Special Event: Emergency Shelter Intake Form

All Emergency Shelter Intake Form events have been canceled. If new dates are rescheduled, updated information will be posted here.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra recognizes the importance of addressing and bringing light to current issues and challenges in our community. Homelessness, eviction, and the lack of affordable housing are of great concern to many. The release of Matthew Desmond’s Evicted shed further light on the eviction crisis in Milwaukee and was one of the inspirations for composer Gabriel Kahane’s emergency shelter intake form. This oratorio-style work tells the story of becoming and confronting homelessness from several angles, culminating in a performance by a choir made up of community members directly touched by homelessness, eviction, or housing insecurity. As we prepare to present this powerful and relevant work, we have partnered with a number of non-profits that work directly to provide both services to those affected by homelessness and to develop long-term solutions to end the pipeline to homelessness in our community.

We invite you to experience the piece live with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, soloists, and community choir on March 28. We also invite you to attend one or more of the pre-concert events during the month prior to the concert to learn more about what’s being done in our city, and what remains to be done to make a greater impact.

 

Community Performance

Saturday, March 28, 2020
North Division High School Auditorium
1011 W. Center Street. Milwaukee, WI 53206

2:30 pm Concert – Doors open at 2:00 pm
Panel Discussion & Talk Back session to follow concert

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Yaniv Dinur, conductor
Alicia Hall Moran, mezzo-soprano
Holland Andrews, Gabriel Kahane, and Holcombe Waller,chorus of inconvenient statistics
Community Chorus, Christopher Crain, director

Tickets are free of charge with an encouraged donation to Community Advocates & their partners. Community Advocates will be the lead agency in the establishment of a new Rental Housing Resource Center this summer—a major intervention in the prevention of eviction in Milwaukee. This center will provide support to both tenants & landlords through coordinating resources, education, services, and advocacy, to both help prevent eviction and assist those in the eviction cycle. You can read more about the needed interventions to prevent Milwaukee evictions and homelessness here.

Go to Community Advocates to donate. Please select Rental Housing Resource Center from the ‘Select the Destination of Your Contribution’ drop down menu when making your donation. Thank you for your generosity and support!

 

Partner Events

Prior to the performance on March 28, there are a number of opportunities for the community to learn more about the issues of homelessness, eviction, and affordable housing in our city. A number of our project community partners will be hosting small ensemble performances at their locations with an opportunity for patrons to learn about their organization and connect more deeply with the issue at hand.

 

February 22 at 2:45 pm
Calvary Baptist Church 

2959 N. Teutonia Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53206

Calvary Baptist Church is an anchor congregation in the North Division Neighborhood, providing key services to local residents such as food, clothing, and senior housing. The congregation is celebrating its 125th anniversary and is the oldest African-American Baptist Church in Milwaukee.

MSO musicians will be performing at the beginning of their monthly community meal. Patrons and community members are invited to attend and share a meal with members of the North Division community, and to learn more about the work that Calvary Baptist does in the community.

 

March 3 at 6:15-7:00 pm tour, 7:00-7:30 pm music
Added: Guest House of Milwaukee 

1216 N. 13th St. Milwaukee, WI 53205

Guest House of Milwaukee’s mission is to provide shelter, housing, education, and services to Milwaukee’s homeless who seek to transform their lives with dignity and purpose.

Come and hear MSO musicians play for the guests and community, take a tour of the facility, and learn about their programs and services that are designed to address the full spectrum of homelessness, including prevention, to shelter, clinical services, permanent housing, and long-term case management.

 

March 11 at 5:30 pm
CommonBond Communities 

Bishop's Creek Apartments
4765 N 32nd St., Milwaukee, WI 53209

CommonBond Communities believes that home is the foundation for everything in life. They provide homes and supportive services for those most in need. Through affordable housing and wrap-around services, they help individuals and families create stability and independence in order to achieve their goals.

MSO musicians will play for residents and guests, and community members will have the opportunity to learn more about CommonBond Communities and their approach to supportive housing.

 

March 25 at 2:00 pm

Community Advocates & the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee 

728 N. James Lovell St. Milwaukee, WI 53233

Community Advocates and the Legal Aid Society are two of the largest organizations supporting families struggling with housing instability. Community Advocates is committed to ensuring that low-income families and individuals in Milwaukee are able to meet their basic needs, providing programs and services that help to prevent crisis.

The Legal Aid Society is a 103-year old public interest law firm and Milwaukee institution that provides free civil legal services to eligible Milwaukee County residents. Legal Aid works to ensure equal justice for all and provides a lawyer and a leg up to Milwaukeeans facing daunting life and legal challenges. It focuses a significant portion of its practice to housing and neighborhood stability, including eviction defense work.

MSO musicians will be performing during the busiest intake time for both agencies. Come and learn more about the services that both of these agencies provide to Milwaukee residents.

 

Project Partners