Sister Denise Demulling, SDS
Volunteers at Repairers of the Breach

Every Tuesday afternoon Sister Denise Demulling, SDS, visits Repairers of the Breach, Milwaukee’s only daytime homeless shelter. She is a reading teacher/tutor for men and women who are trying to improve their life skills and for jobs. In order to accomplish these goals, they are working to earn their GEDs. When she leaves, many will say, “Will I see you next week?” She happily answers in the affirmative and knows that what she and all the other volunteers are doing does make a difference.

“Reading is wonderful. It opens avenues for these men and women; it builds self-confidence. There is a bonding that occurs between the volunteers and these homeless men and women. When they are at the Repairers of the Breach, they have a warm place to stay during the day, simple meals, there is counseling available, a telephone, and showers. The Shelter provides a safety net and, when the weather is as cold as this winter, it is sometimes a matter of life and death. Area churches and organizations help with sandwiches and soups,” she explained.

MacCanon Brown, Executive Director of Repairers of the Breach explains. “On average, 150 homeless women and men visit the Center each day searching for some guidance and support. Because of the severity of this winter, the Shelter has been open thirty-one nights when the wind chill reached 10 degrees or below. We would have anywhere from 15 to 55 guests. Our volunteers and donors provide a constellation of resources but also aid our members’ emotional healing. Each week we see the success of our efforts as members obtain employment and housing, enter recovery programs, reunite with family members—each step bringing us closer to our vision where homelessness does not exist. The volunteers help our members to claim their own solutions and offer hope in the process. Sister Denise typifies many of our volunteers because she brings a spirit of compassion and solidarity to the homeless she meets.”

This March, a medical clinic will open its doors next door to the Shelter. Every Wednesday afternoon, Milwaukee School of Engineering nurrsing students will be available, and on Friday afternoons, students from the Medical School of Wisconsin will provide services.

When you enter the Center at 1335 Vliet Street, there is a large living room with couches and chairs on the first floor and a small serving space for meals. The downstairs level is set up with tables and as a classroom for tutoring and teaching. “Each person is tested when they first come, so we know what level they are at,” Sister Denise said.

Sister Denise’s first visit to the Shelter involved delivering donations of needed items such as towels, jackets and blankets. She saw men and women, young and old with practically nothing and wondered, “How can I help?” She had been looking for an opportunity to help others directly and could not imagine a group that needed her attention more. Sister Denise’s earlier ministries included teaching in Maryland, Maine, Wisconsin and Minnesota Catholic elementary schools. Then she was a teacher and advocate for the hearing impaired through the CESA (Cooperative Educational Service Agency) in the Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin region; and as Activities Director at St. Anne’s Salvatorian Campus, Milwaukee.