the development of these networks have been greater collaboration and coordination between community-based organizations and bureaucracies, and an increased amount of community resources to deal with these issues. This reflects our belief that advocacy is more than helping families and individuals: it is also about building a community that can support those families and individuals.

Today, Community Advocates has over 50 programs designed to ensure that all families or individuals are able to meet basic needs. The agency provides a continuum of services that allows us to fill gaps in service for the community wherever and whenever the need arises. Our programs assist individuals and families in crisis situations, move them out of that situation and provide means to prevent a similar crisis in the future. The strategies used include one-on-one advocacy, case-management, representation, information/referral, crisis intervention, education, systems advocacy and coalition building.

Community Advocates major accomplishments include the creation of innovative programs, collaborative networks, and national, state, county and local recognition of agency programs and activities