Record-sealing bill HB2373 goes to the governor

Updated May 30, 2017

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) advocates reentry measures that would limit the barrier to jobs, housing and higher education that are triggered by a criminal background check.

A bill to expand record-sealing for most felonies, House Bill 2373, is being sent to the governor for consideration after passing the Illinois Senate with bi-partisan support (36-19) on May 30.

State Rep. Camille Lilly and State Sen. Don Harmon (both D-Oak Park) sponsor the measure. It passed the Illinois House, 80-34, on April 27.  Continue reading Record-sealing bill HB2373 goes to the governor

Thirty homeless youth helped at free legal aid and ID clinic

Thirty homeless Chicago youth needing legal aid or help obtaining their birth records received services April 26, during a two-hour clinic organized by the CCH Law Project.

The clinic was staffed by CCH’s Youth Futures mobile legal clinic and by 27 volunteers, including attorneys, from Chase Bank. Teen Living Programs, 5501 S. Indiana Avenue, hosted the event.

Attorneys helped youth, ages 13 through 24, apply for birth certificates. They also helped unaccompanied youth apply for public benefits, such as Medicaid and SNAP food benefits, and advised youth with other legal needs.

Continue reading Thirty homeless youth helped at free legal aid and ID clinic

Ed Shurna to be honored at April 30 event

Ed Shurna with a CCH scholarship winner, Kristen Lang, in 2014.

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is proud to report that retired executive director Ed Shurna will be honored at an April Sunday brunch event benefitting the Harmony, Hope & Healing Choir.

The event will be Sunday, April 30, 12:30 p.m., at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie St., Chicago. Tickets to Heart Beat 2017 are available here.

Ed spent 45 years organizing in Chicago’s neighborhoods, including 20 years with CCH before retiring in 2015. He co-founded the Ignatian Spirituality Project and helped organize Chicago’s Homeless Memorial, held every December at Old St. Pat’s Church. The HHH choir performs at the annual memorial.

Continue reading Ed Shurna to be honored at April 30 event

Many thanks! You helped stop repeal of the Affordable Care Act

Many thanks to our supporters! You joined untold thousands of Americans who phoned, emailed, rallied and posted in strong opposition to the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the Republican bill to repeal Pres. Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA). Unable to muster enough Republican votes, House Speaker Paul Ryan, after conferring with Pres. Trump, pulled the bill before an already-postponed vote was held Friday.

Among its draconian cutbacks, AHCA would have ended the Medicaid expansion that covers the working poor and older youth and adults experiencing homelessness, giving them life-saving access to medical care and mental health treatment.

Continue reading Many thanks! You helped stop repeal of the Affordable Care Act

Rachel Ramirez selected for Cultivate leadership program

Senior Organizer Rachel Ramirez was selected recently to participate in Cultivate, a yearlong mentorship program for women of color leaders.

Senior Organizer Rachel Ramirez (second from left) last year in Springfield with fellow staff, interns, and leaders from CCH’s Reentry Project.

Rachel, 27, organizes homeless Chicagoans through community reentry programs and shelters serving Spanish-speaking youth, families and adults. A Chicago Posse Foundation scholar who graduated from Pomona College, Rachel worked full-time while earning a master’s degree in public policy and administration last year from Northwestern University. She has worked at CCH for five years.

Fifteen women were selected this year to participate in Cultivate. The program is sponsored by Woods Fund Chicago, Chicago Community Trust, Chicago Foundation for Women, and Crossroads Fund.

Continue reading Rachel Ramirez selected for Cultivate leadership program

Eithne McMenamin leaves CCH to head up Chicago Cottages, a ‘tiny homes’ project

Eithne McMenamin              (Photo by Claire Sloss)

By Eithne McMenamin

Associate Director of Policy

As my time at CCH draws to a close, I’m feeling a mixture of emotions. I’m excited for my new venture as well as nervous as to what the future holds, and also a little sad that I’m leaving such a great organization. I’m as proud to be associated with this organization after 12 years as I was on my first day back in 2005.

I’m humbled to have been able to be a part of so many great campaigns: It Takes a Home to Raise a Child, the capital budget campaign, Sweet Home Chicago, and our current HomeWorks family homelessness campaign. As well, I’ve had the tremendous good fortune to have worked with countless amazing people both inside and outside of CCH. The people I’ve met and worked with are what have inspired and energized me every day of my time here.

Continue reading Eithne McMenamin leaves CCH to head up Chicago Cottages, a ‘tiny homes’ project

CCH statement on Governor Rauner’s 2017 state budget address

February 15 – Illinois needs a budget that reflects who we are  – a state that wants to give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the greater good. Today Governor Bruce Rauner introduced a budget that fails to meet this standard.

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is disappointed that the governor continues to prioritize non-budget items over the needs of families, while at the same time offering a budget that is close to $5 billion out of balance. While we, like the governor, desire to see growth in Illinois and create more jobs, we believe growth in our state will only come if we adequately invest in the people so they can achieve their full potential. Making that investment requires real, permanent, new revenue now that adequately funds homeless services as well as other critical human services, not reforms that hurt working families.

Continue reading CCH statement on Governor Rauner’s 2017 state budget address

CCH joins groups in opposing cutbacks to federal nutrition programs

CCH recently joined 126 other Illinois organizations on an open letter urging Illinois congressmen to protect federal nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs (NSLP).

A related letter, signed by 139 groups, was sent Feb. 13 to Gov. Bruce Rauner.

These nutrition programs reduce hunger and poverty, improve health and learning among children, boost productivity, and create jobs and economic growth. They provided critical assistance to 1 in 7 people, or 1,914,000 Illinoisans, in fiscal year 2016, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). They include children, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and low- paid workers. In Illinois, about 65% of SNAP recipients are families with children and 41% are working families, per CBPP.

Continue reading CCH joins groups in opposing cutbacks to federal nutrition programs

Using the StreetLight Chicago phone app, La Casa Norte pilots “Book A Bed” at its South Side youth shelter

Homeless youth can now reserve a shelter bed using a new “Book a Bed” feature on StreetLight Chicago, a free mobile app for homeless youth co-developed by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.

Through “Book a Bed,” La Casa Norte makes available four beds at its Back of the Yards shelter, 1736 W. 47th Street. Launched Feb. 6, the pilot allows youth who work evening hours or attend night classes to use StreetLight Chicago to reserve a bed when the 30-bed shelter opens at 9 p.m., said Casa Corazon Program Coordinator Shanavia Stevens.  Continue reading Using the StreetLight Chicago phone app, La Casa Norte pilots “Book A Bed” at its South Side youth shelter