What We Do

Beacon House

The Beacon House shelter, located at 309 East Lake Street, in downtown Eau Claire, can house up to six families at a time, and provides immediate relief for families without a place to stay by giving them short-term shelter and allowing them time to get their feet back on the ground.

Families may stay at the Beacon House for up to 30 days. During their stay they work with our in-house case manager(s) to assess and remove some of the hurdles that have contributed to their homelessness. Family members participate in programs, both within Beacon House and with our external community partners, to set goals and create a guideline of what needs to be accomplished in order for their family to transition into permanent housing again. This includes programs relating to employment, education, and finance management. While initial stays at Beacon House are for a 30-day period, extensions can be granted if families are working on their goals and need additional time to be successful in accomplishing their goals.

Beacon House is supported by volunteers from over 20 area congregations that make up the Interfaith Hospitality Network. This network of volunteers provides the weekly groceries and evening meal for our families.

Case Management

All families receive case management services aimed at empowering them to achieve housing independence. These services go beyond merely addressing immediate needs. We focus on fostering long-term stability and independence, working collaboratively with families to develop personalized action plans, and setting achievable goals. Through our compassionate and empowering approach, we aim to uplift families, break the cycle of homelessness, and enable a brighter future for all.

Transitional Housing

Established in 2010, our two-unit duplex serves as a steppingstone for families as they transition from Beacon House back into permanent housing. The duplex can house two families at a time, and tenants’ transition into this facility directly from Beacon House after securing employment and completing other objectives. Transition into this facility helps ease the move back into permanent housing, as tenants pay a percentage of their income while living here. While living at the transitional duplex case management services are still provided, to ensure families are achieving their previously set goals.

Rapid Rehousing

Moving people from the Beacon House shelter into permanent housing as quickly as possible has long been the goal of Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley. We work very closely with the Housing and Urban Development agency (HUD) and their various rehousing programs to help secure permanent housing for our guests. This includes monies from the Rapid Rehousing program. As its name indicates, rapid rehousing quickly connects families experiencing homelessness to permanent housing through a tailored package of assistance that includes the use of time-limited financial assistance and targeted supportive services. This program is available to the community and guests that qualify. These financial and supportive services are used for things such as security deposits and rental assistance, among other things.