Editor’s Note: The following was provided by The Community Space.
Whitewater has long been a place that comes together to solve issues. When it became apparent that additional resources were needed to support the southeastern Wisconsin community, a group gathered, led by co-founders Kay Robers, Marjorie Stoneman and Kristine Zaballos. They brainstormed ideas, they found a building and, within a few short weeks, opened the doors of the Community Space amid the 2019 polar vortex.
In just five years, the Community Space has become a vital resource for people in Whitewater and neighboring communities. It is a food pantry, a clothing and household goods shop and resource center all rolled into one volunteer-run organization that serves more than 500 people every week. The Community Space is open to all, with no residency or income requirement, making it easy for anyone to walk in and select food, furniture and other items. Everything is free.
“It’s not a model we’ve seen anywhere else,” said Zaballos, who serves as executive director of the nonprofit. “So it sometimes takes newcomers a minute to understand they are welcome to take what they need and to share what they don’t need with others.”
“It’s really about sharing resources and keeping things out of the landfill,” said Zaballos. “If we can share what we have, it makes the community stronger and more resilient.”
The Community Space grew out of the Community Clothes Closet, a multi-decades effort started by Art Hughes to give out warm coats that operated out first out of the trunk of his car and later out of a local church. Kay Robers took over from Hughes and managed for years before moving the operations to the Community Space, where she serves as site manager.
“We have so much more space to accept donations or sort through them now, and the facility is much more accessible to older people or people with mobility issues,” said Robers. “It’s amazing to see how it’s grown and how many people it serves.”
During the pandemic, the Community Space pivoted to stay open while protecting its mostly older volunteers and its visitors and added refrigerators and freezers to accommodate the pounds of free milk, cheese, meat, produce and other perishable food funneled through the organization.
“We went from giving out 30,000 pounds of food in 2019 to giving out 300,000 pounds in 2020,” said Robers. “It was quite an operation, and nothing we could have done without all of the volunteers who stepped up.”
At 4:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, the Community Space will celebrate its fifth birthday with a potluck open house. Participants are welcome to bring a picnic-inspired dish to share. A short program will take place at 5:30 p.m., and tours of the facility will be available during the event. The food pantry will be open as well.
The Community Space is located at 834 E. Milwaukee St. on the east side of Whitewater. It offers evening and weekend hours to accommodate working families and also hosts ESL classes, bilingual health advocacy and other resources. Donations fund 100% of TCS’s expenses, which are largely utilities. There is no paid staff, and most of the food is provided by Feeding America of Southeastern Wisconsin at no charge. Donations to fund our operations are gratefully accepted at P.O. Box 213, Whitewater WI 53190.
For more information about The Community Space contact Kristine Zaballos at 206-972-9936 or thecommunityspaceww@gmail.com.
Fast Facts
- The Community Space opened Jan. 29, 2019, during the polar vortex, serving as a temporary 24/7 emergency shelter for the first few days through a collaboration with the Whitewater Police Department and the City of Whitewater.
- All items free of charge to all, without income, residency, or other limitations.
- The Community Space distributed 30,000 pounds of food in 2019 and more than 300,000 pounds in 2020 as it responded to the COVID pandemic.
- In 2023, there were about 25,000 visits, more than 16,000 volunteer hours were recorded, and more than 211,000 pounds of food, 144,000 items of clothing, and countless furniture, housewares, books, bedding and other items shared.
- The Community Space achieved 501(c)(3) status in 2023.
- It is 100% volunteer-driven, with no paid staff positions, and 100% donation-funded. No local, state or federal public funding supports the mission.
