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Associated Bank awards grant to Freedom House Ministries to expand housing navigation and economic mobility services
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Freedom House Ministries has received a $7,500 grant from Associated Bank to strengthen two of its core service pillars: Housing Navigation and Economic Mobility. The investment comes at a critical moment for Brown County families, who are facing significant challenges finding affordable housing.
Freedom House is Brown County’s only family-focused emergency shelter, serving families with dependent children who need more than a place to stay. They need a structured path forward. Every family in the shelter works one-on-one with a dedicated Success Coach, pursuing an individualized plan built around four pillars: Housing Navigation, Economic Mobility, Family Dynamics, and Mental Health. Coaches work alongside families from intake through exit and beyond, helping them locate housing, build financial skills, and access employment. They also track progress through a proprietary assessment tool called the Thriving Matrix.
“Families come to Freedom House carrying real determination,” said Freedom House Executive Director Jennifer Schmohe. “Families do the hard work of getting to the other side of this. The partnership with Associated Bank ensures that nothing stops the momentum of possibility. A housing application moves forward. A budget gets built. A family practices what it looks like to be a good tenant, and then they go do it. That is what economic mobility looks like in real life, and it is exactly what this investment supports.”
The Housing Navigation pillar connects families with landlords, rental assistance resources, and transitional housing options. The Economic Mobility pillar provides individualized financial coaching through the Money Made Simple curriculum, tenant education through the Rent Smart (a UW-Extension program), and employment pathway support.
The stakes in Brown County are high. For Freedom House, the vision is clear: serve every family currently in shelter with laser focus, and be ready for every family that walks through the door next. The goal is not just stable housing at exit. It is families who leave with the knowledge and skills to ensure their children never face housing instability again.
In 2025, 50% of families served by Freedom House exited to stable housing, more than double the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) nationally reported data of 25–30% success.
“Associated Bank is headquartered right here in Green Bay, and we believe a community is only as strong as the opportunities available to every family in it,” said Associated Bank Vice President of Relationship Management Pat Gorski. “Freedom House has built something that goes well beyond emergency shelter. They are building financial knowledge, housing skills, and real independence for families who are ready to do the work. That is the kind of investment we are proud to be part of.”
About Freedom House Ministries
Freedom House Ministries helps families with dependent children stay together and move toward housing stability through success coaching, housing navigation, economic mobility support, and a dignifying shelter environment. Families work with dedicated coaches from intake through exit — building the housing skills, financial knowledge, and employment pathways that lead to lasting independence. Freedom House is 100% community-funded and serves families in Brown County, Wisconsin. For more information, visit freedomhousegb.org.
About Associated Bank
Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has total assets of $43 billion and is the largest bank holding company based in Wisconsin. Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated is a leading Midwest banking franchise, offering a full range of financial products and services from nearly 200 banking locations serving more than 100 communities throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri. Associated Bank, N.A. is an Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. More information is available at associatedbank.com.
