New donations keep Waukesha's Siena House open

WAUKESHA -- A homeless shelter in Waukesha is getting the opportunity to open its doors for the winter months because of timely donations.

A lack of funding forced the operators of Siena House to shut down the shelter in July. Siena House is considered a last resort for single women and their families.

The recession set off a chain reaction. Federal funding and local donations dropped off which cut the shelter's $190,000 budget in half. And then in recent weeks, different community and private groups stepped up, donating $60,000. That's enough to turn the lights back on at least for six months.
The operators of Siena House hope to double that $60,000 in the coming weeks -- so they can remain open for an entire year. Their mission then would be to establish a steady stream of income.
Siena House will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday for the grand re-opening of the shelter.