MILWAUKEE — Nearly two weeks after historic flooding swamped basements and displaced families, Team Rubicon volunteers are clearing debris at homes across Milwaukee.
For Jessica Janz-McKnight, whose home in the Old North Milwaukee neighborhood was filled with nearly two feet of water, the damage was overwhelming.
“Every day felt like Mount Everest,” she said. “Water had drained out, but what we were left with was a disaster.”
Her concerns went beyond ruined belongings. With sewage backing up and mold setting in, she feared for her family’s safety. Insurance covered only a fraction of the damage.
“Those are the things that keep you up stressed because even if I get all other items replaced, ultimately I want to have a safe home,” Janz-McKnight said.
She called 211 for help. A week later, Team Rubicon phoned her back. Within days, a crew in grey shirts arrived to remove drywall and haul debris.
“I didn’t think anything would come back from it,” she said. “Two days later, they showed up. It gives me hope.”
According to their website, Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves communities before, during, and after disasters.
In Milwaukee County, volunteers have already worked on approximately 25 homes, assisting with debris removal, as well as repairing damaged carpet and drywall caused by floodwaters, at no cost to residents.
“We respond to disasters across the country and often focus on communities with high social vulnerability,” said Charles Hofung, Team Rubicon’s Eastern Wisconsin administrator. “To respond here, in my own community, feels fulfilling personally.”
Hofung lives in Waukesha County and has taken part in other deployments. He said this one stands out because the need is local.
“A lot of people at this stage have run out of resources to get help. Just today, we completed three homes, and all of these homeowners were by themselves with no other resources,” he said.
For Janz-McKnight, the help has lifted some of the weight.
“They don’t know me from a can of paint. They don’t have any skin in this game,” she said. “Having someone show up, without a motive — it’s beautiful.”
Jessica has created a GoFundMe to help tackle mold and rebuild.
Team Rubicon encourages residents in need to call 2-1-1. If you’d like to volunteer, you can visit teamrubiconusa.org.
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