Since 2013, Marquette University has partnered with the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County to host Project Homeless Connect, a national movement focused on ending homelessness.
The annual event that takes place in the Alumni Memorial Union provides a lifeline for hundreds of individuals in need around the Milwaukee metro area.
This year alone, 83 unique cross-sector organizations came together to help people navigate systems to prevent and end homelessness. This includes health checks, haircuts, vision and dental screenings, legal guidance, and access to a variety of basic need items.
“The ‘one-stop-shop’ model of Project Homeless Connect removes that layer of stress and confusion by having as much as we can fit on-site, bringing the resources to where the people are,” says Krystina Kohler, impact manager of United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.
Since the event’s inception in 2009, Marquette student and staff volunteers have been crucial to delivering a personal guest experience. This year, 126 Marquette volunteers signed up and 586 guests accessed services at the event, a 64% increase from 2025. Each guest is paired with a volunteer guest advocate to help them navigate the services provided.
“This is a unique element of Project Homeless Connect that helps break down some misperceptions volunteers might have about homelessness through the stories shared throughout the day between these pairings,” Kohler says.
One of the most in-demand services at their fair is free legal advice on civil and family law questions provided by the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics. Katie Mertz, director for public service, and Maggie Klatt, program assistant in the Office of Public Service Marquette Law School, both at Marquette Law School, have seen the positive impact of the collaboration between the legal clinic and Project Homeless Connect on student volunteers and guests over the years.
“Students see firsthand how the law affects people’s everyday lives and help expand access to legal services for community members who might otherwise face barriers to obtaining assistance,” Mertz says.
“This work demonstrates how the broader Marquette Law School community can make a tangible difference while preparing the next generation of professionals to lead with skill, empathy, and a commitment to service,” Klatt adds.
The fair reflects Marquette’s Jesuit mission by encouraging volunteers to “walk with the excluded,” one of the Jesuits’ Universal Apostolic Preferences. When people take the time to support local community members in need, the impacts can be lifechanging.
Kohler agrees. “Just this year, we had a volunteer reach out to our planning team to tell us that last year she attended the event as a guest experiencing homelessness,” she says. “Now, she is on the other side of the table, having gotten a job at a resource she met on site and after using resources she discovered at the event.”
That volunteer is Maggie Ann Snuggs, who now works at Near West Side Partners where she helps people in her community navigate housing options and connect with resources the same way she was helped a year ago.
“I know firsthand how important it is to have a place where people can come without judgment, ask questions, find resources and simply have someone help them figure out what comes next,” Snuggs says. “Project Homeless Connect gave me some of those connections when I needed them. Now I have the opportunity to help create those same connections for someone else. That is why this event is so personal and meaningful to me.”
Stories like these are what keep volunteers signing up for Project Homeless Connect, continuing the tradition of helping guests receive the resources, support and kindness they deserve. When it comes to getting involved in community service, Kohler says it is all about simply showing up.
“Show up for your community when you can, knowing that the community will be there for you when you need them,” she says.
Learn more about service opportunities through United Way and Marquette.
