COTS

09/03/2026

💚 Celebrating Leadership, Honoring a Legacy & Welcoming a New Chapter 💚

Today, we celebrate and thank Cindy Sahotsky, our Executive Director, for the years she has dedicated to COTS and to the people we serve.

Cindy has poured her heart and soul into COTS, leading with compassion, determination, and an unwavering belief in the people who walk through our doors. Under her leadership, COTS has grown tremendously—from our roots in Appleton to now serving individuals experiencing homelessness through shelters in both Appleton and Oshkosh.

Her vision, dedication, and leadership have helped shape COTS into the organization it is today. We are incredibly grateful for all Cindy has given to COTS, our residents, our staff, and our community. Thank you, Cindy, for your years of service and for the lasting impact you have made. 💚

As we celebrate Cindy’s incredible legacy, we are also excited to welcome Megan Gerl as the new Executive Director of COTS!

Megan joins COTS from VPI/VARC, bringing a proven track record of leadership, experience, and a passion for serving our community. We are excited to see where Megan will lead COTS next as we continue our mission of helping individuals move from homelessness toward stability and independent living.

Please join us in welcoming Megan to the COTS family! We are excited for this next chapter. 💚

09/02/2026

COTS is so honored and excited to have been chosen as one of 10 Wisconsin nonprofits featured in Game Changing Players, a new community program from the Green Bay Packers and Thrivent. Our story will run on the video board during a home game this season, in front of the best fans in football.

🏈 At COTS, we may not know much about throwing touchdown passes or making tackles, but we know the importance of showing up for one another.

Every day, our team is made up of neighbors working to overcome barriers, build stability, and create a path toward independent living. And just like any great team, they don’t do it alone.

Our staff, volunteers, donors, community partners, and supporters all play an important role in helping residents move forward.

Because when a community comes together, everyone has a better chance to succeed. 💙🏠

10 Wisconsin nonprofits to be honored on gamedays this season

09/01/2026

💙 A heartfelt thank you to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Neenah WI! 💙

Even while members of their own congregation were impacted by the recent tornado, the caring parishioners of Gloria Dei Church came together to continue making beautiful quilts for COTS residents.

These quilts provide more than warmth—they offer comfort and a reminder that someone in our community cares. ❤️

We are incredibly grateful to these wonderful community members for continuing to give their time and talents to help neighbors who need a little extra comfort.

Thank you, Gloria Dei Church, for your generosity, compassion, and for thinking of others even during a difficult time. Your kindness makes a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents.

08/27/2026

🏠 COTS Is More Than Shelter: Community 💙

At COTS, a safe place to live is just the beginning. Community is an important part of helping individuals move beyond homelessness and build lasting independence.

Many residents come to COTS after experiencing isolation, strained relationships, or a lack of supportive connections. Through relationships with staff, fellow residents, volunteers, mentors, and community partners, residents have opportunities to build positive connections and rediscover that they are not alone.

Community can look like sharing a meal, celebrating a milestone, learning a new skill, having someone to talk to, or simply knowing there are people who believe in you.

At COTS, we believe that positive relationships can help create a stronger foundation for a stable future. Our residents are more than participants in a program—they are part of the COTS community.

And COTS would not be possible without the incredible community that surrounds us. From volunteers and donors to businesses, churches, foundations, and community partners, every act of support reminds our residents that people care and that they have a community cheering them on. 💙

COTS is more than shelter. It is housing, support, opportunity—and community.

08/26/2026

💜 Happy Women’s Equality Day! 💜

Today, COTS recognizes the strength, resilience, and contributions of women in our community and celebrates the progress made toward equality and opportunity for all.

At COTS, we see every day how powerful it can be when women have access to safe housing, education, employment opportunities, supportive relationships, and the resources they need to build a stable future.

For the women who have walked through our doors, we are proud to provide more than a safe place to stay. We walk alongside them as they set goals, overcome barriers, build confidence, and work toward independent living.

Today, we celebrate the women who are building new beginnings, creating brighter futures, and showing what is possible when given the opportunity and support to thrive. 💜

08/26/2026

🛏️ COTS Needs New Pillowcases! 🛏️

Sometimes, it’s the simple things that help make a new space feel like home. ❤️

At COTS, we go through a LOT of pillowcases! We like to provide our residents with brand-new pillowcases as they settle into their room and begin their journey toward stable, independent living.

Would you consider donating new, standard-size pillowcases to COTS? This everyday item is something our residents use every night, and your donation helps us make sure they have a fresh, clean place to rest their head.

📍 Drop off: COTS Appleton location
🛒 Shop: Our Amazon Wish List : https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2MEY1UASIR8NW?ref_=wl_share
💙 Donate: Monetary donations through our website help us purchase the items our residents need most.

A new pillowcase may seem like a small gift, but to someone starting over, it can be one more reminder that their community cares about them.

Thank you for helping COTS make a house feel like home! 🏠💙

08/25/2026

💰 COTS Is More Than a Shelter: Financial Education

At COTS, we know that finding housing is only one part of ending homelessness. Building the financial stability to remain housed is just as important.

Financial education is an important part of the COTS program. Residents learn practical skills such as budgeting, managing income, reducing debt, building savings, understanding credit, and preparing for the financial responsibilities that come with independent housing.

Residents work with staff to create realistic budgets and set financial goals.

COTS is more than a place to stay. We provide the tools, knowledge, and support residents need to build a stable financial future. 🏠💙

Because ending homelessness isn't just about finding a home—it's about having the skills and stability to live independently.

08/20/2026

🍽️ COTS Meal Ministry: We Have Lots of Openings! ❤️

Looking for a simple way to make a difference in the lives of your neighbors? Our Meal Ministry has lots of openings, and we would love your help!

Providing a meal is a meaningful way to support COTS residents. It’s easy to participate:

🏠 Choose the COTS shelter location you’d like to support.
📅 Sign up online for a date that works for you. https://appletoncots.org/get-involved/volunteer/
🍲 Prepare the meal at home.
🚗 Drop it off at the designated shelter on your scheduled day.

That’s it! Your meal helps provide a warm dinner and reminds our residents that their community cares about them.

Whether you’re an individual, family, church group, workplace, or group of friends, you can help fill a table at COTS.

👉 Sign up today and help us fill our Meal Ministry calendar!

Thank you for helping make COTS feel like home. ❤️

08/19/2026

🛒 Wish List Wednesday! 🛒

This week, COTS is in need of a few everyday essentials for our residents: hand soap, body wash, and towel sets. 🧼🛁🧺

These may seem like simple items, but having access to personal care and household essentials helps residents feel comfortable, cared for, and at home while they work toward stable, independent living.

There are several ways you can help:

📍 Drop off donations at our Appleton location

📦 Shop our Amazon Wish List and have items sent directly to COTS:https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2MEY1UASIR8NW?ref_=wl_share

💻 Make a monetary donation through our website so we can purchase the items that are needed most

Every donation, big or small, helps provide the basic necessities our residents need as they take steps toward a brighter future. ❤️

Thank you for helping make COTS feel like home!

08/18/2026

🏠 The journey doesn’t end when a resident leaves COTS. It’s where the true test of independent living begins.

After successfully completing the COTS transitional living program and moving into their own home, residents enter our Positive Placement Program—a three-year aftercare program designed to help prevent a return to homelessness.

COTS staff continue to check in with former residents throughout their time in the Positive Placement Program. Our residents become part of the COTS family, and family is there when you need support. These ongoing check-ins provide former residents with encouragement, connection, and support as they navigate life independently and work toward maintaining long-term stability.

Our goal isn’t simply to help someone find housing—it’s to help them stay housed, independent, and self-sufficient.

And it works. On average, 93% or more of former COTS residents maintain safe, stable, independent housing through our Positive Placement Program.

That is what “Ending Homelessness in the Fox Valley” means to us. We don’t just help people move out of homelessness—we walk alongside them to help make sure they don’t experience it again.