Public commenters say outreach helped more than 40 people, nearly 30 into permanent housing in Green Bay

Two public commenters described street-level outreach efforts in Green Bay that they said have produced "over 40 successful outcomes" and "now it's close to 30 permanently housed."

The first commenter, identified in the transcript as a public commenter, said they struggled with addiction in their twenties and thirties and completed treatment at the Jackie Nitschke Center before moving into sober living and later work in the nonprofit sector. "I'm a Jackie Nitschke Center alumni," the commenter said, describing that background as the basis for outreach work.

The second commenter, identified as a resident, said they also experienced poverty and family mental-health challenges. The resident described how outreach workers make contact in public spaces and accompany people to appointments: "We ... go anywhere from, just walking into a park to make a new contact, going under a bridge, to going to a doctor's appointment with an elderly person, to help advocate for that."

Both speakers framed their work as relationship-driven and trauma-informed. The public commenter said the approach is not about judging people but about recognizing trauma and offering pathways toward healing. "We really see the 1 on 1 relationship being the most effective tool to get somebody through to the next step," they said.

The commenters described helping elderly neighbors who are living on the street and lack advocates, saying that outreach often involves acting like a family member to help people navigate unfamiliar systems. The resident said, "Pete and I find ourselves kind of filling the role of a family member trying to help them navigate a system that's so unfamiliar to them."

When asked rhetorically how to "fix homelessness," the resident said there is no simple, single answer and emphasized individualized responses: "I have to meet the person that's experiencing homelessness for me to give you that answer." The public commenter added that people generally want housing but often need coaching and strong daily support to reach and maintain stability.

Both speakers also praised Green Bay's nonprofit network and community supports, saying the city's environment allows outreach workers to build relationships across agencies and connect people to appropriate services. The comments in the transcript did not include formal motions, votes or policy proposals.

The statements and outcome counts are claims made by the speakers in their remarks and were not independently verified in the transcript.