For Marianne and her children, stability is everything. After years of uncertainty and housing insecurity, they now have a safe home through the BEDS Plus Family Bridge Program.
“My children have been through a lot of trauma,” Marianne shares. “They need to be in a school that knows them and can help them. Education isn’t just about books—it’s part of their coping skills, helping them grow, and improving their behavior.”
For Marianne, stable housing and consistent education are foundations her family has long been missing. “For years we were without a home, moving from place to place. That instability and trauma affected my kids’ behavior and ability to focus. Keeping them in school and in programs that advocate for them is where they can start to heal and move forward.”
With guidance from her BEDS Plus Family Case Manager, Chris Hart, Marianne navigated the McKinney-Vento process, for school enrollment in Cicero.
“Chris told me what I needed to do, gave me resources, and walked me through every step,” she recalls. “At times I was discouraged. But we worked together—I advocated and fought for my children, and he backed me up every step of the way. Now all six of my children are in school.
That stability is everything for them—and for me.“