Thursday is Match Day, a day several Waukesha non-profits hope to raise money to help homeless residents, a number one group has seen multiply.
Hope Center provides clothing and meals, along with rent assistance and a place to stay temporarily. Executive Director Ralph Zick estimates that more than 2,000 families in Waukesha are homeless.
"Five years ago, my partner and I, Roy, moved into this operation and of the programs that existed then, all of them have grown either five to 10 times in size and service ability, so there's been a huge increase," Zick says.
Zick says perhaps he’s noticing more people in crises, because more are learning about Hope Center and turning to it, for help.
"But, I would tell you that there's more and more new faces that have been just caught up in the economic decline and it's now hit them, and they're seeking assistance," Zick says.
Zick says he's also seeing more young adults needing basic necessities - people ages 18 to 25.
"What we can tell is that they're more troubled individuals. They may have seen or talked to other people who have sent them here, saying, 'here's a place where you can go and get some help, so that you'll at least have some comforts in life.' But, I can't give you a definitive answer as to why they're here. Generally speaking, they have some past, that has created a problem," Zick says.
Zick says Hope Center needs funds from Match Day, to continue serving the line of people at the door.