Local Non Profit Expanding to Serve More Veterans

Recently, DryHootch announced that it will be adding two new locations to serve Wisconsin veterans.

Dryhootch is a nonprofit organization that was started in 2008 by a group of Vietnam veterans who understood the challenges of returning from service and reintegrating into civilian life. The organization started by selling coffee and in 2010, they found a permanent location for a coffee house at 1030 East Brady Street on Milwaukee’s east side. The venue provides a safe, sober, place for Veterans to congregate.

In Madison, DryHootch has created the Veterans Welcome Resource Center in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, The Gialamas Company, Edgewood College and the Edgewood College Family Center.

The Center provides a community-based resource with a blend of programs and services to support Wisconsin’s veterans and their families. The Center is expected to open this spring at 8025 Excelsior Drive on Madison’s west side, in the Old Sauk Trails Business Park.

Additionally, plans are underway for a second Milwaukee location to supplement the existing space on Brady Street. The new location, across the street from the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center on National Avenue, will provide easier access for veterans that frequent the VA grounds.

DryHootch is referring to the National Avenue Milwaukee location as their first forward operating base (FOB), a military term for a base that houses several soldiers in a forward location. It will not have a full coffee shop and due to its smaller size, it will primarily be used as a space for peer support group meetings and social activities.

Dryhootch offers peer-to-peer support to veterans of all eras to be able to safely and confidentially talk about issues such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use issues, family issues, jobs, and benefits. Dryhootch also provides Veteran Peers who can assist those with legal or criminal issues. They have a wide range of resources that can assist vets facing housing issues, homelessness, jobs, or educational needs.

This article appeared in our April 2012 newsletter. To see other articles from our April newsletter, please click here.