Building community, sharing hope, and standing for justice since 2004

Palm Sunday Path

Register to attend the Fox Cities Palm Sunday Rally on March 29

Help spread the word - download and share the attached fliers.

Upcoming Events

Please join us for any of these upcoming ESTHER and related events!

To learn more about a particular event, click on its title
To see the complete ESTHER calendar in a new tab, click here


Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 4:30pm - 6:00pm	ESTHER Leadership Board Meeting	Zoom Meeting
Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 6:00pm - Monday, March 16, 2026 - 9:00pm	Neenah Candidate Forum	Neenah City Hall, 211 Walnut St, Neenah
Monday, March 16, 2026 - 5:45pm - 8:00pm	Life After Incarceration: A Reentry Simulation	First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River St, Appleton
Monday, March 16, 2026 - 6:00pm - 8:30pm	Oshkosh Candidate Forum	Grand Opera House, 100 High Ave, Oshkosh
Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - 3:00pm - 4:30pm	ESTHER Finance Committee Meeting	Zoom Meeting

Know Your Rights & Supporting Immigrants in Our Community

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Date:

Thursday, March 5, 2026 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location:

First Congregational UCC Fellowship Hall, 724 E South River St, Appleton

Make plans now to participate in this multi-church immigration training event.

Learn about your rights to support and advocate for immigrants in our community.

Presented by Molly Smiltneek, JD, an immigration attorney.

Part of the Palm Sunday Path events series.

ICE Statement

Posted in

Advocacy

January 30, 2026

Dear Friends,

The state of our country feels catastrophic right now. Many people are saying that what we are witnessing looks like Nazi Germany. While that comparison is chilling and, in many ways, accurate, we must also remember that Nazi Germany took notes from the United States. This nation was founded on the genocide of Indigenous peoples and the kidnapping and enslavement of Africans. Even after the formal abolition of slavery, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) have continued to face violence, terror, and state-sanctioned oppression. A more accurate analogy for what we are seeing today is that the logic and function of slave patrols are once again — or more truthfully, still — operating in our society.

BIPOC communities have never been fully free or safe in this country. For centuries, government systems have killed people of color with impunity. What we are witnessing in the murders of Keith Porter, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti follows a long and brutal pattern: facts are denied, victims are dehumanized, and narratives are manipulated to justify state violence. It is telling that Keith Porter was killed first, yet his death received little attention until after two white people were killed. The order of coverage reveals the order of value in our society — whose lives are centered, whose deaths are mourned publicly, and whose suffering is rendered invisible. For many white Americans, this reality feels shocking and unbelievable. For BIPOC communities, it is tragically familiar.

Housing Policy Institute

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Date:

Sunday, February 1, 2026 (All day)

Location:

Richard Mauthe Center, 2418 Leon Bond Dr (UW-Green Bay), Green Bay

POSTPONED

This is a two-day training for those who are housing-impacted and wanting to learn how to advocate. The training is free and open to the public with meals provided. Participants are asked to attend both days. Please contact us if there are barriers to attendance so we can assist.

Your voice matters! Register to attend the two-day Housing Policy Institute, a training for people who have experienced housing challenges in Northeast Wisconsin to learn how to advocate for solutions. The training will be held on a future date, TBD.

Participants are asked to attend both days. Meals will be provided, and we are able to assist with barriers that may prevent participants from attending. Please do not hesitate to ask questions prior to submitting your registration.

Questions? Please contact: info@joshua4justice.org

Life After Incarceration: A Reentry Simulation

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Transformational Justice

Date:

Monday, March 16, 2026 - 5:45pm - 8:00pm

Location:

First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River St, Appleton

Could You Survive Life After Incarceration?

Join us for a Reentry Simulation! Step into the shoes of someone returning to society after incarceration in this powerful, eye-opening simulation? Over the course of four simulated weeks, you'll face the real-life challenges of securing housing, finding employment, accessing social services, and avoiding violations all while trying to rebuild your life. This immersive experience offers a rare glimpse into the systemic barriers formerly incarcerated individuals encounter daily. It's emotional, humbling, and sure to change the way you think about reentry and second chances.

Participants and volunteers needed. Learn more on the registration page. Registration Required.

Evening of Monday, March 16

Registration 5:45-6:00
Simulation: 6:00-7:30
Panel 7:30-8:00

Organized by ESTHER, JOSHUA, RUTH, and FREE

Oshkosh City Council Candidates Forum

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Date:

Thursday, March 26, 2026 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location:

Becket's Restaurant, 2 Jackson St, Oshkosh

Organized by Oshkosh ESTHER housing task force. ESTHER housing advocates will be asking questions of candidates for the three open positions on the Oshkosh City Council.

Recovery in Our Community

Posted in

Mental Health Advocacy

Date:

Wednesday, March 4, 2026 - 9:30am - 3:00pm

Location:

UW-Oshkosh Culver Family Welcome Center, 625 Pearl Ave, Oshkosh

Plan now to attend the third annual We Heart You: Recovery in Our Community event, a day dedicated to hope, connection, learning, and action. This gathering brings together professionals, families, people in recovery, and community partners from across the region to strengthen our collective response to substance use and mental health challenges.

This year’s event features a powerful lineup of regional and local presenters, storytellers, and breakout sessions. CEUs will be available.

Immigration Community Action Night

Date:

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 5:00pm - 6:30pm

Location:

ESTHER Office, 874 E South River St, Appleton

Join us for a hands-on community action night focused on protecting immigrant families and advancing local advocacy. Together, we will assemble whistle packets to support ICE preparedness, share know-your-rights information and practical tools for community safety, and take collective action by writing letters to local sheriffs and legislators.

This gathering is designed to be accessible for both new and experienced advocates. You’ll receive guidance, materials, and talking points, and you’ll be in community with others committed to immigrant justice.

All are welcome!

Help spread the word - download abnd share the attached flier.

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Songs of Justice, Songs of Peace Singalong

Posted in

Cross Promotion

Date:

Sunday, February 22, 2026 - 6:00pm

Location:

First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River St, Appleton

First Congregational UCC, Appleton, invites the wider Fox Cities to an evening of singing songs of justice and peace in community led by Karma's Mailbox. The band will draw from the rich tradition of peace hymns, protest songs, and rock anthems of resistance as we raise our voices together in song. All are welcome and wanted. No charge.