The LEAVEN office in Menasha. May 19, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
FOX VALLEY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Rising costs are hitting families across Northeast Wisconsin hard.
Amid skyrocketing gas prices, more and more Fox Valley residents are seeking support.
LEAVEN helps bridge financial gaps for struggling families in the region. Community Engagement Director Kiara West said they are seeing a surge in requests for emergency assistance to cover rent.
“A lot of people wouldn’t know that the busiest season at LEAVEN is the summer, because people can get evicted more quickly and their utilities get connected more quickly in the winter months in Wisconsin,” she explained. “They’re losing their utilities, the kids are home for the summer and that increases a lot of costs for parents because they eat more, they’re using more electricity.”
LEAVEN provides services to Calumet, Outagamie and northeastern Winnebago counties. The group provided over $1 million in assistance last year and helped more than 11,000 people bridge financial gaps. That equates to around 3,000 households. This year, it expects to serve even more.
West said the major increase in gas prices is exactly what they work to bridge gaps for.
“That amount of money that you might put aside for a week to get to your job is not getting you as far, so people can come to LEAVEN and we can help then with a portion of that,” she said.
With the continued need for affordable housing in the Fox Valley, LEAVEN wants to make sure those in need aren’t losing a place to sleep.
“We really want to meet people where they’re at before they lose that housing and that preventive opportunity to come to LEAVEN and talk about that before you get evicted, before you get disconnected. But it is hard in this market,” said West.
With what appears to be another busy summer ahead, LEAVEN is celebrating 40 years of helping the community bridge financial gaps.
“The need is there. We’re doing some things this year to celebrate that and raise awareness,” West said.
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