Couleecap shares information about progress in La Crosse County

LA CROSSE COUNTY, Wis. (WEAU) - From fighting homelessness to cutting energy bills, Couleecap is pulling back the curtain on exactly how it served thousands of La Crosse County families last year.

According to its latest impact dashboard, Couleecap served over 8,200 people in La Crosse County in 2025. This includes supporting 193 individuals through its homeless programs.

“We provide services to people who might be experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness by providing direct housing services and case management,” Couleecap Executive Director Hetti Brown said. “We also help people realize the dream of homeownership through homebuyer education programs and financial counseling matched with down payment assistance programs.”

The dashboard also highlights 76 homes in La Crosse County that were weatherized last year.

“We have a large energy services program,” Brown said. “When people qualify for energy assistance, they are also referred to us and we can provide an energy audit and weatherization. We can also help them if they have a furnace or water heater emergency.”

This is the first time Couleecap has released individual county information in its yearly dashboard. Organization officials say they hope to expand these programs to help even more people in 2026.

“Couleecap is always growing, always expanding,” Brown said. “A couple of really good examples are Haven on Main—which will be completed in about a month, bringing 70 new units of affordable housing to the community—and the Reach Center. We’ve been growing and expanding ever since the Reach Center opened, and we will continue to do so.”

Officials say they decided to include more detailed, localized data in this year’s dashboard to highlight accomplishments and draw attention to the evolving needs of the community.

“We have to be there when people need us when they’re struggling to make ends meet, and they need some basic assistance,” Brown said. “It is our role and our duty at Couleecap also to build up our community so our community works for all people.”

Additionally, Couleecap has built or redeveloped 33 homes in La Crosse County over the past 15 years. Across its entire four-county service area, Couleecap supported roughly 22,000 residents in 2025.