MILWAUKEE — John Tatum knows what it's like not knowing where his next meal is coming from or when he'll get in his next shower.
"I know what it's like to be homeless, I know how it is," Tatum said.
Tatum shared that he ended up experiencing homelessness following the death of his mother and battling alcoholism.
For him, things changed when he came to United Way's Project Homeless Connect resource event.
"When I came [to Project Homeless Connect], I don't know what the people here were going to expect of me or how they were going to perceive me. But I felt the love. And the resources that they gave me was just incredible," Tatum said.
The resources he was connected to included things like housing, dental work and basic hygiene supplies. That was several years ago. For the last seven years, he's been a volunteer at the event.
"I wanted to giveback because that's my way of paying forward," Tatum said.
Dozens of organizations showed up to the event on Thursday, from health resources, to legal aid and even haircuts. Hundreds of community members were able to connect with those resources.
While the event happens just once a year, United Way is helping people 24/7/365. Going into the winter months, people who want to make a difference in our community are needed more than ever.
"They can go to the United Way website, we have a volunteer link right at the top. They can say I'm interested in supporting those experiencing homelessness and we'll send you links to like 100 different organizations in our community where you can very tangibly help people," said Krystina Kohler with United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.
John Tatum knows that help goes a long way.
"I think if we come together as a whole and just focus on the need of the people then we will be a better city," Tatum said.
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