About Cornerstone of Grace
Six families in Watertown find stability and support in our two homes. Residents stay with us for 3 to 12 months, receiving comprehensive assistance through partnerships with The Greater Watertown Health Foundation and other local businesses and services. This collaborative approach empowers them to overcome challenges and build independent lives.
Mission
Our mission is to offer a safe environment for women and their children, equipping them to face life’s challenges by building healthy relationships. We offer love, discipleship, and resources to build a solid foundation for growth and stability.
.png)
Vision
Our vision is to be regarded as a trusted program with a holistic support network for women and children in crisis.
.png)
Values
-
Serving with dignity and respect
-
Extending grace and love to all
-
Prayer as a foundation for everything.
Michele Had a Dream!
The dream of such a place as Cornerstone of Grace was started in the heart of its founder, Michele, over a decade before it came to fruition. In 2007, Michele had a vision to create a safe place for women and children. At the time, she started journaling her thoughts, asking God to bless her with a home that would, in turn, bless women and their children facing life-challenging problems. 12 years later, in 2019, God brought that journal entry back to Michele’s mind and a calling to her heart that now was the time to pursue that dream. That stirring led Michele to pursue the current location in Watertown, Wisconsin. Cornerstone of Grace opened its doors to residents beginning in January of 2021 and currently has residences for six women and their children.
Invite us to speak at your next church or civic group gathering!
~Learn about CSOG's initiatives and how we are making an impact.
~Discover ways to get involved and make a positive difference.
~Ask questions and engage in open discussion about important issues. Contact us today!
.png)
Cornerstone of Grace Making An Impact
2
Home Rentals
6
Families CSOG Can Serve at 1 Time
.png)
Women CSOG Has Served Since 2021
27
53
Children CSOG Has Served Since 2021
68
Volunteers Who Have Served With CSOG
1
Our recently purchased duplex provides housing for 2 CSOG graduates
Meet Our Board
Michele Altman
Founder/Director
Michele Altman is the Founder and Director of Cornerstone of Grace in Watertown, WI, a ministry dedicated to serving women and children by fostering healthy relationships, offering love, spiritual guidance, and providing essential resources to build strong foundations for growth and stability through Christ Jesus. Having experienced hardship firsthand, Michele once walked in the same shoes as the women she now serves, which fuels her deep passion for empowering others. Through sharing her testimony, she demonstrates how God can transform brokenness into beauty for His glory. Michele holds an Associate Degree in Human Services from Madison College and is an inspirational speaker and published author of Roots of My Identity: I Am Who God Says I Am. Michele is devoted to serving and loving God’s people, helping them discover and embrace their true identity in Christ.
Steph Mazzoni
Connections Coordinator
Steph Mazzoni is a woman of faith, guided by a desire to live out God’s purpose with a heart for serving others and sharing the hope of the Gospel. She seeks to be a light in both everyday moments and mission opportunities. Having lived in Watertown for the past 21 years, Steph has developed a deep love for her community and a strong awareness of the needs around her. Steph is a proud mother of four grown children and “Nonna” to four grandchildren and eagerly awaiting one more.. Her family is a central part of her life and faith journey, and through both her personal and professional experiences, she has cultivated compassion, resilience, and a deep desire to care for others. With a background in administrative support, organization, and communication, Steph brings practical skills alongside a servant’s heart. Whether coordinating details behind the scenes or building relationships within the community, she is committed to supporting ministry efforts with excellence and compassion. Steph spent 14 years working in the local school district, followed by 7 years serving in city government. These roles gave her a unique perspective on the challenges individuals and families face and strengthened her passion for helping those in need within her community. She feels called to missions as a way to put her faith into action—serving, encouraging, and building relationships with others. Steph is committed to sharing the love of Christ in practical and meaningful ways, trusting God to use her wherever He leads. Her greatest desire is to live a life that honors the Lord through obedience, humility, and a willing heart to serve.
Deb Portman
Board Chair
Deb is the Office Manager with the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation and the Community Manager at the Collective in Watertown. She brings organizational and administration skills to the board. She has a heart for service and hospitality and tries to make anyone she comes in contact with comfortable and welcome. She is an active mentor with Cornerstone of Grace and enjoys seeing the life transformation of the women and children in the homes. Deb and her husband live in Watertown and are blessed to have raised their two grown children in this community. In her free time, Deb enjoys photography, hiking, and being active with her church.
Jeff Finger
Treasurer
Jeff is a licensed CPA who is currently working as a controller in the consumer goods industry in the Madison area. He received his BS in Business Administration from Maranatha Baptist University and has an MBA in Accounting from Lakeland College. He is excited to be using his financial background to help advance this organization and see it help more women, children, and families in their time of need. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters and serving in his local church.
Linda Oberbrunner
Board Member
Linda has been in ministry as a social worker for many years, serving women and men experiencing unplanned pregnancies and doing adoptions if desired. She has a heart and passion to hear each person's unique story and communicate the compassion, truth and love of Jesus Christ required for His transformation in their lives. Linda has served as the Wisconsin District Director of the Evangelical Child and Family Agency and has worked with homeless men and families at the Waukesha Salvation Army. Linda enjoys doing seasonal customer care at Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia. She is the author of Mercy Extended, The Gift That Transforms Lives, Impacts Generations, and Mobilizes Multitudes for Eternity. Linda and her husband consider themselves immensely blessed to be the parents of four awesome adult children and two of their wonderful spouses and grandparents to six fun-loving grandchildren. Linda has personally seen the transformational work God continues to do in the lives of the residents He has brought to Cornerstone of Grace.
Casey Hushon
Board Member
Casey Hushon serves as the Executive Director at Hope Lake Country, a non-denominational church in Oconomowoc. Before joining the staff at Hope, she spent over a decade working in advertising in the agriculture and food space. She grew up in Maine and graduated from Virginia Tech (Go, Hokies!). One of her first loves was dairy cows, a passion that has fueled her life. Casey and her husband Josh have a small farm in Watertown where they raise registered dairy heifers for show. During her free time, she can be found participating in endurance sports, like half-ironman races and marathons.
Lorelei Krueger
Evening House Manager
Lorelei served in public education for 37 years, most recently with the Lake Mills School District. She served as our prayer coordinator when Cornerstone was just a vision and volunteered as a tutor, house sitter, and did crafts with our families. She has been working officially with us since February of 2023. Her duties include all evening routines including homework and tutoring coordination. Lorelei loves helping the women and children grow in their faith and develop their gifts. She praises God for how He creatively touches and restores lives through Cornerstone of Grace.
Kimm Whitaker
Program Staff
Kimm serves by day as a paralegal in Waukesha. She has experience in customer service, children’s ministry, and has been a realtor. Kimm currently works weekends at Cornerstone of Grace and is a supportive and loving constant in the lives of our families. Kimm has faced her own life challenging circumstances and has overcome through her faith. She enjoys seeing growth and life change in our women and children.
Tom Merfeld
Board Member
Tom works as a commercial/consumer lender for Premier Bank in Johnson Creek and has worked in banking for 30+ years. He holds a bachelor's degree from UW LaCrosse in finance and economics. Tom's passion for serving others and professional expertise is invaluable for Cornerstone of Grace. Tom has previously served on the Board of United Way of Watertown , Big Brothers- Big Sisters, Watertown Family Center, as well as a youth baseball and basketball coach. Tom and his wife Andi have two grown children and have lived in Watertown for 25 years. In his spare time you can find Tom enjoying pickleball, racquetball or bicycling.
Erin Stai
Secretary
Erin Stai is a Financial Advisor at Thrivent Financial, a fraternal non-profit financial services provider, where she helps clients make the most of what they've been given. Originally from a small town in northwest Indiana, she relocated to Watertown after graduating from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business with degrees in Marketing and International Business to begin a professional career rooted in project management and human resources. Erin is passionate about being a positive influence in her community and is an active member of the Watertown Chamber of Commerce and the Educational Foundation of Watertown. After meeting Michele, Erin felt called to the important work happening at Cornerstone of Grace and is excited to be a part of its mission. Erin has been married to her husband Aaron, a Watertown native, for 16 years. Together, they share three beautiful children and one granddaughter. In her free time, you'll find her chasing her kids around to their activities, reading, traveling, and relaxing with friends.
