2026-08-17T11:57:38-05:00 2025-12-31 390919055 RITZ HOLMAN LLP 330 E KILBOURN AVE SUITE 222 MILWAUKEE WI 53202 990 2025-01-01 391411980 PROJECT RETURN INC PROJ 4143748029 1004 N 10TH STREET SUITE 200 MILWAUKEE WI 53233 WENDEL HRUSKA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 4143748029 2026-08-17 1 KATY L SOMMER P00273273 4142711451 2026-07-28 2025 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z WENDEL HRUSKA 1004 N 10TH STREET SUITE 200 MILWAUKEE WI 53233 1040078 0 X WWW.PROJECTRETURNMILWAUKEE.ORG X 1981 WI PROJECT RETURN EXISTS TO HELP MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED INCARCERATION MAKE A POSITIVE, PERMANENT RETURN TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY. 13 11 12 75 0 0 673742 999612 0 0 8430 2412 3172 11574 685344 1013598 0 0 0 0 446190 634818 6450 7870 142785 164755 328049 617395 970737 67949 42861 259459 301931 26795 26406 232664 275525 X PROJECT RETURN EXISTS TO HELP MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED INCARCERATION MAKE A POSITIVE, PERMANENT RETURN TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY. 0 0 760868 OVERVIEW OF SERVICES: PROJECT RETURN CONTINUES TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE-EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE OFTEN SEVERAL STEPS BEHIND THEIR COUNTERPARTS OF JUST A FEW YEARS AGO. WE CREATE AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN TO HELP EACH CLIENT ACCESS THE RESOURCES NEEDED FOR EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS. EXAMPLES OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE INCLUDE: BUILDING EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS AND CONNECTING PEOPLE TO SPECIALIZED, SHORT-TERM JOB TRAINING IN HIGH-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS. HELPING CLIENTS ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO AND FROM TRAINING OR WORK. ASSISTING WITH THE COST OF TUITION OR TEXTBOOKS. OFFERING FREE, DONATED CLOTHING FROM OUR RESOURCE ROOM, AS WELL AS HYGIENE KITS. PURCHASING WORK TOOLS OR SPECIALIZED, SAFETY CLOTHING. HELPING PEOPLE OBTAIN FOOD AND HOUSING. PROVIDING TRAINING THAT PREPARES CLIENTS FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES AT WORK AND IN THE COMMUNITY.CIRCLES OF SUPPORT OUR CIRCLES OF SUPPORT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW! THESE SMALL GROUPS MEET REGULARLY TO PROVIDE A STABLE, SUPPORTIVE NETWORK TO INDIVIDUALS RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION. THEY HELP TO OVERCOME THE SOCIAL ISOLATION AND STIGMA THAT THOSE RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION ENCOUNTER AND ENABLE THEM TO REALIZE NEW POSSIBILITIES IN THEIR LIVES. LAST YEAR A RECORD-SETTING 391 FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF OUR 13 CIRCLES. ADDITIONAL CIRCLES OF SUPPORT ARE PLANNED IN 2025, INCLUDING TWO THAT WILL BE OFFERED INSIDE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CLOSE TO THEIR RELEASE DATES. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDST OF A RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY AND UWM TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF OUR CIRCLES PROGRAM ON RE-ENTRY SUCCESS AND WILL BE EXCITED TO SHARE RESULTS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE MID-YEAR. AT THE CORE OF OUR STRATEGY ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS IS OUR RELIANCE ON PEER SPECIALISTS. WE BELIEVE THAT FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE, BOARD, STAFF, AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE INSIGHT AND PERSPECTIVES ESSENTIAL TO OUR WORK. WE PRIORITIZE THEIR INPUT AND BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE A DIRECT IMPRINT ON OUR WORK WITH CLIENTS, AS WELL AS OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS. ADVOCACY ADVOCACY IS ESSENTIAL IN CHANGING COMMUNITY MINDSETS AND REDUCING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO RE-ENTRY SUCCESS. ALONG WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, PROJECT RETURN HAS ADVOCATED FOR ADDED FUNDING FOR MILWAUKEE COUNTY'S MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT COURT. THE GOAL OF THE TREATMENT COURT IS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR FOR INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS THROUGH COURT-ORDERED, LONG-TERM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT WITH INTENSIVE COURT SUPERVISION. AT ONE TIME A PILOT PROJECT, THE COURT NOW HAS A FULL-TIME COORDINATOR AND STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE CHIEF JUDGE OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY'S CIRCUIT COURT. HOUSING INITIATIVE AS SEEN BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF CLIENTS WHO ARE DESPERATE TO FIND HOUSING, TOO MANY PEOPLE RETURN HOME ONLY TO FIND THEY NO LONGER HAVE ONE. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT WHO'S COMING HOME? (DATA YOU CAN USE, 2021), ABOUT 42% (1,042) OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO RETURN TO MILWAUKEE FROM PRISON EACH YEAR DO NOT HAVE A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT FINDING STABLE HOUSING WITHIN A MONTH OF RELEASE REDUCES THE CHANCES OF RETURNING TO PRISON; CONVERSELY, INDIVIDUALS WHO ENTER A HOMELESS SHELTER WITHIN THE FIRST TWO YEARS AFTER RELEASE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE RE-INCARCERATED. FOR YEARS, PROJECT RETURN HAS WORKED WITH LANDLORDS TO OPEN UP HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES TO CLIENTS WHO ARE IN NEED. WE HAVE SEEN OUR CLIENTS STRUGGLE REPEATEDLY TO FIND SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING A PREREQUISITE TO MOVING AHEAD IN THEIR LIVES. IT IS NOT EASY TO FIND AND KEEP A JOB IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE! THE PROJECT RETURN BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS COMMITTED TO MOVING AHEAD WITH PLANS TO PROVIDE SECURE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE FACING HOMELESSNESS UPON RELEASE FROM INCARCERATION. 760868 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 16 0 1 12 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 13 11 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 WI X WENDEL HRUSKA 4143748029 1004 N 10TH STREET SUITE 200 MILWAUKEE WI 53233 WENDEL HRUSKA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00 X 79773 0 17669 ROB SCHREIBER PRESIDENT 1.00 X X 3920 0 0 RODNEY EVANS PAST DIRECTOR 1.00 X 6000 0 0 STEVEN BECKHAM VICE PRESIDENT 1.00 X X 0 0 0 JUDGE PATRICIA GORENCE PAST VICE PRESIDENT 1.00 X X 0 0 0 DR ED DE ST AUBIN SECRETARY 1.00 X X 0 0 0 WILLIAM HARRELL TREASURER 1.00 X X 0 0 0 PAM GUSTAFSON PAST COMPTROLLER 1.00 X X 0 0 0 CHARLES HAMPTON BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 DR TOM LEBEL BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 MATTHEW PINIX BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 REV JOE ELLWANGER BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 JIM NITZ BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 CARL FIELDS BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 LAURA VUCHETICH BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 MONTE MABRA PAST BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 89693 0 17669 0 0 0 0 0 100000 10823 169811 718978 999612 2412 2412 24159 10823 26480 -2321 -2321 MISCELLANEOUS 900099 13895 13895 13895 1013598 13895 0 91 98786 39905 29253 29628 426081 356081 70000 5828 5056 772 69691 55555 1783 12353 34432 26047 1810 6575 8900 8900 7870 7870 35553 31237 4229 87 31788 24047 1672 6069 44843 33923 2357 8563 4656 4656 4546 3439 239 868 6991 6991 PROGRAM EXPENSES 176522 176522 DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS 5703 5703 CONTINUING EDUCATION 4400 4400 MISCELLANEOUS 3085 3085 1062 1062 970737 760868 67084 142785 183548 151179 56787 126396 5563 6324 6838 228 0 6610 13561 11422 259459 301931 13272 16989 13523 9417 26795 26406 X 157664 140525 75000 135000 232664 275525 259459 301931 42861 0 X 0 1 X 1 0 X 456312 755851 554523 673742 999612 3440040 456312 755851 554523 673742 999612 3440040 892315 2547725 2412 2412 389 56 852 3756 13895 18948 3461400 0.73600 0.68400 X SCHEDULE A, PART II, LINE 10, EXPLANATION OF OTHER INCOME: OTHER INCOME - 2021 AMOUNT: $ 389. 2022 AMOUNT: $ 56. 2023 AMOUNT: $ 852. 2024 AMOUNT: $ 3,756. 2025 AMOUNT: $ 13,895. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 6838 228 6610 6610 FINANCE LEASE 9417 9417 X 1013598 0 1013598 0 1013598 970737 0 970737 0 970737 PART X, LINE 2: THE ORGANIZATION IS EXEMPT FROM INCOME TAX UNDER SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE AND IS CLASSIFIED AS OTHER THAN A PRIVATE FOUNDATION. MANAGEMENT HAS REVIEWED ALL TAX POSITIONS RECOGNIZED IN PREVIOUSLY FILED TAX RETURNS AND THOSE EXPECTED TO BE TAKEN IN FUTURE TAX RETURNS. AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION HAD NO AMOUNTS RELATED TO UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX BENEFITS AND NO AMOUNTS RELATED TO ACCRUED INTEREST AND PENALTIES. THE ORGANIZATION DOES NOT ANTICIPATE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO UNRECOGNIZED INCOME TAX BENEFITS OVER THE NEXT YEAR. CELEBRATE THE RETURN BANQUET 16864 442 16422 13015 4156 GOLF OUTING 18118 10381 7737 7577 1732 34982 10823 24159 20592 5888 26480 -2321 FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 6 LINE 6 EXPLANATION - PER OUR BY-LAWS, INDIVIDUALS MAKING A DONATION TO THE ORGANIZATION IN A GIVEN YEAR ARE "MEMBERS AND ARE INVITED TO OUR ANNUAL MEETING TO APPROVE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE NEXT YEAR. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 7A PER OUR BY-LAWS, INDIVIDUALS MAKING A DONATION TO THE ORGANIZATION IN A GIVEN YEAR ARE "MEMBERS AND ARE INVITED TO OUR ANNUAL MEETING TO APPROVE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE NEXT YEAR. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B LINE 11B EXPLANATION - AUDIT AND FORM 990 WAS PRESENTED TO BOARD AND APPROVED BY BOARD AT A MONTHLY BOARD MEETING FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 EVERY STAFF MEMBER WAS REVIEWED BY THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE WHO MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PAYROLL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS A WHOLE, WHO THEN APPROVED ALL COMPENSATION. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 BY THE REQUEST OF INTERESTED PARTIES.