Mutual Aid Fund reopens to provide direct financial support to people experiencing homelessness

Responding to pressing community need, CCH has reopened our Mutual Aid Fund! The fund will provide direct cash support of $500 to Illinois residents in need. 500 applications will be accepted beginning tomorrow, July 1 at 9 a.m. When the application period opens on Thursday, people can apply online or over the phone at (312) 641-4148. If phone lines are busy, applicants are encouraged to call until they can reach a live staff person. Spanish-speaking operators will be available. 

 

CCH awards college scholarships to seven new high school graduates

Seven high school graduates were awarded college scholarships by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless this June. CCH offers $3,500 renewable scholarships to students who succeeded in school while experiencing homelessness. Twenty students will be assisted next school year, including three sophomores, three juniors, and seven seniors. CCH scholars will attend colleges and universities in Illinois, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Missouri, and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Mississippi and Washington, D.C. Meet our new winners. 

 

CCH advocacy leads to two new bills removing barriers and $1 billion in housing funding

Advocacy and organizing in Springfield this legislative session resulted in the passage of HB88, a bill that removes the eligibility restriction that bars people with drug-related felony convictions from receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and SB190, a bill to provide students experiencing homelessness in college supports necessary to successfully complete their education. CCH also advocated for progressive revenue options that adequately fund services to ensure that every person and family in need receives necessary resources, and for the inclusion of more than $1 billion dollars dedicated to housing, homelessness prevention, and services in next year’s budget.  

 

Grassroots leaders share original poetry at Horizons virtual showcase

Horizons’ virtual showcase is now available to stream on Facebook and YouTube. Horizons is a creative writing outreach program offered at family shelters, facilitated by Special Projects Organizer Claudia Cabrera. Twice-a-month sessions involve more than 100 people a year. The event was emceed by grassroots leader Edrika Fulford, and featured original poetry read by program participants with lived experience of homelessness and their children. A special prescreening of the program for participants, grassroots leaders, staff, and board was held Thursday, June 24 via Zoom.

 

CCH welcomes Northern Illinois Community Organizer Alex Shapiro

Alex Shapiro joined our staff this month, filling a new organizing position working to build and support the Homeless Prevention State Network in northern Illinois communities outside of Chicago. We asked Alex to introduce himself.

Hi! I’m Alex Shapiro, and I’m excited to be joining the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless as the Northern Illinois Community Organizer. Previously, I taught and mentored reading and writing students ranging in age from 6 to 70 with a variety of institutions. As an educator, I loved helping folks share and connect through stories, and am looking forward to continuing this work as an organizer.

 

 

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