BARABOO, Wis. — A Sauk County woman has dedicated herself to supporting families and individuals within an often invisible population.
Michele Feld, a retired Baraboo Schools speech pathologist, works tirelessly as a volunteer at Pathway Home, the only homeless shelter in Sauk County.
“If there’s things that need to be done, I’ll do my best to work with everybody and get it done and make things better,” she said.
Her efforts include everything from cleaning and organizing the shelter to so much more. She said she makes sure that residents have a safe and welcoming environment.
Father Dave Mowers, one of the founding members of Pathway Home, said Feld’s contributions have been essential.
“People like Michele are just gold. When they say this is going to get taken care of, it’s going to,” he said.
Feld said through her work in the local school system, she started to realize the extent of homelessness in the area.
“I can’t tell you how many home visits I did where families were either living at a relative’s place or staying in hotels. That was very shocking to me. But it was also eye-opening. So I knew this was something I needed to pursue,” Feld said.
Pathway Home opened four years ago in response to the growing need for shelter. It currently operates out of a former assisted living facilitiy but is looking to expand. Since its inception, the shelter has assisted hundreds of individuals and families in transitioning to stable living situations.
Mowers said it still wasn’t enough.
“Given four years, that’s one new homeless person a week in a town this size. And that’s not even all the need that there is,” he said.
It’s the reason Feld also dedicates hours each week to fundraising for the shelter.
Jeff Cleveland, a former resident who now serves as a site coordinator, said he was grateful for Feld’s impact.
“There is a need. Let’s not get involved in who did what or what’s right or what’s wrong. Let’s simply take care of the need,” he said.
Feld said her work as a volunteer has brought her joy and lots of fulfillment.
“It makes my heart full,” she said. “I mean, to see a number of our clients that have been successful, and now you see them out in the community doing well, being independent, having a place to live, having a job, and taking care of their families. It’s just been a joy.”
