More than 300 Chicago teens are working on Service-Learning projects with CCH and its Speaker Bureau.
Two-month projects, lasting through December, involve residents of Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, and students at four Chicago Public high schools — Al Raby, Curie, Mather and Tilden. Continue reading 300 teens work with CCH on Service-Learning projects
Equal Voice online newspaper produced More Than Housing: One Person’s Voice, a video featuring CCH leader Shon Robertson and Senior Community Organizer Wayne Richard. Wayne runs Horizons, a creative writing outreach program.
Shon is an activist, spoken word artist, and was once homeless. At the age of 8, Shon became a ward of the state, and at the age of 21, aged out of the system and into homelessness.
Watch Shon’s video on how she survived homelessness and is now a community leader.
This week, Equal Voice will also feature essays by CCH interns J.D. Klippenstein and Anthony Narducci, and Associate Board Treasurer Ryan Cameron, re-posted from our blog.
Now settled in at Lake Forest College, freshman Jennifer Salgado-Benz worked hard to make sure she got to go to college at all.
With a 4.3 GPA, Jennifer ranked 4th in her class at Phoenix Military Academy. A softball player, Jennifer also got up at 4:30 a.m. all four years for drill team practice. Since 10th grade, she has worked at a North Shore country club on the weekends and summers, earning money for school and to help her mom with bills.
Knowing she had to find her own way to college, Jennifer competed for scholarships, winning several, including a renewable $2,000 award from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Continue reading Jennifer earned a scholarship and she’s motivated to succeed
The SBK Foundation and High Sierra Sport Co. announce The CITYPAK Project — an initiative designed to assist people who live on the street by giving them the equipment to keep their personal belongings safe.
During the second week in October, 2,000 specially-designed backpacks were distributed free of charge to homeless youths and adults across Chicago. Continue reading 2,000 CITYPAKs distributed in October
Check out our new website about Chicago’s One-SQM-House project: www.onesqmhouseus.com
Under the direction of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) and a professional carpenter, a group of homeless youths have built the first One-Square-Meter-House – officially known as the One-SQM-House – in the United States. Continue reading CCH & youth build first “One-Square-Meter House” in the U.S.
Supporters of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless have an opportunity to attend the world premiere of Kinky Boots, a new musical by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper.
Kinky Boots is inspired by a true story and based on the film of the same name. It will debut at the Bank of America Theatre, 18 W. Monroe, on Tuesday, October 2.
CCH has a limited block of tickets. You can purchase your tickets HERE. Continue reading CCH theater benefit
Organizers with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless brought 135 people to Springfield to advocate Wednesday. Making the trip were homeless people from Aurora and Elgin, two Chicago shelters, San Jose Obrero and It Takes a Village, and students from Tilden High School, Loyola University, and Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights.
We spoke with more than 20 legislators. We told them that we wanted their support in stopping proposed cuts to funding for emergency shelters and transitional housing, which are facing a cutback of 52%, or $4.7 million in July. We also advocated that homeless prevention grants to families have funding restored, from $1.5 million to $5 million. Continue reading CCH sends 135 people to Springfield
Lovely Sardin turned to the Law Project to help her two children late last year. In 2011, 88% of our legal aid clients were homeless students or youth.
On December 28, a brand-new principal at her children’s South Side school ordered almost 70 children to be served with transfer papers. Although Guggenheim Elementary was closed for winter break, the transfers claimed to be effective immediately. Continue reading Helping Lovely Sardin & her family
Our Hopefest benefit at the Park West was many things: a sold-out concert headlined by Los Lobos, a successful fundraiser, and a memorable evening of music with several notable special guests.
Local favorite Rollover started the June 1st evening with an electrifying set. Over the course of an hour, they welcomed many guest musicians to share the stage with them: Todd Park Mohr from Big Head Todd and the Monsters, blues saxophonist extraordinaire Eddie Shaw, and six-time Grammy winner Buddy Guy. Continue reading Sold-out benefit: Hopefest was another memorable concert night
This year, the state of Illinois supports programs for its homeless youth at an average cost of $128 for each youth.
With yearly cuts over four years, the state is spending $3.2 million for homeless youth shelters and services this year (FY 2012). That’s a 32% ($1.5 million) cutback from peak annual funding of $4.7 million in FY 2008.
An estimated 25,000 youth live unaccompanied across Illinois – youth living homeless and on their own, without family or guardian. This includes 3,189 youth who were enrolled in Chicago Public Schools last year. Many youth providers must turn away more youth than they can serve when funding averages $128 a youth.
“You can’t even buy a good iPod with that!” remarked a teen from H.E.L.L.O., a street youth group that’s facilitated by the CCH youth attorney, The Night Ministry and Lakeview Action Coalition.
To tell your legislator to support homeless youth, click here: http://bit.ly/AhyuDT
The teen’s remark inspired the CCH Youth Committee to join with H.E.L.L.O. to make a short video, What Am I Worth?
In the 3-minute video, youth explain the need as they see it. Several tell their own stories of how they became homeless.
Through its No Youth Alone campaign, 29 providers and agencies on the Youth Committee are advocating that Illinois restore funding to $4.7 million. Along with services, the funds help support 209 shelter beds for youth in Chicago, a statewide total of almost 400 beds.
The video was produced by 20 members of the HELLO youth group, with help from Denise Powers and Anne Holcomb from The Night Ministry, Ed Negron of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Jim Belanger of UCAN’s LGBTQ Host Homes Program, and CCH’s Jenifer Nyhuis, Beth Cunningham and Daria Mueller.
– Anne Bowhay, Media
