Terminology Change at Homelessness Service Agencies including BEDS Plus Care: “Interim Housing” The words we use for our clients and services continuously change. These shifts reflect evolution in academic, human service, and popular cultural thought about homelessness and related issues. Recently, the National Alliance to End Homelessness has started to […]
Population Spotlight: Older Adults
BEDS Plus has recently partnered with Aging Care Connections (ACC) to lease apartments near the new BEDS Linda Sokol Francis Summit Service Center. These units will be dedicated to older adults experiencing homelessness with serious medical conditions; they’ll receive intensive case management through Aging Care Connections and will be able […]
Family Support is Key
Ebonie has a contagious smile and positive attitude even after being homeless twice in the last two years. She and her family (she is a single mom with three children) faced hardships and homelessness during the pandemic and then her roommate and best friend passed away. While grieving this loss […]
What is Homelessness Prevention?
This month, we’ve been looking at our Homelessness Prevention program, which has been essential to keep people in Southwest Suburban Cook County housed in the wake of COVID-19 and its socioeconomic effects. What is Homelessness Prevention? The Illinois Department of Human Services defines homelessness prevention as: Rental/mortgage assistance, utility assistance, […]
What is Homelessness Diversion?
Some households seeking homeless shelter have reached a tipping point. They may still be in an apartment but on the verge of eviction, utility shutoff, or another crisis. Their options seem to have narrowed to finding a safe place for the night. But once they enter a shelter program, regaining […]
This Pride Month, LGBTQ+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness Remain at Risk
For Pride Month, we join our communities in celebrating LGBTQ+ pride, but at the same time, we highlight urgent needs among LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. A recent CDC survey found that 11.7 percent of youth aged 15 to 17 identify as “non-heterosexual” (an increase from earlier studies that may be […]
History of systemic racism creates housing inequities
Dear BEDS Plus Care Supporter: Over the past five years, our service area has doubled; our client population has grown by five times; and the people we serve have diversified. COVID-19 and its socioeconomic effects fomented another surge of people experiencing homelessness and imminent risk of homelessness throughout our service […]
What Does a Case Aide Worker Do? Featuring Staff member Janie Cundiff
What Does a Case Aide Worker Do? Staff member Janie Cundiff talks about a day on the job in this video. Beginning your career in social services as a case aide at BEDS Plus is a great opportunity. You’ll work with a group of professionals dedicated to eliminating homelessness by […]
Summer shelter update
As our Winter Shelter Season begins, we want to take a quick look back at the results of our Summer Shelter program. It focuses on individuals who needed more intensive support after the regular shelter season before they could return to housing. It’s a much smaller group than the over […]
