Contact: Heidi Fendos, PR Counsel 414.778.0766
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Executive Director may be the title on her business card, however, to those who know MacCanon Brown the term mother is more appropriate for the important role she has with the homeless men and women who frequent Repairers of the Breach day shelter in inner city Milwaukee.
Brown works tirelessly with the homeless, providing a caring smile, a stern talking to when necessary, words of hope, encouragement and inspiration. Just as important, Brown puts a face to the homeless who frequent Repairers of the Breach when she regularly speaks to service organizations throughout Greater Milwaukee.
And in true mother fashion, Brown has been putting the needs of Repairers ahead of her own including delaying a much needed hip replacement surgery until May 19 when her doctors told her she shouldn’t wait any longer. Her reason for delaying the major surgery was that she was hoping to raise the remaining $190,000 left on a $2.2 million building improvement project prior to having to be out for 5 weeks re-cooperating. She didn’t want the shelter’s fundraising momentum to be slowed because of her.
Those who know MacCanon not only love her but are inspired by her. According to Repairers’ Board President, Melita Biese, “MacCanon is such a driving force for positive change in the inner city that our
hope is that we will be able to get 1,900 businesses, good Samaritans and generous Milwaukeeans out there who have met MacCanon and know of the good she is doing for Repairers to donate $100 as a very special ‘get well wish’. If we were to do this we would raise the remaining $190,000 for the building campaign and eliminate one thing on MacCanon’s to do list upon her return. It also a very realistic goal considering how many people MacCanon has touched with her message of hope for Milwaukee.”
Biese also points out that no donation is too small, and 20 people donating just $5 each can even make a difference with this community approach. Checks should be made out to Repairers of the Breach and sent to:
Repairers of the Breach
PO Box 13791
Milwaukee, WI 53213.
Donations can also be made online at http://www.repairers.org/ways_to_give.html.
Information about this special effort will also be sent to past donors in the next two weeks. The hope is that when MacCanon returns to the center in five weeks, the board will be able to present her with a check for the remaining funds for the renovation project.
A project which will add a Microenterprise Center, Job Center, Clothing Donation Store, Laundry Room, Communications Center, Women’s Center, Respite Third Shift Area, Adult Education Center and Spirituality/Meditation Chapel to the facility. Last October, Repairers opened the first phase of this renovation project, a free health care clinic. In the first quarter of 2011 it saw 1,200 patients.
“MacCanon is a modern day Mother Teresa serving inner city Milwaukee,” says Biese. “I just think it would be amazing if we could raise these remaining funds to show her how much we value what she does each day for Repairers and our community. It would also serve as a huge source of inspiration for her so she can take this time to focus on her recovery.”
