MILWAUKEE – Bridging a gap and helping those in need of shelter, a Milwaukee church is opening up its doors for the homeless each Sunday this winter.

Many shelters close for part of the day. Pastor Janice Bond is opening her church to give people a warm place to go this winter.

“We just have a blessed time in the Lord,” Bond said.

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At 15th and Wright, she is following in her father’s footsteps.

The pews are usually filled with a lot of familiar faces, but Pastor Bond is hoping that changes. She’s started what’s called “Survival Sundays,” inviting those in need of shelter into the church.

“I want to be a light to the city,” Bond said. “I love helping people in any way that I can.”

This past Sunday was the kick-off. Two dozen people showed up for food, prayer and warmth from 8:30 A.M. until the early evening.

Church leaders learned Sundays have some of the greatest needs.

“We’re trying to bridge that gap and open that door and say come on in, have a good time,” Pastor Montrell Taylor said. “We’re really just here to do ministry and to serve the needs of the people.”

Pastor Bond wants to help as many as she can, hopeful her mission will spread. 

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“We need more love in Milwaukee, and we need to care more about one another,” she said.

Survival Sundays will continue through the winter.

Bond said depending on the need and the weather, they may expand to more days of the week.

Those interested in donating can do so through Pastor Bond at 414-499-5028.

MILWAUKEE – Preliminary Milwaukee Police Department data for 2024 shows homicides dropped for a second year in a row but are still up from pre-pandemic numbers.

According to MPD, the number of homicides dropped by nearly a quarter, from 172 in 2023 to 131 in 2024. The city saw a record number of homicides in 2022.

• 2019: 97
• 2020: 190
• 2021: 193
• 2022: 215
• 2023: 172
• 2024: 131

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MPD crime data for 2024 also showed non-fatal shootings were down about a quarter, while carjackings were up 11%. Totals for 2024 are as of Sunday, Dec. 29 and can change as cases are investigated.

Homicide review

The Medical College of Wisconsin’s Constance Kostelac leads the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission.

“Any life that is lost is too many lives lost, but the trend that we are seeing is an encouraging trend compared with what we’ve seen for a number of years,” she said.

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The commission’s review of 116 homicides, up to November 2024, found: 

• 81% of the victims were black, 17% were white; one victim was American Indian, one was Asian
• 85% of victims were male, about 15% were female
• 17 victims were 17 years old or younger; 40 victims were 18-29 years old; 21 victims were 30-39 years old; 26 victims were 40 to 49 years old; 12 victims were 50 years old or older
• 81% of suspects were black, about 17% were white; one suspect was American Indian, one was Asian
• 92% of suspects were male, roughly 8% were female
• About 44% of victims knew the killer, about 31% were strangers

2024 Milwaukee homicide scene

The Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission found the most common cause of a homicide was shootings; guns were used in 90% of homicides.

“We are seeing more concentrated and collaborative efforts happening across different both government and community-based organizations,” said Kostelac. “We always want to be careful not to stigmatize areas, but there’s been concentrated efforts in some of the neighborhoods and parts of the city that have been historically disproportionately impacted, and we are seeing a bigger drop in those areas than what we are seeing citywide.”

What’s next

After lost lives and snuffed out dreams, a new year gives the city a chance for a new start.

“Continuing to focus on youth gun violence and ways to reach young people in a way to resonate with them to talk about peace,” Kostelac said. “Continuing to focus on how do we reach young men that may be at risk of involvement in violence or may have had prior experience with violence, which is the focus of many of the community-based programs, that’s a very important connection to make.”