Free Veteran Peer-to-Peer Support — Milwaukee, WI | Dryhootch Coffeehouse
Dryhootch of America is a Milwaukee veteran-run nonprofit and coffeehouse providing free peer-to-peer support to veterans and their families. Founded in 2008 by a group of Vietnam combat veterans who wanted to help Iraq/Afghanistan veterans avoid the PTSD and substance use struggles their generation faced, Dryhootch has built a sustainable model that combines a public substance-free coffeehouse with veteran peer support groups, 12-step recovery meetings, and one-on-one peer counseling — all free.
What to Expect
Dryhootch’s flagship Brady Street location in Milwaukee serves premium coffee and bakery to the public while hosting veteran peer-to-peer support groups, 12-step recovery meetings, and individual peer-to-peer counseling sessions on the second floor of the coffee house. The model intentionally combines a welcoming substance-free public space with veteran peer programming — making it easy for veterans to drop in for coffee and find their way to peer support without the barriers of a clinical setting. Dryhootch also runs the BattlePeer app, which provides anonymous peer support to veterans nationwide between in-person visits. A sister Madison location extends the model to Dane County.
Who This Group Is For
Dryhootch welcomes veterans (all eras, branches, and discharge statuses), family members of veterans, and broader community members who want a substance-free space. Peer support and recovery meetings are veteran-focused but the coffeehouse is open to the public. The combination means veterans who aren’t ready to walk into a formal peer group can come for coffee, get to know other vets, and find their way into support at their own pace.
Why Peer Support Works
The Dryhootch model was built on a key insight: veterans often won’t walk into a VA building or clinical setting for help, but will go for coffee. By embedding peer support in a public substance-free space, Dryhootch lowers the threshold to engagement dramatically. Conversations that start over coffee often become deeper peer-to-peer support relationships. The veteran-to-veteran framework is the foundation: every staff member, peer counselor, and group leader is a veteran.
How to Join
Dryhootch peer support is free. Visit dryhootch.org to learn about programs, find current peer support group schedules, download the BattlePeer app, or stop by the Brady Street coffeehouse (1030 E. Brady St., Milwaukee, WI 53202). Reach Dryhootch at (414) 455-8456.