Every Friday afternoon the BEDS Street Outreach team gathers to discuss their work and strategy. The team is the first line of defense in our mission to help those who are experiencing homelessness. Several times a week, the team goes out into the community in search of those who are […]
Special Bulletin: Street Outreach
BEDS helps individuals and families experiencing homelessness regain housing, but first they must enter our programs. Every day, those living outside need to focus on basic needs for water, food, and safety. They may not be aware of our services or how to access them. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, […]
BEDS Special Bulletin: Homelessness reduces lifespan by 20 years
People experiencing homelessness live an average of 20 years less than their peers. They are at much higher risk of chronic Illnesses, like hypertension, diabetes, pulmonary disease, cancer, tuberculosis, influenza, and other respiratory infections. With the onset of the pandemic, University of Pennsylvania researchers have found that people experiencing homelessness […]
A note from our Supportive Housing Director, Javon Harris
Our work provides an unique vantage point on racial inequity. We see the toll that brutal inequalities have exacted on our country, communities and clients. It is unconscionable that: Black people make up 40 percent of the homeless population compared to 13 percent of the total population. They are overrepresented in every state. Last year, 41 percent […]
COVID-19 makes the homeless even more vulnerable
Illinois and a growing number of states have instructed residents stay at home, which leaves people experiencing homelessness with fewer and fewer places to go. Many describe the pandemic and its effects as unprecedented. Your support will make a difference by keeping our clients and communities safer. Homelessness has always […]
Homeless Services Glossary
Like in any research and/or professional field, descriptions of homelessness and homeless services can seem filled with jargon. It helps academics, professionals, agencies, funders, and government bodies stay on the same page, but it can confuse everyone else (who, naturally, are in other fields with their own jargon). We’re putting […]
Martin v. Boise upholds right to sleep outside when there are no other options
You may have seen coverage of the Supreme Court’s decision on the case of Martin v. Boise, which affirms the right of people to sleep in public if municipalities are not providing adequate shelter and housing services. Quick recap: six people experiencing homelessness in Boise, Idaho, were arrested for violating […]
Food stamp cuts threaten people experiencing homelessness
It’s not obvious, but helping clients apply for government benefits like Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Earned Income Tax Credits (EIC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the more valuable things we do. Clients do not always have the […]
A look at homelessness among veterans
This Veterans’ Day, BEDS wants to look at veteran homelessness. Over the last decade, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs has made a concerted effort to end veteran homelessness. Since 2009, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has dropped 48.4 percent to 37,878 people. (As with many homelessness statistics, this is […]
Final thoughts on Domestic Violence Awareness month
As Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to a close, we wanted to share a thought from Genese Jones-Torrence, Vice President of Crisis Services at SafeNest, a domestic violence shelter network in Nevada: “Housing is safety.” No one chooses to remain in an abusive relationship, but, as we’ve described, the “coercive […]
