Lad Lake is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youth and families overcome significant challenges and trauma in their lives. Serving more than 1,100 young people and their families each year, Lad Lake builds brighter futures through trauma-informed and evidence-based practices designed to nurture healing and hope. Recognizing that many of the youth who come to Lad Lake have experienced multiple, interrelated traumas—ranging from abuse and addiction to instability and unmet resources—the organization takes a highly individualized approach. Each child’s unique journey is honored by understanding their strengths and building a customized, integrated plan for growth and independence. Lad Lake believes that every child deserves the supports necessary to succeed not just in school, but throughout life.
Through its continuum of care, Lad Lake provides a range of resources, from community-based programs to residential services that offer safety, individualized therapy, and essential skill-building for independence. The therapeutic environment at Lad Lake is intentionally trauma-sensitive, designed to help youth aging out of foster care or struggling with mental health challenges. The organization focuses on holistic growth, addressing not only the immediate needs of vulnerable youth and teens but also working to solve some of the community’s most pressing issues. Lad Lake is also deeply committed to celebrating and supporting its caregivers—teachers, nurses, treatment technicians, mentors, and support staff—who walk consistently and compassionately beside young people through pain, healing, and personal achievement.
Lad Lake’s mission and impact extend beyond programmatic support to fostering empowerment and hope among its youth. The organization hosts creative initiatives like the Dream to Transform Art Event, where students are encouraged to envision their future without obstacles, expressing their courage and dreams through art. Events such as Paint for Peace and the creation of the symbolic finished quilt unite community members, staff, and survivors in acts of solidarity, emphasizing Lad Lake's commitment to healing, accountability, and supporting those who have experienced trauma.
Lad Lake’s work is founded on core values of excellence in service, the cultivation of healthy relationships, and unwavering integrity. With the support of a dedicated staff and a wide array of services, Lad Lake not only achieves remarkable outcomes for those it serves but stands as an advocate for change and a place of hope for challenged youth and their families throughout Wisconsin. The organization is steadfast in its vision to be the preferred provider of community-based, trauma-informed, and family-focused support, continuously guiding the growth of youth so they may reach their fullest potential.