Joe's Sleeping Bag Ministry
Joe’s Sleeping Bag Ministry was proposed to help the homeless in our inner city of Milwaukee. It came to life in 2002 after Joe Herkert realized such a need while volunteering at Milwaukee’s Repairers for The Breach.
Many of the people that are homeless are Veterans. Since Joe was a Veteran himself, it made sense to start helping them. Joe, a member of Advent Church, brought an awareness of the need to the congregation, and they responded. The first year he was able to raise enough money to donate 40 sleeping bags.
Each year since then, the number of sleeping bags purchased or donated, and given away, has grown.
Since Joe’s passing in 2014, we have continued to share the mission and awareness to Advent and other churches, local clubs, and individuals in the community. Their response has expanded the opportunity to help, and now we give 600 sleeping bags per year.
We continue to donate through Repairers of the Breach, Cross Lutheran Church, and Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge every November to help deal with the cold Wisconsin weather.
We are always in need of donations throughout the year in the form of money or gently used sleeping bags.
Each bag purchased cost around $20. We are able to buy them at cost from a loyal supporter at Beyer’s True Value in Cedarburg.
For more information including how and where to donate, click here.