Milwaukee Tool Library saved by public fundraising campaign

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee nonprofit that was on the brink of closing says the public stepped in to help keep its doors open.

What we know:

The Milwaukee Tool Library, near Keefe and Weil, has allowed people to sign up and borrow tools and equipment for free since 2021.

Evan Maruszewski, director of operations at the Milwaukee Tool Library, said the organization has largely flown under the radar.

The tools are donated by the public, and the organization sustains itself by operating a small print shop.

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But when the printer recently broke and the organization was hit with a large utility bill, Maruszewski said the team faced a problem none of its tools could fix.

"We have sort of two options, we can either start a GoFundMe cross our fingers and hope, or we can close," Maruszewski said.

The nonprofit chose the online fundraising tool.

What they're saying:

Maruszewski said the GoFundMe reached nearly its entire goal in just a couple of days and helped keep the Milwaukee Tool Library open. He said the number of people using the organization also doubled this month, a sign he believes shows its value to the community.

"I attribute the success of this fundraising campaign to the generosity of Milwaukeeans and how deeply they believe in their city," Maruszewski said.

The Milwaukee Tool Library allows people to borrow equipment for home projects and improvement work.

"We do the stuff that you would need to build projects at home, maybe work on some improvement projects at home," Maruszewski said.

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Dig deeper:

The organization said it recently started offering a monthly series of volunteer and workshop events.

It hopes to host free sessions where people can learn about different tools and equipment.

What you can do:

Those interested in contributing to the GoFundMe can do so here.