COTS

💙 Thankful Thursday! 💙

Today, we are incredibly thankful for our amazing COTS Meal Ministers! 🍽️

These generous volunteers give their time to prepare and deliver delicious meals for our residents. More than just a meal, their kindness is a reminder to our residents that their community cares about them. We truly believe a meal is a hug from the community! 🤗

The photo shows just a few of the wonderful Meal Ministers who serve COTS. There are so many more who faithfully give their time throughout the year, and we are so grateful for every one of you!

Want to become a COTS Meal Minister? Visit our website to see the available dates and choose a day that works for you. Your meal could make someone's day a little brighter! 💙

Learn more and sign up to be a Meal Minister: https://appletoncots.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Thank you, Meal Ministers, for filling our shelters with good food, kindness, and community! 🏡💙

💚 Thank You, Powerhouse Properties 920! 💚

COTS is incredibly grateful to Powerhouse Properties 920 for their generous donation of towel sets, hand soap, and floor cleaner! 🧼🧺

These may seem like simple everyday items, but they are essential to keeping our shelters running smoothly and making sure our residents have the basic necessities they need to feel comfortable and at home.

Every donation helps COTS provide a safe, welcoming, and supportive place for individuals working toward stability and independent living. We are so thankful for community partners like Powerhouse Properties 920 who see a need and step up to help!

Thank you for supporting COTS and the people we serve. Together, we can end homelessness in the Fox Valley! 💚

💙 Giving Back to the Community That Gives So Much to Us! 💙

This weekend, COTS residents volunteered their time helping with setup and takedown for the Community First Fox Cities Marathon! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Our residents are incredibly grateful for the support, encouragement, and kindness our community shows COTS every day. Volunteering is one way they can give back and be part of the community that has supported them on their journey toward stability and independence.

We are so proud of our residents for stepping up, lending a helping hand, and showing that giving back feels good! 💙

And a huge congratulations to all of the runners and walkers who crossed the finish line this weekend! 🎉 Whether you ran the full marathon, completed a relay, or participated in another event, your hard work and dedication are something to celebrate!

Thank you to the Community First Fox Cities Marathon for the opportunity to serve alongside you, and thank you to everyone in our community who continues to support COTS.

Together, we CAN end homelessness. 🏡💙

🥐☕ Nothing like wonderful neighbors and a warm breakfast! 💚

A huge THANK YOU to our wonderful neighbors at PRN Healthcare for thinking of our residents at the COTS Men’s Building!

Our residents were treated to some amazing and yummy cinnamon rolls and egg strata for breakfast. What a special way to start the day! ❤️

We are so appreciative of thoughtful and supportive neighbors like PRN who continue to show our residents that they are part of a caring community. These simple acts of kindness mean so much and remind us that community truly matters.

Thank you, PRN, for helping make COTS feel a little more like home! 💚

Together, we can end homelessness.

💚 COTS Is More Than a Shelter: A Safe Place to Heal 💚

When someone has experienced homelessness, finding a place to sleep is only the beginning. At COTS, we provide a safe, secure, and stable place to call home while residents take the time they need to rebuild their lives.

Residents can be part of the COTS program for up to two years, giving them the opportunity to focus on the barriers that brought them to homelessness without the constant uncertainty of where they will sleep next. Residents have their own room and are provided with basic needs such as food, hygiene products, towels, linens, and home goods.

With a safe place to live and their basic needs supported, residents can begin to focus on what comes next—building financial stability, finding or maintaining employment, pursuing education, developing healthy relationships, and caring for their well-being.

COTS is more than a roof over someone's head. It is a place where people can pause, heal, grow, and prepare for a future of safe, stable, independent living.

Because sometimes, a safe place to heal is exactly where a new beginning starts. 💚

COTS is working toward Ending Homelessness in the Fox Valley, one person at a time.

🌱 Growing More Than a Garden at COTS 🌱

There’s a garden growing at our Appleton COTS location, and it’s doing more than producing fresh vegetables. 💚

Our residents have planted and cared for this garden as a way to learn important lessons that extend far beyond the garden beds. They are learning what it means to care for something, be responsible for its growth, and see the results of their hard work.

And there’s something special about watching a tiny seed grow into something you can nourish yourself with. 🌿

The garden is also helping residents learn about healthy eating and making choices that support their well being. From planting the seeds to caring for the plants to enjoying the harvest, residents are gaining skills they can carry with them long after they leave COTS.

At COTS, we believe growth happens in many ways. Sometimes it starts with a seed. Sometimes it starts with a person deciding they are ready for something different.

We’re proud to watch both grow. 🌱💚

🌻 A Little Light. A Lot of Hope. 🌻

Sometimes hope arrives quietly.

It can be a ray of sunshine coming through a window, shining on something as simple as a sunflower. A reminder that even after difficult seasons, there is still light, growth, and the possibility of something beautiful.

At COTS, hope is at the heart of what we do. 💚

For someone experiencing homelessness, hope can look like a safe place to sleep, a warm meal, a new job, a completed class, a fresh start, or the keys to a place they can finally call home.

COTS is more than shelter. We provide a path toward stability, independence, and a brighter future — one person at a time.

Just like a sunflower turns toward the light, our residents are working every day to move toward a new beginning. 🌻

Because sometimes, hope is the first step toward home.

🛁 : We Need NEW Towel Sets! 🛁

When a new resident moves into COTS, we want them to have more than just a place to stay. We want them to feel welcomed, cared for, and ready for a fresh start. 💚

That’s why each resident receives a new towel set, fresh sheets, and other essential items when they move into our program.

Right now, we are running low on towel sets and could really use your help! 🧺

🛍️ Want to donate? You can:
📍 Drop off new towel sets at any COTS location
📦 Order towel sets directly from our COTS Amazon Wishlist and have them shipped to us.

Every towel set helps make a new space feel a little more like home. Thank you for helping us provide our residents with the essentials they need as they work toward stability and independence! 💚

Shop the COTS Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2MEY1UASIR8NW?ref_=wl_share

🍕 Pizza Night at COTS! 🍕

One of our residents at the COTS Men’s Appleton building decided to put his cooking skills to work—and make homemade pizzas for ALL of the residents! 🙌

The results are in… and the verdict was unanimous: these may have been the best pizzas anyone has ever had! 🤩🍕

Not only were the pizzas absolutely amazing, but they came with their own signature names! Talk about taking pizza night to the next level. 👨‍🍳🔥

We love seeing residents share their talents, try new things, and create moments of community for everyone around them. Sometimes, a little creativity (and a LOT of cheese) can bring people together. ❤️

Now we want to know…

🍕 What crazy or unusual toppings do YOU like on your pizza?
Drop your favorite combination in the comments! 👇

💚 Celebrating Leadership, Honoring a Legacy & Welcoming a New Chapter 💚

Today, we celebrate and thank Cindy Sahotsky, our Executive Director, for the years she has dedicated to COTS and to the people we serve.

Cindy has poured her heart and soul into COTS, leading with compassion, determination, and an unwavering belief in the people who walk through our doors. Under her leadership, COTS has grown tremendously—from our roots in Appleton to now serving individuals experiencing homelessness through shelters in both Appleton and Oshkosh.

Her vision, dedication, and leadership have helped shape COTS into the organization it is today. We are incredibly grateful for all Cindy has given to COTS, our residents, our staff, and our community. Thank you, Cindy, for your years of service and for the lasting impact you have made. 💚

As we celebrate Cindy’s incredible legacy, we are also excited to welcome Megan Gerl as the new Executive Director of COTS!

Megan joins COTS from VPI/VARC, bringing a proven track record of leadership, experience, and a passion for serving our community. We are excited to see where Megan will lead COTS next as we continue our mission of helping individuals move from homelessness toward stability and independent living.

Please join us in welcoming Megan to the COTS family! We are excited for this next chapter. 💚