It’s March, and once again Women’s History Month. Last fiscal year July 2021-June 2022, BEDS Plus clients served were 53% women. A little over 25% of these women were either fleeing domestic violence or are survivors of DV. Over the next three weeks, we are featuring our “Road to Independence […]
Statistics about the 2022-2023 BEDS Plus Rotational Shelter Season, Wrapping Up Today
BEDS Plus is wrapping up rotational shelter season today. Thank you to all volunteers, meal providers, and church partners who were involved. Stats about the 2022-2023 BEDS Plus Rotational Shelter Season: 7 faith communities retuned to host emergency overnight shelter. 14 weeks of shelter, 98 nights of shelter were offered. […]
Honoring Black History Month 2023
BEDS Looks Back on Black History Month Today marks the end of Black History Month. We celebrate the achievements of Black/African American individuals and groups and acknowledge the history of racism that has shaped the housing and homelessness inequities that we confront. Forty-four percent of our clients are Black/African American […]
Event at BuckleDown Brewing to Help Celebrate 35 Years
BuckleDown Brewing and sponsor WJW Architecture Firm are hosting an event celebrating a BEDS Plus milestone: 35 Years of Sheltering those who are homeless in our Suburban Cook County Communities. Please join us Thursday, February 23rd in Lyons between 5pm-8pm. Current and past shelter volunteers are encouraged to attend and […]
Latinx homelessness rises significantly.
Our strategic plan emphasizes equity driven operations, and we pay close attention to homelessness trends among minority grounps in the communities we serve. A recent National Alliance to End Homelessness study found that: Latinx homelessness has increased over the past two years. Specifically, it grew 7.6 percent in last year’s […]
Interim Housing Defined
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 […]
