Porchlight, Inc. — Local services in Madison

It was a good place to be at where you had people who care about you and no one went unnoticed. You were treated fairly and you were treated with compassion and respect. Im sorry I can't say these things are still in place? Laziness is an exeptable coarse of non action and. Group punishment has replaced accountability for ones actions. We are treated like prisoners and not allowed our dignity or even basic human rights? Staff insults you and even threatens guests. Security is an after thought when staff decides to to bully guests? I have witnessed physical attacks by staff members. Slapping guests, body slamming guests, threatening elderly people and racist remarks by staff members. I am being ignored right to this punish and insult you mentally ill people go unnoticed and soil themselves. This is not a prison and it's not 1933? Every morning I see puddles of urine on the floors and me mentally ill folks are free to urinate and deficate on beds free of will? These people need mental health attention and support for what ales them? All ignored in order to get the biggest head count possible? Not even adult diapers are provided them. Everyone is sick all the time due to filth and uncleanliness that is payed for but doesn't happen? Its all corrupt and we are kicked out if we bring these things to anyone else attention. The only time things are done the right way is while Mackenzie or Ferris are on sight? Soon as they leave we are tormented and mistreated, and laughed at. They lock the women and handicap guests out of the...

I really wanted to believe in Porchlight, Inc. At first glance, Porchlight, Inc. seems like they’re doing important work but when you look a little closer, something just feels off.

They’ve received a lot of public funding, supposedly to build housing and help the homeless get back on their feet. But from what I’ve seen, many of those projects never even got started. The properties are bought, but the buildings sit empty or unfinished. Meanwhile, people are still struggling.

They do place some people in housing, but much of the rent is still covered by state assistance. It feels like the organization is double-dipping without truly investing in the people they claim to serve.

I’ve been personally affected by this system. I came to Porchlight, Inc. during a hard time, hoping for support—but I left feeling more lost than when I arrived. There weren’t enough trained staff, mental health services were basically nonexistent, and the whole experience felt more like a holding pattern than a path forward. Not to mention the fights and dangerous people.

I’m sharing this because I know I’m not the only one. I hope someone with the right resources looks into this and brings some accountability. People...

As a former resident of a Porch Light property in Madison Wisconsin, and as a foreman employee Porch light, I have to say that it was one of the worst experiences that I’ve ever had living in Madison Wisconsin and I’ve been here since 1997. I don’t get me wrong Preston does a hell of a job with the shelter However, the housing side had a terrible housing Director named Sandy. Now I’m not sure if she still works there and that’s neither here nor there just like a lot of other places here in Madison where they talk about not displaying families that’s exactly what Porch light did to my family. Now we live in Waunakee, Wisconsin and, we love the building that we live in but Wicky although it’s great is not Madison where is everything that my family does i.e. my wife works in Madison, my children attend school in Manona, etc. Anyway, I digress the housing side of Porch. Light was great when Dana was in charge. After she left, it just went...