Tomah group helps homeless - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

Tomah, WI (WXOW)-- A Tomah group, looking to help homeless residents in the area, is partnering with a national organization.

Hands of Hope was started by Dawn Tautges after she saw the News 19 reports on homeless students at Tomah High School.

Hands of Hope had their first fundraiser back in December. The group has since met several times and decided to partner with Family Promise, a national group geared toward ending homelessness.

A representative from Family Promises is meeting with residents in Tomah. One member says it's the right model for Hands of Hope because it utilizes existing resources rather than building a new shelter.

"The wonderful thing is Family Promise has already put in place 160 affiliates across the nation, 6 of which are in Wisconsin. So it's a tried and true process, it's a step-by-step, we don't have to reinvent the wheel and it's a model that could work very well in our area," said Krishna Battista, a member of Hands of Hope.

If your interested in donating to the cause or volunteering, you can find Hands of Hope on Facebook.