What will you change in 2012?

This is the time of year when people reflect back on the year that is about to pass, and look forward to the year to come.  This is also the time when many people make New Year's resolutions.  Most of these resolutions involve one thing--change.  We asked guests to share their resolutions, or plans for change, for 2012.  Not surprisingly, many of the things that made the list are shared by people all over: to cut back or stop smoking, eat better, lose weight, to be a better person, to be more patient.  Reducing the amount of time on Facebook also made the list.  Resolving not to make resolutions also appeared.  Many guests' goals, however, exhibit a fierce determination.  More than one person responded that they will work harder to get a job and housing.  My favorite response to the question of "what will you change in 2012?"--"my address." 

New Experiences

We love it when volunteers share their experiences of volunteering at LPCS.  We recently received an article written about a Wisconsin youth group's trip to Chicago and wanted to share it with you.  Enjoy!

If you walked into the Lincoln Park Community Shelter in Chicago, IL on July 31, you would have seen 15 people from Menomonie's First Congregational United Church of Christ.  Kids and adults alike would be found playing games, preparing a supper, and laughing with the guests in the homeless shelter. 

The group of 6 adults and 9 youth left on Friday, July 29, for a long, long drive down to the Windy City.  Upon arriving, the group stayed at St. Pauls United Church of Christ in the Lincoln Park area.  Three teams prepared tow breakfasts, two dinners, and three bunches of sack lunches over the course of three days.  The preparation entailed planning, shoppiung for, cooking, and plating and serving each meal.

This was the first mission trip for many of the youth, and it really showed them that not everybody has a place to come home to every night.  The Lincoln Park Community Shelter is a facility in the Lincoln Park neighborhood that provides housing and meals for 35 homeless people.  Because it's privately funded, the guests, as they are called, can stay as long as they need to.  Some of the men and women staying at the shelter have jobs or are going to school and are making the transition into permanent housing, which is the goal of the program.  When they leave, a spot opens up and a new person comes into the shelter.  Alumni of LPCS (Graduates) often volunteer once they have left, creating a cycle of good-deed doing. 

The experience was a new one for the youth.  "It really made me realize that people on the street sometimes have good skills and just need some help to get into a shelter and have a better life," saus Sean Williams who went on the trip with his father Todd and his younger brother Max.  Rachel Ropella says, "Going to Chicago truly opened my eyes about how I see poverty and how much of a difference serving them with a smile makes."

Fifteen adults and youth returned Tuesday, August 2, with a new way pf perceiving the world.  Everyone had a great time, as is evidenced by their blog: uccchicagomissiontrip.blogspot.com.  For more information about the trip, contact First Congregational UCC at 715-235-5838.

--Emily Billingsley, First Congregational UCC

Our Generous Community

Decorating the Community Room Wednesday afternoon, I started thinking about all of the wonderful things about working at LPCS during the holidays. As the official Volunteer Coordinator, and the unofficial “Donation Coordinator,” I am in the unique position of being on the receiving end of a lot of giving. While LPCS is fortunate enough to receive many volunteer and donation inquiries year-round, the holidays seem to bring out more generosity than I thought possible! Everyone is ready to bring over their old coats, drop off extra food, and spend every spare moment making sure that our volunteer calendar is full. I could not feel part of a more thoughtful community.

The constant inflow of donations, food, and time are incredibly magnificent.  Because our guests are staying at LPCS for longer periods of time, we have less turnover and are serving fewer people overall, which means there are only so many coats, scarves, boots, etc. that we can use at any given time. We want to make sure that your generous donations are getting to the people who need them the most, so we sometimes “re-donate” extra items to another worthy charity, to ensure that we are “spreading the wealth” and making sure that everyone can have a warm and bright holiday season! 

Want to help LPCS in an easy way?  Remind your friends and family to spread holiday cheer year-round.  One of our goals is to make sure that we can spread “holiday cheer” with every guest, whether they stay here from September to January, or March to October.  Everyone deserves a CTA pass, a variety of food to eat, and good shoes to walk in.  Encourage everyone to designate a random month in the year in which they donate and volunteer with the same fervor that they expel during the winter holiday season.   Better yet, encourage them, if able, to give continuously throughout the year, even if that means smaller amounts of time and items.  We understand that not everyone is able to volunteer on a regular basis, so don’t think your efforts are unappreciated by any means!

I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has, and will, donate and volunteer this year at LPCS. We would not be able to do what we do without all of you! The holidays can be an especially hard time for our guests, and they notice and appreciate the extra effort by volunteers and donors during this time, as they will throughout the year.

 --Elli Krandel, Volunteer Coordinator

What are you grateful for?

On Thanksgiving, people around the country gather around tables filled with turkey, sweet potatoes, pie and more.  Many people take this as an opportunity to reflect on and share some of the many things that they are grateful for.  Here at LPCS, some of our guests have already been reflecting.  We recently asked guests "What are you grateful for?"  Both simple and complex things made the list: The sun.  Health. Family.  LPCS.  Here is a sampling of the responses we received:  

"For the volunteers that bring their smiles."
"Strangers who have become friends."
"That my daughter continues to tell me she loves me."
"Being able to help other people."
"The help being offered from so many people that support homeless people."
"A chance to go back to work and get a place of my own again."

The staff at LPCS is grateful for a supportive community of friends, neighbors, and volunteers who have given their time and resources to ensure that the Lincoln Park Community Shelter continues to help men and women make the life changes necessary to move from homelessness to a home of their own.  From everyone here, thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you volunteers!

On Thursday, November 3^rd, the Lincoln Park Community Shelter opened its doors even wider than usual to accommodate guests, staff, and volunteers for our annual Volunteer Appreciation event. By all standards, the event was a HUGE success. Hosted by the Graduate Council, the evening featured a wonderful Mediterranean meal, complete with Falafel, home-made Greek Salad, Sautéed Vegetables, Spanikopita, and Greek Chicken. All attendees agreed that the food was delicious! The standout for the evening though was definitely the Cornucopia Cake created by one of the guests. Beautiful AND delicious, what could be better?

Towards the end of evening, we handed out awards to several volunteers who have gone above and beyond in the past year.  Award recipients were voted on by the guests.    The Mission Award, given in recognition of a “hands on” volunteer who has demonstrated a commitment to furthering the mission of LPCS by his/her direct volunteer service with guests, was given to Brad & Karin, a couple who have been serving meals here for over 10 years--most of that time just the two of them! They truly know how to run a kitchen. The Vision Award, given in recognition of a “behind the scenes” volunteer who, through his/her continued active support of LPCS, has furthered the broader vision of LPCS, was awarded to Joel, the leader of our Tech Team, an active Track Activity volunteer, and good friend to guests and staff. Joel has spent countless hours helping maintain our wonderful computer lab, as well as staff computers. We very literally would not be functioning without him and his hard work! The final award of the evening was the Community Partnership Award. Given in recognition of an organization or institution that fosters community and support for LPCS and its mission through collaboration with LPCS, this year’s award went to the ChicagoPhotography Center.  The CPC has been helping many of our guests and grads develop their photography skills, the importance of which can hardly be put into words. This creative outlet has given many people a new passion. This January, for the third time, CPC is hosting a photography exhibition of guest and Graduate work.   Stay tuned for more information!  

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend and help make it such a special evening! We look forward to the next opportunity to spend time with this incredibly supportive community. We could not do what we do without each and every one of you. Thank you to all of our volunteers!

In Remembrance

As a Volunteer Manager, I get the joy of getting to know many wonderful people who give their time and energy to LPCS. Sometimes though, my job can be sad as well. Earlier this month we learned that one of LPCS’ long time volunteers had passed away. Jo Ann Bogdanor Hurd Reynolds, aged 71, died October 4 of complications from ovarian cancer. JoAnn had been an LPCS volunteer for many years.

I attended the memorial service for JoAnn that was held on October 29th at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church. There were about 100 people in attendance from all walks of JoAnn’s life. Knowing only JoAnn the volunteer, it was touching to hear stories from some of her family and close friends. They told of a woman who was known as feisty, determined, very generous, and always well dressed. At LPCS, we knew the generous JoAnn. She helped prepare dinner and sack lunches with members of her church, Lincoln Park Presbyterian. And each month for many years, JoAnn would serve as an overnight volunteer, providing supervision to the 35 guests of the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. Guests appreciated her attention to detail and no-nonsense approach, and she was consistently voted one of their favorite overnight volunteers!

Jo Ann was born in St Louis. She graduated from Ferguson High School and the University of Missouri with a BA in History, and did graduate work at the University of Illinois. She was a member of Alpha Phi sorority. She moved to Chicago where she began a long and valued career at IBM, working at branches in Chicago and Houston and at headquarters in White Plains, NY. She was an elder and choir member at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church in Chicago, and at Presbyterian churches in Houston and Fairfield, CT.
In honor of JoAnn’s giving spirit, the family requested that in lieu of flowers gifts be made to Lincoln Park Community Shelter, Sarah's Circle, or to any other of the many charities with which she was active. JoAnn is survived by her husband David; brothers John and James; children John, Judith, Susan and Rachel; and grandchildren David, George and Connor.

Thank you for all that you did for LPCS, JoAnn. You will be missed.

--Heather Pressman, Community Relations Manager

JoAnn Reynolds

What A Night!

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s A Taste of Fall event! As they listened to the acoustic sounds of the Tony Bondi Project, guests tasted the night away, experiencing a variety of yummy treats and cocktails generously donated by our vendors. Staff from Gejas Café, located in Lincoln Park, served up the sweet and the savory with their chocolate and cheese fondues; the lentil soup from Nesh Mediterranean Grill was a huge hit and Death’s Door Spirits brought in the tastes of the season with their autumn themed gin and vodka cocktails. Meanwhile, our VIP guests enjoyed a fun craft cocktail demonstration by Michael Killmer of Templeton Rye. A few bidding wars broke out on some of our amazing silent auction items, including a Chicago Hawks jersey, signed by Duncan Keith. Thank you to everyone who helped raise nearly $17,000 to benefit the Lincoln Park Community Shelter!

A special thanks to all of our in-kind and financial sponsors who made this fantastic night possible!

LONGEVITY SPONSORS

Bob and Mary DeCresce

PROSPERITY SPONSOR

IN-KIND DONORS

DRINK

Agave Loco Brands

Death’s Door Spirits

Goose Island Brewery

Templeton Rye

Koval

FOOD

Austrian Bakery and Deli

Basil Leaf Café

Geja’s Café

Getta Polpetta

J. Alexanders

Kincades

Nesh

Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread and Wine

MUSIC

The Tony Bondi Project

PRINTING

International Label and Printing Co., Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Paul Saini

DÉCOR

Daniel Stober

Meet an LPCS Graduate!

We love to share to good news when someone graduates from LPCS.  Here is the story of one individual who graduated earlier this year:

Steve* entered LPCS with a lifetime history of over 30 years of substance abuse problems.  A former truck driver, he has also lost his driver's license due to his failure to make child-support payments.  Once in the shelter, he went through intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment for more than two months, and attended at least 6 AA meetings per week.   In addition to working on his sobriety, Steve took a 5 week long computer course and completed a job readiness program where he worked on his resume, practiced writing cover letters, and did extensive mock interviewing.  Working with an employment counselor, within a few weeks of the job readiness program ending Steve obtained a short-term factory job to gain current employment experience.   Using the income he earned from that position, he was able to pay the back child-support payments and obtained his drivers license once again.  Steve then applied and was accepted to be a full-time driver for PACE paratransit services, earning a living wage with excellent benefits.  He has now moved into his own apartment, sees his family members on a regular basis, and has been sober for almost 2 years.


*Name has been changed to protect identity

What are you doing for World Homeless Action Day?

Monday, October 10th will be the second annual World Homeless Action Day. In Chicago alone there are over 21,000 homeless individuals on a given night. Anyone can become homeless and stereotypes need to be replaced with accurate information. Most guests at the shelter never expected to be homeless. They previously had jobs and housing and just need assistance accessing resources so they can get back on their feet.

With millions of people around the world dealing with homelessness, it is clear that this is an issue that needs attention and that is exactly what the day was created to do. One of the co-founders, Brianna Karp, was in her early twenties when she lost her job and became homeless. While still homeless she became an advocate for other homeless people and started World Homeless Action Day as an opportunity for members of all communities to get involved. Hers is truly an inspirational story.

How can you observe World Homeless Action Day? You can respond to homelessness locally, by getting involved at a community shelter or outreach center and by using the day as a platform to speak out about the needs of the homeless. Since it is only the second year of this day of observance, its existence is not yet widely known. For this reason, it is more important than ever for us to share this information with others to allow for continued expansion of participation from organizations and community members. It also means we need to be creative in developing collaborative methods for observing this day. Homelessness can end, but only with community-wide involvement.

Meet an LPCS Graduate!

We love to share to good news when someone graduates from LPCS.  Here is the story of one individual who graduated in the late spring of this year:

Allen* entered the shelter several years ago with a long history of alcoholism, big gaps in his employment history, and going through some serious depression and anxiety.  His case manager was able to connect him to mental health treatment on a regular basis.  In addition, he entered into outpatient treatment for his alcohol problems and went to several support group meetings per week.  Allen had never received his high school diploma and entered into a GED class.  Slowly over time his mood began to improve and he developed a much more positive attitude.  He diligently attended his GED classes over several months and though he initially failed one part of the exam, with the help of a volunteer tutor he was able to overcome that difficulty and did obtain his GED.  He also took a computer class, attended a job readiness program, and a job training program as well.  Recently, he was even asked to be a tutor to other GED students where he had taken classes.  Finally, after a long wait, he was able to move into his own large one bedroom apartment and become permanently housed in the community.  He has now been sober for over 2 years.

*Name has been changed to protect anonymity.

A New Journey

As the new Program Intern at LPCS, I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and to express my gratitude to the guests, staff, and volunteers for welcoming me so graciously into the LPCS family. My name is Keri Arnholz. I currently reside on the North side of Chicago. I am a social work graduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, with a concentration in Community Health and Urban Development. I have joined LPCS for my final year in grad school.

After almost six years working in social services, I remain committed as ever to issues of social justice, including homelessness and poverty. My previous experience in acute & long-term inpatient settings has helped me become more aware of the importance of community-based organizations in promoting long-term self-sufficiency and a greater quality of life. As a proponent of empowerment practice, it has been exciting to see how this concept is truly present throughout all programs, activities, and day-to-day interactions at LPCS. It has also been exciting to witness an interim housing model, including wrap-around services after learning about the increased emphasis on its importance in combating homelessness. LPCS embodies all of the major components of the interim housing model in a way that I never imagined I would find.

It is my honor to be a part of this organization. I look forward to learning from the insight and knowledge of staff, volunteers, and guests, as well as utilizing my experience to contribute to the LPCS mission.

Thank you!

Keri

Welcome Elli!

Around this time of year, the staff at LPCS say goodbye to familiar faces, and welcome new ones.  LPCS, like many other non-profit agencies, utilize various volunteer service corps to fill certain positions (such as AmeriCorps, Lutheran Volunteer Corps, etc.). Working with these groups is a wonderful experience both for LPCS and the volunteer.  Volunteers bring with them a fresh perspective and wonderful ideas.  For the volunteer, they get to learn or improve a new set of skills.  So this fall, as we get ready to say goodbye to Julia Weegar, our Volunteer Coordinator and AmeriCrops*VISTA for the past year, we welcome Elli Krandel who will be taking over Julia's role as Volunteer Coordinator.  So, in her own words, is a little bit about Elli!

Hi! My name is Elli Krandel. Originally from Woodstock, Illinois, I attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where I received a degree in Economics, and I am super excited to start this next part of my life by working for LPCS. I will be joining LPCS as the new Volunteer Coordinator, and as an AVODAH fellow.

AVODAH is a year-long service program for people in their 20s combining work at non-profit agencies with pluralistic Jewish learning and living, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of it.

I have always been interested in various social justice issues. In college, I was the treasurer for an organization called Challah for Hunger, which sells challah, a traditional Jewish bread, to raise money for various non-profit organizations. When I found AVODAH, I was really excited about the opportunity to explore my passion for anti-poverty work, while continuing to investigate the connection between Judaism and social justice work. I was equally excited when I saw the opportunity to work at LPCS. I think the work the shelter does is incredible, and I cannot wait to do my part to help the organization continue providing vital services to the community.

So join us in welcoming Elli to the LPCS team! 

Goodbye, Katie!

After two years at LPCS, Katie McNamara is moving on to another organization.  She wanted to take the time to say "Goodbye and thank you LPCS guests, volunteers, and staff!" 

When I was a junior in high school, our Humanities teacher gave us the homework assignment to: Intentionally put yourself in a new and uncomfortable position for a day and report back. My friend and I decided to “be homeless for a day”. We went to the thrift store and bought “homeless looking” clothes, allocated only enough money for the train ride from the suburbs into Chicago, left our wallets at home, perched ourselves in front of the train station at Madison and Canal, and begged for change so that we could get back home at the end of the day and maybe get a bite to eat. Looking back, I realize how ghastly naive this was, but I see what my 16 year old self was trying to accomplish. I was searching for some kind of understanding around what it meant to be homeless; what was the day to day experience of these mysterious folks I saw on the streets of Chicago?; is it easy to be homeless?; is it hard?; what are these people like?; should I feel bad for them?; should I help them?

Now, almost 10 years later, and having worked at the Lincoln Park Community Shelter for two years, these answers are coming into focus. Mostly, the answer is “it depends.” It’s no surprise that this is not something one can discover from a one day high school homework project, in which we received an A for effort and an F at “being homeless.” These days, as a graduate student receiving a Master of Arts in Social Work and taking on the role of Case Manager at LPCS, my “assignments” are more sophisticated, but sometimes still as uncomfortable and new. There are serious emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual challenges that our guests face; however, the most surprising aspect of my time at LPCS was that, despite the heart-wrenching stories that come through the door, it is generally a happy, loose, comfortable place to be. I’ve appreciated that our On Track Program sticks to the philosophy of empowering homeless individuals to make life changes; this fosters an environment where the infamous “burn out” of social service providers is largely avoided. LPCS was also a wonderful place to be because of our volunteers. As Volunteer Coordinator, I would often say that opening up my work email absolutely restored my faith in humanity. It was consistently filled with messages from enthusiastic, creative people asking how they can help out.

My next position will be as a social work intern at the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center in their Addiction Treatment Program. It is frightening sometimes to consider the countless new challenges I will face in this and future jobs. However, I am comforted by my firm confidence that there is nowhere else I would have rather begun my career than at LPCS. Thank you LPCS guests, volunteers, and staff for an unforgettable learning experience.

--Katie McNamara, Case Manager and former Volunteer Coordinator

A little bit of inspiration...

Every day while working at the LPCS, I am reminded of the reasons I’m here. Beyond the desire to assist people as they improve their lives and end their homeless situation, the guests I work with constantly inspire me with they way they are making progress.

Like many guests, Dee has overcome some odds to improve herself.  She recognizes the need to take the steps to get to where she wants to be, even though a leap or jump is preferable.  We referred Dee to the CARA Program for job readiness and job training, where she has excelled in the classroom and in self discovery.  At the CARA program, the class participates in daily inspiration, where someone will share about themselves with the group.  One of these inspiring assignments was to write a letter to yourself.  Here is what Dee wrote:

“Dear Dee,

Guess what girl, I just love you.  You have really made me proud.  You have [come] a long way. You have really shown me that if you put your mind on something that Dee wants to do, that she can accomplish it.  When you said that you [were] going to quit using drugs, you succeeded, regardless of how you did it. No only that, you also stopped smoking cigarettes. Dee, where things went wrong and you thought there wasn’t hope, you stuck in there and you never gave up, even when you had to move from staying with your significant other because he left you after you had been in a 25 year relationship. I thought you were not going to make it, just coming out of recovery.  After the death of mother and grandmother, you’re still keeping your feet on the right path. After staying with daughter did not work out, Dee, you know that you are a strong lady.  Girl, you just don’t know how strong and determined you are....

Dee, I love you just for who you are. I even love you for making a change in your life. Staying at a shelter is a big step, but you have to start somewhere to get somewhere.  All you have to do is to get out of your own way and do the right thing....

Dee, I am proud of you.  Now you are at this program called CARA, and you have been staying motivated. You have been transformed all over again.  Girl, you make me want to cry everyday because I see you doing something positive with your life.”

Dee's story serves as inspiration not only to herself, but to those around her.  Keep up the good work, Dee.  It will all pay off in the end!

--Brianne Spresser, Case Manager

Community Impact

Working the morning Interim Housing shift often includes interacting with breakfast volunteers.  On several occasions this summer, high school youth groups participating in short term mission trips cooked and served breakfast.  The students are often timid and unsure of what to expect at a homeless shelter, but eventually realize that homeless adults aren’t so scary, and most are even willing to have a conversation similar to any other adults with whom they interact.

I was once one of those students, later an adult chaperon, away for a week with my church youth group, trying to see what impact I could make.  These experiences are often eye opening and challenging.  They also create lifetime memories and change one’s heart.

When someone asks what my “life changing event” was, or why I want to work at a homeless shelter, I think of one such trip to New York while I was in college.  One of the ministries during the week was to cook food at the facility where we stayed, and bring it to Tompkins Park (of RENT fame) along with clothing to pass out.  Hanging out with homeless people who slept in the park sure was intimidating, until I discovered that as humans, we are all able to connect and to learn from each other.  Seeing the effects of systems of oppression in that park, I began to feel like this one week wasn’t enough for me.  I began to feel as though focusing on social justice would be my life’s work.

Fast forward 10 years.  I have been working at the Lincoln Park Community Shelter for almost a year now through Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC).  LVC’s core values include Community, Simplicity/Sustainability, and Social Justice.  My job placement with the LPCS is primarily the social justice function, by walking alongside and finding ways to empower individuals to make life changes. 

I also see the other two core values of LVC reflected at work.  This interim housing shelter is a community of adults working to better themselves and each other, existing within and being supported by the community in Lincoln Park.  My experience living in an intentional community as part of LVC has allowed me a bit of understanding about community living within a shelter: it is challenging, and requires both patience and compromise. At the LPCS we encourage guests to learn about “Living Green,” while we also try to reduce environmental impacts (sustainability) and well as unnecessary spending (simplicity). 

I’ve found that the little things make an impact.  Maybe you have the time and resources to cook a hot breakfast and eat alongside the people for whom you cooked.  Maybe you can share your skills through teaching a class. Perhaps you have some household goods that someone who finally has their own space could use in their new home.  For some of us it’s a week long mission trip to serve, or a year long volunteer commitment; at the LPCS, our daily mission is serving and walking with fellow members of our community.

--Brianne Spresser, LVC, Case Manager

Meet an LPCS Graduate!

We love to share to good news when someone graduates from LPCS.  Here is the story of one individual who recently graduated:

 

Robert* entered the shelter only a few months ago.  He had a long  work history doing primarily maintenance type of work.  He was very concerned about whether he would ever be able to become employed again because he had not worked for almost 2 years, was in his late-50’s, and had virtually no computer knowledge.  Notwithstanding his initial reluctance, he attended a computer class and regularly saw a volunteer computer tutor who came to work with the guests at LPCS.  As a result, he learned how to use email and apply for jobs online.  Attending a job readiness program helped Robert put together a resume and gave him practice with mock job interviews.  Last month he applied for a full-time maintenance position at a new supermarket.  Even though there were over 300 initial applicants, he interviewed extremely well and got the job. LPCS provided CTA passes so he could get to and from work until he got paid.  He has now moved into his own permanent residence and will be financially independent as a fully functioning member of society once again!

*Name has been changed to protect anonymity.

Ending Homelessness Nationally

Earlier this month I attended the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) conference in Washington, D.C.  While there, I learned that despite the fact that many service budgets have been cut at the federal and state levels, the American economy is not “out of the woods” in regard to homeless services across the country.  Nan Roman, president of the NAEH, reported the impressive fact that homelessness has remained steady—that is, it has not risen—during the recession.  This fact is partly a result that homelessness is a lagging indicator of society’s economic woes.  For agencies providing homeless services, the recession may have yet to hit. 

LPCS has begun to see this trend through an upswing in the number of people that are homeless for the first time (33%) and episodically (40%).  In the past, higher education was thought to be a safety net against homelessness, but is no longer true.  Last year more than 50% of our guests attended or graduated from college. Several guests over the past year reported that they were foreclosed upon or last experienced homelessness several years ago, and were unable to find living-wage work quickly after being laid off.  Additionally, the cost of renting in Chicago continues to rise.  One out of four guests who moved in to LPCS in the last year had an income; however, they were unable to afford housing. 

Despite the reality check from the NEAH conference that our work is far from extinction, we realized that LPCS is on the cutting edge of programming in many ways.  First, we work with agencies throughout the Chicago area to follow a “housing first” approach.  Guests begin to work with case managers to identify and sign up for housing opportunities from the day they move in—and often before.  Community clients who join our waiting list meet with a case manager and are encouraged to begin working on goals right away. 

As a part of the Interim Housing Community, our case managers are working intensively with guests through an increasing average length of stay; although this results in fewer guests moving through our programs overall, it means that the work with those guests is deeper and successes are more likely to have a lasting impact.  This longer stay and more intensive work with case managers is making an impact: over 70% of On Track Program participants found permanent housing. After one year, at least 66% of graduates remain housed.
 
Finally, we know that a contributing factor to this housing retention is a continued connection to LPCS. Approximately 2/3 of graduates continue to remain involved at LPCS, touching base with staff members on the trials and tribulations of their lives and participating in case management and referrals when needed.  We have long believed in the power of community, and our Graduate Community is a demonstration of that.  Many become involved as volunteers, and others join our new Graduate Council, offering feedback to program staff on new programming, planning events for current guests, and speaking to community groups about their experiences with homelessness and LPCS. 

LPCS is looking forward to another year of community and collaboration with our neighbors, our volunteers, our supporters, our guests, and our graduates.  Stay tuned for updates on ways you can be involved in our newest ventures via our e-newsletter and our print newsletter, Transitions.  To sign up to receive either of these, please visit the News section of our website.  

--Betsy Carlson, Program Director

Educating Our Aldermen

As a community-based agency serving people who have often been disenfranchised, LPCS takes its role as an advocate seriously. We are members of Lakeview Action Coalition, and as such LPCS staff members, guests, and graduates stay involved in systems issues such as affordable housing, access to health care, and livable wage employment.

On Thursday, July 7, I had the privilege of co-moderating the first-ever People’s City Council meeting, organized by LAC and nearly 20 other community groups across the city. The Meeting was a chance to educate our actual City Council (where many members are new) on issues that directly affect our guests.

20 of 50 Alderman attended the meeting, where the “People’s City Council” engaged in a debate about fair jobs, affordable housing, education, and public safety. Over 1,500 people consistently “voted” in favor of creating new revenue streams that will enhance services, establishing accountability for large corporations and banks, and otherwise prioritizing strengthening communities through investing in working class families.

It was an excited and energetic crowd! LPCS guests reported feeling very powerful in influencing our elected officials to act on their behalf. All 20 Alderman signed on in support of our “resolution,” and another 10 have expressed their support since the meeting. Taking part in collective action is just one way that LPCS guests are able to regain control of their lives, re-connect with support systems, and achieve their goals.

For more info about the People’s City Council meeting, check out these links:

http://www.thegatenewspaper.com/2011/07/people%E2%80%99s-city-council-drafts-new-resolution/

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/07/08/activists-take-stand-at-peoples-city-council-meeting/#.ThdUcT1UZuc.facebook

http://www.progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2011/07/13/peoples-city-council-get-aldermen-board-meeting-and-beyond

 --Erin Ryan, LPCS Executive Director

6th Graders Support Hawthorne while Helping Others

We received an email shortly after a group of Hawthorne students made dinner at LPCS.  The following is an article that appeared in their school newspaper.  We thought it was so nice we wanted to share it with you!  Happy reading!

On Sunday, May 22, the participants of the 6th Grade Help Hawthorne, Help Others Signature Event volunteered at The Lincoln Park Community Shelter (LPCS) to cook a savory meal of turkey chili, cornbread and coleslaw for its residents.  LPCS is a social service agency that has been in existence for 25 years and serves adult men and women who are experiencing homelessness.

The 6th graders enjoyed working together to prepare a delicious dinner that served 40 residents. Together they diligently chopped vegetables, mixed batter and stirred the chili pot to create a memorable dining experience. After 90 minutes of preparation, the Hawthorne students and the residents of LPCS sat down together to share a meal and talk about common interests, although baseball seemed to be the main subject. The kids and residents truly enjoyed each others company, and the 6th graders learned a valuable lesson about giving back and gained a new perspective on homelessness.  At the end of the evening, the children received a standing ovation for a job well done, and many residents asked them to return for another visit. The experience was very rewarding and uplifting for everyone.

The Lincoln Park Community Shelter relies on the support of volunteers throughout the community. To learn more about the shelter and how you may become involved, please visit lpcsonline.org.

Volunteering and Service

This past week, I was able to attend the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New Orleans.  More than 4600 people attended the conference from all over the country, and all walks of life.  It was wonderful to see so many people come out in support of volunteers and the work that they do.  Both the mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Mississippi expressed their heartfelt thanks for all of the work volunteers did to repair the region post-Katrina. Hearing stories of how volunteers have come together in their communities during times of need reminded me how lucky we here at LPCS are to continue to be supported by such an amazing community.  So a big thank you to all of our volunteers and supporters! 

The best part of the conference, learning that the Windy City is the host site for next year's conference!  Congrats on the honor Chicago!

 

--Heather Pressman, Community Relations Manager