Siena House Gets a Facelift
on Apr 22, 2022
Rosemary Becker was a staple at Siena House our short-term emergency shelter for single men for many years. She prepared meals, packaged hygiene kits, helped with laundry, and often just sat and spoke with the guests struggling with homelessness. Rosemary gave of her time as well as annual donations to HHS. In early 2020, she made a significant donation that served as the lead gift in renovating the house where she served. That gift led to additional funding from Waukesha County Community Development Block Grant, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, the Stackner Family Foundation, KPH Construction, and anonymous private donors.
In November, we cut the ribbon on Siena House without Rosemary, who passed away in 2020. A hand-carved and painted sign commemorating “Rosemary’s Kitchen” was unveiled and hung in the kitchen to honor her memory.
Top-to-bottom renovations included the following:
- Complete kitchen and dining area renovation to expand the prep, serving, and storage spaces
- New energy-efficient windows
- New flooring, lighting fixtures, and fresh paint throughout Second-floor bathroom expansion to include three shower stalls, three sinks, and two toilets
- Removal of closets to increase bedroom sizes for guest bunks
- ADA-approved first floor bathroom
Formerly a residential home, Siena House has been transformed to offer dorm-style accommodations and facilities for single adult men on a short-term basis. Guests receive a warm bed, hot meals, and access to services that provide a pathway to stable housing.