Wise Women Gathering Place supports people harmed by domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of trauma. Grounded in a community midwifery model and guided by a Native American cultural approach, our work centers safety, wholeness, solidarity, and healing. We serve women, men, non-binary individuals, families, youth, adolescents, adults, and elders—welcoming people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.
Our work is rooted in relationship. Wise Women Gathering Place was born around the kitchen table of our Founder, Alice Skenandore, who now serves on our Board of Directors. For years, community members gathered there every Monday—learning from Alice as a home birth midwife, listening, sharing stories, embracing lessons, and tending to one another through moments of crisis and transformation. Even as profound as birth work is, Alice and those who gathered with her recognized that healing does not begin or end at childbirth. From those early days, Wise Women Gathering Place embraced community midwifery—supporting people and families across the full experience of life, from the cradle to the grave.
Today, the vision continues through our advocates and specialists, who walk alongside individuals and families as they navigate harm, instability, and healing. We provide advocacy and housing support for people impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and other harms. We also connect individuals to healing resources and trusted community partners, and offer Safe Place Parking for people living in their vehicles—ensuring they have a place to rest with dignity, safety, and connection rather than fear or isolation.
Home to 11 federally recognized tribes, we are located in what is now the state of Wisconsin in Green Bay on Oneida Nation reservation lands. Wise Women Gathering Place is Native-led and women-led.
Many of our particpants are American Indian/Alaska Native reflecting our deep roots and connections within our communities—which have long been underserved. Most participants are from Brown County, across urban, rural and Tribal lands. In 2024 we served participants representing nine regional tribes.
The only safe parking initiative in the state of Wisconsin, Safe Place Parking is more than a parking space. It is often the first moment of stability for someone who has been displaced by violence, economic hardship, or crisis. It is a place where people are seen, believed, and supported—where they can begin to take the next step toward safety and housing without being criminalized for surviving.
In addition to caring response to community needs, Wise Women Gathering Place offers workshops and trainings that build knowledge and skills to heal and interrupt intergenerational cycles of trauma and abuse.
We support participants in strengthening communication, rebuilding trust, understanding boundaries, and restoring connection—with themselves, their families, and their communities. Our approach recognizes that healing is not linear and that safety is built over time, through relationship, care, and consistency.
Across all our programs, we equip people of various ages, backgrounds, and circumstances to make healthy decisions, build skills, and navigate the complexities of relationships that shape their lives. The result is not only individual healing, but stronger, safer communities—where violence is interrupted, dignity is restored, and people are supported to be themselves, heal, and thrive.
With your support, individuals and families participating in Wise Women Gathering Place programs are able to create greater safety, stability, and healing in their lives. Every donation is a response to real community needs.
When you give to Wise Women Gathering Place, you are standing in solidarity with those who need all of us to help, and you are helping to steward a future where everyone experiences Peace, Respect, and Belonging.