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

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, August 20, 2026 - 2:30pm - 4:00pm
 Oshkosh Housing Task Force Zoom + Trinity Episcopal Parish Hall, 311 Division Street, Oshkosh
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
 ESTHER Communications Committee Meeting Zoom Meeting
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
 ESTHER Executive Committee Zoom Meeting
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 - 4:30pm - 6:00pm
 Oshkosh ESTHER Task Force Meeting Zoom and Various Locations in Oshkosh
Thursday, September 3, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm
 Workshop: Understanding Your Mental Health First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River St, Appleton
more
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Support ESTHER

Support ESTHER

At ESTHER, we believe strong communities are built when people come together, build relationships, develop leaders, and work collectively for the common good.

Across the Fox Valley, people are organizing for affordable housing, welcoming immigrants, supporting mental health, advancing racial equity, and creating opportunity and belonging for neighbors returning from incarceration. This work may not always make headlines, but it is how lasting change happens.

Your support helps ESTHER bring people together across different backgrounds and faith traditions, develop community leaders, and build the collective power needed to address injustice and create stronger, more equitable communities.

Your gift helps ESTHER:

  • Develop community leaders through the LEARN Leadership Academy
  • Organize around housing, immigration, mental health, racial equity, and transformational justice
  • Bring together people from diverse backgrounds and faith traditions
  • Build relationships and collective power to create lasting change

Every generation has the opportunity to help shape what comes next. Together, we are planting seeds of leadership, justice, and hope that can strengthen the Fox Valley for generations to come.

Will you help us continue building power and creating justice?

https://esther-foxvalley.org/26Q2

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Workshop: Understanding Your Mental Health

Posted in
Date: 
Thursday, September 3, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Date: 
Thursday, September 10, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Date: 
Thursday, September 17, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Date: 
Thursday, September 24, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: 
First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River St, Appleton

Understanding Your Mental Health

4-Part Free Workshop Series

6:30-8:00 pm Thursdays in September

Presented by Grace Christensen, MSW, LCSW, CSAC

Weeks 1 & 2 Regulate: The Foundation for Change

  • Mapping the mind-body connection behind feeling overwhelmed
  • Step-by-step tools to soothe your nervous system

Week 3 Relate: The Road to Healing

  • The science of connection: Why we can't heal alone
  • How to set and keep boundaries

Week 4 Repair: Restoring the Story

  • Deeper into the mind: thought patterns & beliefs
  • Skills for forgiveness & practical steps towards healing

RSVP NOW

Click to register now or Call/text 920-744-3345


Co-sponsored by the First Congregational United Church of Christ/ESTHER Mental Health Task Force

Help spread the word: Download and share the attached flier.

We Will Not Be Silent: An Immigration Vigil

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Date: 
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 - 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Location: 
Menasha Public Library, Company Room E

An Immigration Vigil

Join ESTHER for an evening of remembrance, reflection, and solidarity with immigrant and refugee families in the Fox Valley.

Together, we will honor lives lost due to immigration enforcement, uplift the voices and experiences of immigrant communities. In a time when immigrant families are experiencing fear, uncertainty, and loss, we invite our community to come together to listen, remember, stand in solidarity, and affirm that we will not be silent.

The evening will include community speakers space for remembrance and reflection, resources, and light refreshments.

SEPTEMBER 15 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Menasha Public Library

Company E Room

  • COMMUNITY SPEAKERS
  • REMEMBRANCE SPACE
  • RESOURCES
  • LIGHT SNACKS & REFRESHMENTS

RSVP Today. Spots are limited

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Statement from ESTHER Following the Tornado in Menasha and Appleton

July 28, 2026

Our hearts are with everyone whose lives were impacted by yesterday's tornado in Menasha and parts of Neenah, Fox Crossing and Appleton.

In just a few moments, homes, businesses, neighborhoods, and daily routines were changed. We hold in our prayers all who have experienced loss, damage, displacement, or uncertainty, and we are especially grateful that so many neighbors are already stepping forward to help one another.

As an interfaith community, ESTHER believes that our greatest strength is found in our willingness to care for one another. We are deeply thankful for the first responders, utility crews, public works employees, emergency management teams, medical personnel, and countless volunteers who have been working tirelessly to keep people safe and begin the recovery process.

Recovery will take time. In the days and weeks ahead, we encourage everyone who is able to support trusted local relief efforts by volunteering, donating, checking on neighbors, or offering practical assistance. Even small acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference.

Resources for Those Affected

For the latest information and available assistance, we encourage community members to follow these trusted local resources:

If local organizations establish disaster relief funds, volunteer cleanup efforts, or donation drives, we encourage everyone to support those verified efforts as they become available.

As people of many faiths and backgrounds, we pray for healing for all who have been affected, strength for those working to restore our community, and hope for the days ahead. May we continue to meet this moment with compassion, generosity, and a commitment to caring for one another.

Together, our communities will recover.

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Statement on the Death of Corey Durell Ruiz

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We Mourn. We grieve the death of Corey Durell Ruiz. We pray for his family, for all those impacted by this tragedy, and for a community seeking truth, justice, and healing. Read ESTHER's full statement below.

For a printable copy of this statement, please download the attached PDF.

Save the Date: ESTHER Annual Banquet

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Date: 
Saturday, November 21, 2026 - 4:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: 
Bridgewood Resort Hotel, 1000 Cameron Way, Neenah, WI

Theme: World on Fire

Keynote speaker: Jeffrey A. Mandell, Co-founder, President and General Counsel, Law Forward, Madison, WI

As we look around our communities and our nation, it's easy to feel like the world is on fire. Yet throughout ESTHER's 22-year history, we have learned that even in difficult times, hope grows when people come together to organize, build relationships, and act for justice.

Join us for the ESTHER Banquet 2026 as we celebrate 22 years of empowering leaders, strengthening communities, and creating meaningful change across the Fox Valley. This year's theme, “World on Fire,” invites us to reflect honestly on today’s challenges while recommitting ourselves to the work of building a more just, compassionate, and equitable future.

We're honored to welcome as our keynote speaker, Jeff Mandell, Co-Founder of Law Forward. Jeff will share insights on protecting democracy, advancing justice, and why community action matters now more than ever.

Whether you've been part of ESTHER’s journey for years or are just getting to know our work, we’d love to celebrate with you. Together, we can meet the challenges of our time with courage, compassion, and the collective power to create lasting change. 

Save the date now - ticket and registration info will be available soon!

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ESTHER Welcomes JenAnn Bauer to its staff as Lead Housing Advocate

ESTHER is excited to welcome JenAnn Bauer as ESTHER’s new Lead Housing Advocate!

JenAnn brings lived experience, compassion, and strong advocacy skills to our housing justice work.

WELCOME TO ESTHER!

After navigating incarceration, housing instability, and reentry herself, she is deeply committed to helping individuals and families overcome barriers to stable housing and to long-term success. Her background in shelter services, housing advocacy, and systems navigation allows her to approach the work with compassion, accountability, and a strong belief that everyone deserves dignity, opportunity, and a safe place to rebuild their lives.

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Faith 250: A Multifaith Journey Through America’s Founding Texts

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Date: 
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Date: 
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 - 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: 
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church ELCA, 2330 E Calumet St, Appleton

Imagine rooms full of people from many faiths — sharing food, conversation, and fellowship — reflecting together on what makes this country worth celebrating. WIVEC is hosting community gatherings like this in May and June, leading up to July 4th, where neighbors read and discuss America's most inspiring founding words. It's a once-in-a-generation chance to counter division and build unity together.

In Appleton, WIVEC is partnering with ESTHER and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in hosting Faith 250, a national movement (see https://faith250.org) to make this anniversary a time of shared civic renewal, rather than one of division or conflict. Reflect on spiritual and moral questions, while encouraging civic (not political) engagement. Build lasting relationships between local leaders and institutions that care about our country’s future, grounded in pride, patriotism, empathy, and unity.

These Fox Cities gatherings will be in-person or virtual. Please register in advance:

Register to Attend in Person | Register to Attend on Zoom

Wisconsin Immigration Summit: Stronger Together

Date: 
Friday, July 31, 2026 - 5:00pm - Saturday, August 1, 2026 - 5:00pm
Location: 
Marian University, Fond du Lac, WI

Join us for the First Annual Wisconsin Immigration Summit: Stronger Together — a powerful gathering of organizers, advocates, faith leaders, and community members from across Wisconsin committed to advancing immigrant justice and building collective power. Together, we will learn from experts in the field, participate in hands-on workshops, engage in strategy conversations, and build new connections across organizations and communities.

Our communities have stepped up in powerful ways—distributing Know Your Rights cards, training ICE verifiers, and providing mutual aid to families reeling from the effects of cruel and inhumane immigration policies. These efforts, led not only by organizations but also by dedicated individuals across Wisconsin, have made a real difference. 

This gathering will bring together activists, faith leaders, immigrants and allies from across the state to build a coordinated, forward-looking strategy for systemic change.

Together, we aim to:

  • Build statewide capacity to engage constructively with elected officials and law enforcement
  • Strengthen and sustain community alliances
  • Develop compelling narratives that shift public understanding across the political spectrum
  • Foster the relationships and solidarity needed for long-term movement-building

Registration is just $25 and includes access to all workshops, resources, and meals throughout the event. Participants also have the option to purchase a “Pay It Forward” ticket to help support another attendee.

Additional details, including the full agenda, workshop schedule, travel information, and other updates, will be shared soon. We encourage you to register early to stay informed and reserve your spot.

Because this is an overnight event, attendees may wish to arrange lodging in advance. Marian University offers convenient on-campus accommodations, and several hotel options are available throughout the Fond du Lac area.

Please note that WISDOM is not coordinating or booking lodging for attendees. Participants are responsible for making and managing their own reservations.

More information and registration at: https://wisdomwisconsin.org/immigration-summit
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