Grant Stories

In April 2023, Dwight arrived at the Day By Day Shelter at a crossroads, facing homelessness and searching for stability. Referred by the Oshkosh Police Department, he was struggling—but with the support of our community and your generosity, Dwight’s path would soon change for the better.

Denise Holtz, Assistant Director at Day By Day, recalls those early days, “We’d walk him over some nights to make sure he had a safe place to sleep. Without that bed, he might not have survived outside.

While at the shelter, Dwight participated in the Guest Employment Program. Launched in 2023 with the help of a grant from the Community Impact Fund at your Community Foundation, this initiative allows guests to earn income and job skills by working in various roles at the shelter, including janitorial, donation coordination, and kitchen assistance. This experience helped Dwight build a foundation, opening doors for his next steps.

After gaining stability at Day By Day, Dwight moved to Oshkosh COTS’ transitional housing. In 2021, your Community Foundation purchased the building that is now home to COTS, Inc. to help address gaps in the housing continuum related to transitional shelter. At COTS, Dwight excelled, contributing over 1,000 hours of service by painting, repairing, and becoming a role model to others in the community. In July 2024, he celebrated a major milestone: moving into his own apartment. Today, Dwight continues to inspire, working part-time in maintenance at Day By Day, where he gives back to the shelter that helped him rebuild.

“Being able to have a place—it’s my own,” Dwight shares. “I’m glad I made the change, and I don’t want to go back there at all.”

This is more than a story of one person’s resilience—it’s the story of Oshkosh’s continuum of care and the transformative power of community. Thanks to the commitment of our fund holders and donors, your Community Foundation is able to partner with organizations like Day By Day and COTS, providing critical support for individuals striving for brighter futures. Together, we are building stronger communities, one journey at a time.