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St. Ben’s

All are welcome at the table at St. Ben’s, where the community emulates the Gospel call to love of neighbor. More than a nightly meal, the Open Door Ministry at St. Ben’s offers showers, laundry, emergency clothing and hygiene items, social workers, community court and much more. During winter, the St. Ben’s Winter Warming Center is Milwaukee’s largest seasonal overnight shelter with dignified accomodations for 60 individuals.

Offerings

Community Meal

Since 1970, rotating sponsor groups prepare a fresh meal five nights a week, and a weekly takeaway meal.

Shower Program

View of one of the ADA-accessible showers at St. Ben's.

Living on the streets robs people of their God-given dignity. A hot shower and change of clothes helps restore it.

Laundry

Armondo Diaz assists a guest with the laundry machines at St. Ben's.

Without a home, neighbors living on the streets need a place to launder their clothes and bedding.

Barber Shop

The sign on the wall at St. Ben's for the Barber Shop in all capital letters and also printed in Braille.

A free haircut helps those living in extreme poverty avoid the expense of a haircut.

 
 
Social Workers

A social worker assists a guest with getting their birth certificate.

Social workers assist guests with their longer-term goals to find ways out of poverty..

Free Clinic

A nurse at Ascension St. Ben's Clinic uses a stethoscope to check the vital signs of a patient.

The Ascension St. Ben’s Clinic provides wellness screenings and other services free of charge.

Eyeglass Clinic

Volunteer Chuck Cymela replaces lenses in a guest's eyeglasses.

Volunteers assist with basic eye checkups and fittings for free eyeglasses.

Community Court

A stock photo of a gavel by Wesley Tingey from Unsplash

In partnership with Milwaukee County, community court helps restore driver’s licenses.

Where to find us

930 W. State Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233

(414) 271-0135

Arriving by public transportation

MCTS

St. Ben’s is served by MCTS routes 31, 12, 34, 80, 33, 30, the Blue Line and the Connect 1 Bus Rapid Transit.

  • We are one block from a Route 31 bus stop at Highland and 10th Street.
  • We are two blocks from the a Route 12 and a Blue Line stop at State and 12th Street.
  • We are three blocks from a Route 33 bus stop at Winnebago and 9th Street.
  • We are three-and-a-half blocks from a Route 34 and a Route 80 bus stop at State and 6th Street.
  • We are three-and-a-half blocks from a Connect 1 BRT stop and a Route 30 bus stop at Wisconsin and 9th Street.
  • There are additional MCTS routes a little further away from St. Ben’s.

Check MCTS or other official sources for the most up-to-date transit information.

Intercity public transportation

We are a seven-minute walk from the Greyhound and Amtrak Milwaukee Intermodal Station on St. Paul Avenue and 5th Street.

Other transportation

The nearest Bublr Bikes stations are at Juneau between 9th and 10th Streets and at Kilbourn and 12th Street.

The Hop streetcar is about an 8-minute walk from St. Ben’s.

Hours of Operation

St. Ben’s Community Meal

Sunday through Thursday
5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Open Door Ministry

Monday through Friday
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.