Meeting people where they are and providing them with wrap-around services is La Causa’s goal.
La Causa is a comprehensive community service agency that includes a K-8 school, an early education center and a social services division offering wrap-around services, treatment services, occupational therapy, and foster care. The organization first opened its doors in 1972.
Although La Causa is a well-known agency across the city, some of its programs and services are still hidden gems.
Crisis nursery
One of the programs that can fly under the radar is La Causa’s Crisis Nursery and Respite Center.
Larria Benford has been using the crisis nursery for five years.
She initially found out about the crisis nursery through a suicide hotline and has been using it ever since.
“It’s really just an amazing place for me personally, because I don’t have a support system like that,” Benford said. “They keep me kids in emergencies, when I give birth, you know whenever I need support.”
The crisis nursery, a self-referral program, provides short-term care for children. The nursery aims to reduce stress for both parents and children, offering respite care for up to 72 hours every month.
Located at 522 W. Walker St. in Walker’s Point, the center is open 24 hours, seven days a week and has been a community resource for over 30 years.
“A lot of families just don’t have resources to draw up on. They don’t have the grandma or the aunt or the close friend, or, if they do, they may have overused them and worn out their welcome,” said Karl Schoendorf, director of La Causa’s Crisis Nursery & Respite Center. “We want to be that extra step for them, and we want to be there continuously because hard situations aren’t always one and done.”
Parents can use the center in times of crisis like homelessness, domestic violence or medical issues. Or when they need a break during high stress moments as a way to prevent tragedies.
“It’s a break for both the parent and child,” said Schoendorf. “Because the child is stressed out too, so they want to get out of that stress too. We want to take people off that precipice so something bad doesn’t happen.”
Social services
La Causa also has a social services division.
The social services division focuses on mental health, substance use, and co-occurring needs for children, families, young adults, and adults.
Most important, according to Jacob Eisen, the director of the social services, is to address a variety of needs.
“We have to focus on the whole person,” Eisen said.
He said if a person or family the social services division is serving is struggling with heating, then they have to pivot to address that issue first.
For more information
To access any of La Causa’s services you can check its website.
To use the crisis nursery’s services, parents can call 414-902-1620 or visit the nursery location.
Calling and scheduling ahead, if possible, is advised in case the center is at capacity.
The center does not accept foster children or children over 12. View more on its policies here.
How to support La Causa
La Causa hosts fundraisers throughout the year to support its operations, including an annual summer gala.
It accepts donations of money, household supplies, diapers and more.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.
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