Blog

By Claire Sloss, Assistant Development Director

Homeless youth and program staff joined CCH outside some of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s nine luxury homes this morning, serving free coffee and urging his neighbors and passersby to voice their support for homeless youth funding.

The governor owns two condos at 340 on the Park, a posh high-rise at 340 E. Randolph Street, across from Maggie Daley Park.

Twenty-five backpacks lined up along a meticulously trimmed planter outside the high-rise represented the 25,000 homeless Illinois youth who face losing shelter because of the 10-month state budget impasse. More and more programs that shelter, house and counsel youth have been forced to lay off staff and cutback services. A few have already closed.  Continue reading Homeless youth ask Gov. Rauner’s neighbors to voice support for funding

April 27 – Chicago Coalition for the Homeless welcomes a community organizing fellow from Budapest, Hungary. Simon Molnár will spend four weeks working with CCH organizers and community leaders, the ninth central European fellow to be placed with CCH since 2012.

Organizing fellows are placed through the Great Lakes Consortium (GLC) for International Training and Development, with 18 fellows placed with U.S. groups this spring. Through the program, CCH also has sent four organizers to Europe to train community groups in Hungary and Romania. A fifth staff member, Associate Organizing Director Wayne Richard, will travel to Slovakia and Hungary in July as part of the 2016 exchange.  Continue reading CCH welcomes community organizing fellow from Hungary

By Ali Heinen, Case Intake Coordinator

CCH’s Youth Futures mobile legal aid clinic and the JPMorgan Chase legal department ran a Legal and Identification Clinic for homeless youth Wednesday afternoon. Hosted by the Center on Halsted, an LGBTQ community center in the Lakeview neighborhood, 20 Chase volunteers participated as a part of Chase’s National Day of Service.

Twenty-seven youth and three adults received assistance with identification documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, and homeless verification letters for state ID cards. CCH staff were also available to enroll youth in public benefits, such as Medicaid and SNAP enrollments, and to assist with other legal issues.  Continue reading 30 helped by Youth Futures/Chase drop-in clinic at Center on Halsted

What:  Homeless youth who keep their belongings in backpacks when living on the street will greet neighbors outside a high-rise that houses one of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s luxury homes.

(This is the one he uses to store extra furniture.)

When:  Thursday, April 28 – 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.

Where:  Outside 340 on the Park – 340 East Randolph Street, Chicago

Visuals:  25 backpacks displayed to represent the 25,000 homeless Illinois youth who face losing shelter, housing, and services due to the 10-month state budget impasse. Homeless youth available for interviews.

Our wealthy governor can afford nine luxury homes.

Meanwhile, more and more homeless youth across the state of Illinois face living on the street again as programs that shelter, house and counsel them keep cutting back or closing down.

Illinois has already collected millions of dollars earmarked for homeless and housing services. But because of the budget impasse, these funds sit untouched in state coffers. Waiting indefinitely to be paid for services given in the past year, dozens of youth programs have slashed staffing and cut programs. Some have closed completely.

Offering cups of coffee to neighbors and passersby Thursday, youth and youth service providers will urge the public to contact Gov. Rauner’s office to ask that he support legislation (HB4955/SB 2603) that would release funds already collected and earmarked to provide affordable housing and end homelessness.

MEDIA COVERAGE included: CBS Chicago/WBBM Newsradio

For More Information:
Niya Kelly, Policy Specialist
Office: (312) 641-4140
niya@chicagohomeless.org

Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) are contractual agreements between community organizations and real estate developers, requiring them to provide jobs, housing and other benefits to the community. Four CBA campaigns are underway in Chicago.

This conference brings together leaders of Chicago area coalitions to share experiences and learn from national experts. It is sponsored by community groups including CCH, as well as the Woods Fund of Chicago and the Pierce Family Foundation.  Continue reading April 2: Conference on Community Benefits Agreements

By Niya Kelly, CCH Policy Specialist

Illinois residents who are homeless have the right to vote in the Tuesday, March 15 primary election even if they are not yet registered to vote. You are considered homeless if you are living on the street, in shelters, or doubled-up in the homes of others.

The following explains what a homeless person must do to vote in the upcoming election.

To register to vote, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be born on or before November 8, 1998 (turning 18 by the general election next November).
• Not be in prison or jail serving time for a conviction, and,
• Not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

In order to register to vote, Illinois requires that a homeless person be able to receive mail at the address provided on his/her voter registration form.   Continue reading If you’re homeless, what to do to vote in the March 15 primary election