About Us
Mission & Vision
WayForward Resources brings our community together to create food and housing security through action and advocacy. Our vision is a community where everyone has the stability to thrive.
Thanks to generous community support and partnership, we serve more than 5,000 people in our community each year. We provide access to nutritious food and support that allows people to stay in their homes. Our case managers partner with clients to solve immediate needs and work toward their long-term goals.
Our Mission
Food Security
- Our food pantry is open to all Dane County residents.
- People can access the pantry as often as they need, five days a week.
- We also provide food to families and individuals through deliveries, mobile food pantries and partnerships with the Middleton-Cross Plains School District.
Housing Stability
- Our service area for housing programs includes Middleton, Cross Plains and west Madison.
- We provide case management, referrals, and housing stability assistance.
- Our housing stability programs focus on providing critical support to keep families in their homes so they avoid the trauma of homelessness.
- Our Connections program works with families in doubled-up living situations to locate and move into their own housing.
Other Programs
- Our seasonal programs – including Back to School and Winter Wishes holiday gift cards – help alleviate financial stress so families can focus on paying rent.
- Our Seniors Program provides ride and chore assistance.
Our Values
Organizational Values
- Dignity – We respect the inherent worth and agency of every individual and work to treat everyone fairly, consistently and confidentially, without condition. Our shared humanity makes us responsible for doing this work.
- Social Justice – Stable housing and food security are human rights. What we eat, where we live and our connection to our community are key determinants of overall well-being and health, so we focus on providing ample access to these resources.
- Racial Equity – Racial inequities affect access to food and housing security. We strive to reduce these inequities through our work and through community collaborations.
- Hope – We foster a sense of optimism for the future by providing compassionate support today and the stability needed to thrive tomorrow.
Operational Values
- Creativity – We seek innovative solutions to immediate needs, looking beyond the traditional models of our food and housing security systems.
- Advocacy – We advocate for the needs of those we serve as well as seek opportunities to create transformative solutions to systems that prevent food and housing equality. We honor the experiences of those we serve and seek to amplify their voices.
- Inclusion – We are strongest when we invite in all and break down barriers for participation. We desire our entire community to be a part of our mission.
- Collaboration – We cannot create change alone. We must work together and collaborate in order to make the greatest impact.
- Accountability – Everything we do is honest and trustworthy. We are committed to the highest level of accountability and transparency and use the gifts of our community to make the greatest impact. We utilize data and research to inform best practices in our work.