BEDS Bulletin!
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would provide emergency financial relief for tenants and homeowners to keep people housed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020, $100 billion would allocated to emergency rental assistance programs and a $75 billion relief fund would be created for homeowners. The eviction and foreclosure moratorium put in place by the CARES Act also would be extended through March 2021. The bill has been passed to the Senate, but it is not expected to pass. "America was facing an affordable housing crisis before this pandemic hit,” said bill sponsor Rep. Maxine Waters. "With so many families struggling as a result of the pandemic, we are now on the precipice of an eviction and homelessness crisis like we've never seen in our lifetimes."

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/30/house-passes-emergency-rental-assistance-and-mortgage-relief-bill.html ... See more

The Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020 allocates $100 billion to emergency rental assistance programs and creates a $75 billion relief fund for homeowners.

Feel Good Friday! We are overwhelmed by the generosity of United Pride & Produce! The organization recently provided BEDS with 120 sandwiches, sides and drinks for our clients who are temporarily housed in motels. And the group delivered the food to our office despite stormy weather! United Pride & Produce connects children across communities and cultures, economic barriers and resource deficits around the common theme - getting excited about produce! The initiative provides children and families who are food insecure with a bi-monthly kit of fresh produce, recipe cards and proper handling tips. United Pride & Produce also invites children to attend virtual cooking classes hosted by guest chefs where they can meet new friends and spend quality time with their family in the kitchen.

https://youtu.be/yAoS33G5XGs ... See more

Thankful Thursday! It feels like Christmas in July! A big thank you to the YMCA Men's Club for its recent donation, made possible by its annual Christmas Tree Sale. The donation is especially timely as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 19 through May 31, BEDS provided 6,633 shelter nights and 19,899 meals as part of our COVID-19 response. BEDS has sheltered over 235 homeless clients in our consolidated shelters in Oak Lawn and Brookfield and in motel rooms, where we place those at the greatest medical risk. Of these, we have found permanent housing for 15 and counting! #community ... See more

BEDS Bulletin!
Rosanne Haggerty, a global expert on homelessness and founder of Community Solutions, told Forbes the COVID-19 pandemic presents a history opportunity to end homelessness once and for all. Haggerty said the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed cracks in public systems such as health care, finance and housing. "We're looking at this moment as an opportunity to design homelessness out of existence," she said. "We've long seen homelessness as the visible indicator of a broken public health system, broken civic infrastructure, and governance failures. If these systems and institutions were working effectively, we wouldn’t have persistent homelessness and we certainly wouldn't regard it as normal." BEDS offers a continuum of emergency services, including overnight shelter and homelessness prevention, to reduce and end homelessness in Southwest Suburban Cook County. From March 19 through May 31, we helped 174 clients and 138 households. Learn more about how we help here: https://beds-plus.org/how-we-help/.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2020/06/19/will-the-covid-crisis-spur-us-to-end-homelessness/#2ecc358d45fd ... See more

We talk to homelessness expert Rosanne Haggerty about the challenges and opportunities of the Covid moment, and why the mindset and language of public health is key to a future without homelessness.

BEDS celebrates when clients reach milestones like finding permanent housing or a new job. Congratulations to our clients! #grateful #endhomelessness

BEDS celebrates when clients reach milestones like finding permanent housing or a new job. Congratulations to our clients! #grateful #endhomelessness

We are so thankful for our supporters, volunteers and communities!

We are so thankful for our supporters, volunteers and communities!

Thankful Thursday! A warm thank you to Wild Monk's Burger Bar and Blackberry Market for donating food to our clients. BEDS is presently providing more than 4,000 individual meals each week to our clients staying temporarily in motels and those who are housed but food insecure. We wouldn't be able to do it without the generous support of the community and partners such as Monk's Burger Bar and Blackberry Market! ... See more

BEDS Bulletin!
The Washington Post recently followed the story of a Florida couple and their children, who found themselves living out of their car amid the COVID-19 pandemic after being forced from their home and running out of money. BEDS works to help people like the couple featured in the Washington Post through a continuum of emergency services, including overnight shelter, housing services and homelessness prevention to reduce and end homelessness in Southwest Suburban Cook County. We have sheltered more than 235 homeless clients in our consolidated shelters and in motel rooms as part of our COVID-19 response. Of these, we have found permanent housing for 15 and counting! Learn more about how BEDS helps here: https://beds-plus.org/how-we-help/.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/virus-family-homelessness/ ... See more

Even when the economy was booming, Dave and Sergine had lived in a state of near homelessness. Coronavirus made it worse.

Congratulations to Bill, who recently moved in to a new apartment! He had been living with his daughter and grandson but was no longer able to afford the apartment after his daughter moved out. He stayed with a friend and then in a hotel before the state entered into its Phase I COVID-19 response. Bill was hired at a local Popeye's and worked there throughout the quarantined period, earning enough to pay for his hotel room while continuing to search for an affordable apartment. He was approved for an apartment last week and was promoted to assistant manager at Popeye's! Success stories like Bill's truly warm the heart. #theresnoplacelikehome ... See more

Congratulations to Bill, who recently moved in to a new apartment! He had been living with his daughter and grandson but was no longer able to afford the apartment after his daughter moved out. He stayed with a friend and then in a hotel before the state entered into its Phase I COVID-19 response. Bill was hired at a local Popeye's and worked there throughout the quarantined period, earning enough to pay for his hotel room while continuing to search for an affordable apartment. He was approved for an apartment last week and was promoted to assistant manager at Popeye's! Success stories like Bill's truly warm the heart. #theresnoplacelikehome ... See more