Our courageous and committed frontline staff have made our strategic COVID19 response possible. As National Social Work Month continues, we want to highlight another staff person who is going to extraordinary lengths to serve some of our most vulnerable clients. Housing Case Manager Natalie Breeden works closely with people living […]
Thank you to Ogden Avenue School students!
A heartfelt thank you to the students at Ogden Avenue School! The sixth-grade class coordinated a donation drive to benefits BEDS as its service project. Fun facts – 96 sixth-grade students collected four carloads of necessary shelter supplies over the past month! More than $1,000 in gift cards were collected. […]
Volunteer Bill Burke helps on frontline of the BEDS COVID-19 response
Bill Burke is one of the BEDS volunteers on the frontline of our COVID-19 response, helping to manage consolidated shelter operations. A volunteer with BEDS since 1998, Bill tirelessly led a small group of volunteers to get our consolidated shelter site ready to serve both as an overnight emergency shelter […]
Covering Our COVID-19 Response
Week One (3/15/20 – 3/21/20) While we work to keep our clients and communities safe, our friends have stepped forward to share what they have. We’ve received hundreds of foodstuffs, cleaning supplies, and games. Additionally: A shelter client donated $15 with the first check from his new bank account. A […]
Meet Manager of Emergency Services and Outreach Mario Avila
Manager of Emergency Services and Outreach Mario Avila joined BEDS staff in 2017. Based in our Worth office, Mario Avila oversees our South Suburban emergency overnight shelters, daytime support center, and street outreach. He works closely with clients who are struggling with substance abuse, which can cause homelessness, be caused […]
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 […]
Beds Plus operates only one location for overnight shelter and limits guests to 50 in response to risk of coronavirus
Pioneer Press reporter Kimberly Fornek reports on how BEDS Plus is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes that have been made to the overnight emergency shelter program as a result. Click here to read more.
South suburban homeless shelters forced to consolidate, divert at-risk clients in wake of coronavirus outbreak
Daily Southtown reporter Zak Koeske reports on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting organizations that serve the homeless, including BEDS Plus. Click here to read more.
Meet Stabilization Coordinator Miriam Martinez
Stabilization Coordinator Miriam Martinez joined BEDS staff in 2019. She’s focused on expanding our reach in some of our newer communities, and she’s one of the first contacts with BEDS that many people experiencing homelessness or risk of homelessness have. We wanted to feature a conversation with her as part […]
Meet Rapid Rehousing Case Manager Ben Pershey
BEDS is celebrating National Social Work Month by interviewing staff who work directly with the people we serve. Our first conversation is with Rapid Rehousing Case Manager Ben Pershey. Thanks for sitting down with us Ben. Tell us about yourself. How did you get started in social work? I had […]
