LPCS Welcomes Bobbie Lang and Erica Betts!

Bobbie Lang, Business Manager

Bobbie joined us in April of 2013.  Bobbie graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science; she worked for 10 years in Store Planning and Capital Project Management for Target, TruServ, and The Home Depot.  Bobbie left the corporate world in 2006 to get her Masters of Education from Roosevelt University and along the way she got married and started a family.  In 2012, she found herself working at a non-profit overseeing the finances and operations.  Her desire to work with a community based program led her to LPCS.  She is very excited to be part of such a dynamic, engaged, and dedicated organization.

In her spare time, she likes hanging out with her husband and two children, reading, hiking, and has just recently found a new appreciation for running.

“Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.”

            -Anonymous

Erica Betts, Supportive Services Supervisor

I am “All but Dissertation” in the Doctorate of Education program at Argosy University. I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work and Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, both from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

My previous experience includes management at a homeless shelter for at-risk teen moms and their children, social worker for the cardiac and orthopedic unit within a health care facility, and an acute psychosis therapist for severely mentally ill clients.

My hobbies are jumping head first into any adventure my eight year daughter can come up with; she is the life of the party!  I also enjoy learning new dance moves from various cultures. 

“In the hopes of reaching the moon, men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.”

-Albert Schweitzer

Volunteer Spotlight - Andrew Hogue

Andrew Hogue has been a volunteer with the Lincoln Park Community Shelter for over two years. To our Guests, he is known as one of the most attentive and friendly Overnight Volunteers, however to staff he is so much more.

As an overnight volunteer, Andrew has consistently been available to pick up last minute shifts or to cover from someone else who cannot make it that night. He quickly became the first phone call that staff would make when in a bind about finding someone to help with a shift. The Guests love to have him here, and always share the next day how they enjoyed staying up to watch a sports game with Andrew.

Behind the scenes, Andrew has been a huge asset to LPCS as well. He volunteers on the Taste of Fall committee, which consists of a small group of dedicated volunteers that spend months planning one of LPCS’ biggest events of the year. He particularly excels in this committee by coming up with innovative ideas and finding a strong way to execute them, such as the idea for the hugely successful raffle, in which a winner took home over $2000 worth in dining gift cards.

Andrew also recently joined the Associate Board, in which he will have a direct impact on the long term goals of LPCS.

If you are ever looking to find Andrew, he can be found at every event supporting LPCS and celebrating their achievements, which are nothing short of in great part because of his efforts!

Thanks, Andrew, for always being such a strong supporter of LPCS!

"I'm proud to be a part of the amazing work that LPCS is doing for its Guests and in the broader community. Thanks to the dedicated staff and the inspiring Guests, volunteering is easy, fun, and impactful -- being an LPCS volunteer means getting just as much as you give!"

Get Healthy! Challenge

LPCS is undergoing a health initiative; we are spending the next two months trying to get everyone healthy! This includes Guests, Graduates, and even staff. In an effort to lose weight, improve BMI, increase mobility, and develop better eating habits – LPCS will increase the overall health and wellness of our entire program.

We are having a Walking Club, led by staff, at least 4 times each week. Rain or shine (or mostly rain), we will walk for at least 30 minutes or 2 miles around Chicago.

LPCS is also holding a significant amount of health classes on site for Guests, Grads, and staff to attend. These will be taught on different subjects, ranging from basic nutrition 101 to diets on diabetes, heart health, vitamins and minerals, and so forth. These classes will teach cooking skills and portion control, while giving helpful information so that we can develop better long term lifestyle habits.

LPCS is asking for weight donations to have classes indoors for those with less mobility. We will also offer Yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises to improve wellness.

There will be awards for Guests and Graduates that attend the most walking clubs and classes, that have the greatest improvement in their BMI, and one for the person with the greatest attitude, perseverance, and encouragement.

Here are some ways you can help!

• Cook healthy meals to serve at LPCS
• Teach a Class on Health, nutrition, exercise, or otherwise
• Lead a group fitness class (Yoga, jogging, weights, etc)
• Promote a healthy lifestyle with LPCS
• Donate weights or other items to help with classes

The Get Healthy! Challenge will end on June 9th, the day of Run Home Chicago, a 5K/10K race aimed at raising awareness to end homelessness. Join us on this day by participating in our charity team! (more info to come). 

By: Meghan Freebeck

Dwindling SRO Housing

Before anyone tries to catch me on my ignorance or inexperience, I will go ahead and save you the trouble – I will be the first to admit that just two years ago I was completely naive to the housing struggles in Chicago. Of course, I knew that there was a strong homeless population; I walked passed people in need on a daily basis. What I didn’t know was that majority of the people experiencing homelessness were not the people on the street asking for money, but were people that resided in interim housing facilities (similar to LPCS), on friend’s couches, or in their cars. People who experience homelessness often have jobs that are not sustainable or also have college degrees. It also took the last few years to show me that not everyone I hesitated to give money to was actually going to spend it on alcohol or drugs.

Being a volunteer with LPCS taught me what the real face of homelessness looks like and that there are solutions to homelessness if people are given the opportunities to overcome barriers. Being a staff member with LPCS taught me that the best way to end homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place.

A true testament to LPCS is how strongly they believe in the mission, which states that we will bring our community together to empower homeless men and women to make life changes. People here do not just fight to end homelessness for the Guests that are staying with us, but they fight for individuals all across the city.

I could spend all day singing the praises of LPCS, but instead I just want to share some of the things that are going on in Chicago that you may not be aware of (I certainly would not have been aware of these things two years ago).

SRO, Single Room Occupant, housing is intended for people threatened with homelessness as a vital low-income housing resource. It is because of the existence of SRO housing that many people are able to avoid falling into homelessness, that people can make money while living in a stable home, and people are also often offered life changing services that can help those in need. SRO housing is currently being threatened by city leaders, by the owners of the buildings, and by people in the neighborhoods.

The Abbot Hotel in Wrigleyville is one such place. There are some laws that attempt to protect tenants; however, people are finding ways around these regulations. “They have shut off the heat and water, disabled the fire sprinklers, tore out the shared bathrooms and generally left the entire interior of the building in rubble — without waiting for the evictions to run their course” (Brown, Suntimes).

The Chateau Hotel on the north-side of Chicago is facing a similar fate. “…now that the Chateau has been sold and will be gutted and rehabbed, residents fear it will be reopened as higher-end studio apartments like other former SROs in the neighborhood” (Cottrell, ChicagoNow). Residents of the Chateau state that they do not mind the state of the amenities because they are in a safe location with a diverse neighborhood; remove the Chateau, you will subsequently remove their safety and their housing options as well.

In 2008 there were 106 licensed SROs. Today, there are 81. How many will be remaining in the next few years? And where will the people, with already limited income or other barriers keeping them from housing elsewhere, go when they are put out?

I have been given an entirely new appreciation of homelessness in the last two years. I also have a new appreciation for the steps that lead to homelessness, and more often than I once knew, it can be entirely prevented by people like me taking a stand. It is not a cliché to fight against building owners selling out or city officials making decisions for the wrong reasons, it is entirely our reality.

Want to get involved? Visit the Lakeview Action Coalition’s website and see what you can do to help.

By: Meghan Freebeck

April Volunteer Spotlight - Tyler Lewis

Tyler Lewis has not been a volunteer with LPCS as long as many other people, however in the brief time that he has been volunteering, he has demonstrated such dedication that we would be foolish not to feature him as a Volunteer Spotlight!

When Tyler first came to us, he was seeking volunteer opportunities that would help the homeless population. I was astounded to hear about the respect he has for our Guests and Program before he even knew too much about it, clearly he had a passion for helping people. After learning about what we do at LPCS, working one on one with several Guests, and helping out in a number of other administrative ways, Tyler has developed into the kind of volunteer that I would be proud to send out into the community and have speak on our behalf.

In the past year, Tyler has volunteered by teaching Daily Living Skills classes to Guests (they have many times commented that he is a rock star instructor and they look forward to his class) and also acted as a dedicated Peer Mentor. Tyler has developed relationships with our Guests that offer them emotional support and also encourages them to better themselves. Since Tyler has become a Peer Mentor, his mentee has progressed in his track stages, increased his self esteem, and become more engaged in classes and with other Guests.

Not only has he done these more traditional volunteer activities, he has also become my go-to person for any added volunteer help. In the past few months, we have needed volunteers to help with the mundane tasks of stuffing and sealing over 2,000 envelopes in a day or assisting with videotaping/photographing around the facilities. Each time this came up, a simple Facebook post would have Tyler calling within minutes to offer assistance. Now, he does not even mind that we will call him personally and ask for added last minute help – he has been incredibly reliable and eager to give an extra hand, no matter the task.

It is truly because of volunteers like Tyler that LPCS is able to remain a small and focused staff because he helps out in any way that is needed. He is a huge part of our Guests’ successes and we are so thrilled that he sought us out a year ago and joined our team!

"Can You Help Me?"

"Can you help me?" Those four words can conjure up many thoughts and emotions in different people. For some, it reminds them of someone asking for a hand out; asking them to give up something they worked for or their hard earned down time just so someone else can get a free ride. The question may come to you in different ways. Can you spare a quarter? Do you have anything to give? Can you come spend time with me? No matter how the question is posed, we've all been asked in some way at one time or another. And if I'm being honest, I've been on the end of that question and thought, "Why?". Why can't you just take care of yourself? Why do I have to be brought into this? I can't tell you why someone needs your help or why they are there in front of you in need. But what I can tell you is what is at the core of my heart and the entire reason that I devote my time to the Lincoln Park Community Shelter.

It doesn't matter why. It doesn't matter why someone needs your help or what brought them to asking you. What matters is, "Can you help me?" For me, those four words pull at the very essence of being human. The idea that someone, no matter who, needs your help or is lacking in some way - that is enough to reach out. At some point, somewhere, we've all been in need. Hopefully few of us will know what it means to be in a position where we have to reach out to strangers for help. But, luckily, we all know what the generosity of another can do for us in our time of need. Help from someone doesn't relieve us from our responsibilities or mean we can take the day off. Help means we have support and we have a chance to get on our feet. Help can be just what we needed to believe in ourselves again.

It's true that some people hear "Can you help me?" and ask themselves what they are going to get out of it. If you volunteer with the Lincoln Park Community Shelter, you are going to get joy, appreciation in the eyes of their Guests, and incredible gratitude from both the Guests and the staff. And while this has been a gift for me over the last six months, the biggest thing I get out of helping is the progress I see. No one took anything from me, or asked for a handout. They needed just a little more than they had on their own in that moment. And with it, they grew and helped in return. No matter how you look at the answer to the question; "Can you help me?" you can rest assured that the help of another person is the greatest benefit you will receive and can give.

And if you still find yourself pausing to answer someone in need, remember the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded."

By: Tyler Lewis, LPCS Volunteer

Protecting the Safety Net to Prevent Homelessness

LPCS Staff, Guests, Graduates, and Volunteers recently attended a press conference and rally in support of the tenants of the Chateau Hotel, who are facing eviction and displacement.

Last Thursday, I had the privilege to speak out against an injustice happening in our neighborhood, in the hopes of preventing over 70 low-income people from becoming homeless, right here in our backyard.

The Chateau Hotel is one of the last remaining “SRO” hotels on the north side. SRO stands for single room occupancy. Usually, these buildings rent small rooms, without kitchens and with or without private bathrooms, at very affordable rates by the day, week, or month.

The Chateau Hotel, and others like it, provides a critical safety net for people who have very low income. Although the rooms are small, the rent is affordable, and it gives residents access to the vibrant network of resources in our community. It also gives residents the dignity of their own personal space to call “home.” The importance of that should never be underestimated.

The Chateau has a troubled past; run for years by a disengaged landlord, it fell into disrepair and racked up tens of thousands of dollars in fines in the City’s building court. The Chateau, however, was recently sold, and just last week the major maintenance issues within the Chateau have been resolved. However, the new owner has announced his intent to renovate the building and increase rental rates by 60%. In the meantime, its current tenants are being displaced from their homes with nowhere to go, and won’t be able to afford to return when the building reopens.

Advocates at Lakeview Action Coalition, of which LPCS is a member, see this as an opportunity to improve the living conditions of the building, while preserving its affordability. We need to call on our elected officials, including north side Aldermen and the Mayor, to make a commitment to preserving this critical safety net housing. This has been done successfully over and over again; formerly run-down SRO hotels have been rehabbed and reopened as well-managed, affordable housing. Check out the BelRay Apartments, the Diplomat Hotel, and Harvest Commons for a few examples. These buildings provide real solutions to homelessness, and directly benefit LPCS Guests. A number of LPCS Graduates live at the BelRay, and one LPCS Guest has plans to move into Harvest Commons as soon as the paperwork is approved!

Every night, there are over 6,500 people in Chicago who are homeless. If they are lucky, they are one of 5,300 people who have room or a bed at a temporary shelter, one like the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. However, that leaves over 1,200 people each night who are living on someone’s couch, in an abandoned building or a car, riding the trains, or even sleeping in the parks.

We can’t afford more homelessness in our city or our community. The system is already at capacity, and overloaded. Many shelters, including LPCS, have long waiting lists to get in. Once homeless, it is very difficult to regain your footing, and a long and complicated journey out of homelessness. The more barriers you have, such as a disability, inconsistent work history, criminal record, or eviction history, the harder it is, and the more at risk you are of falling through the cracks completely. One of the best ways to address homelessness in our city is to prevent it from happening when at all possible.

The residents of the Chateau are in danger of becoming homeless, a tragedy that can be avoided.

We also call on the owner to stop displacing tenants immediately. We call on Ald. James Cappleman and Mayor Emanuel to work with us to secure a commitment from the new owner to stop displacing our neighbors here at the Chateau and preserve the building as affordable SRO housing. The Alderman has the power to drop the fines that have accrued, if and only if the building can be preserved and improved for our neighbors who rely on it as an affordable home.

--Erin Ryan, Executive Director

Read more about the Chateau Hotel and our efforts to save it here and here.

Find out more about Lakeview Action Coalition.

Note: 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. If you are interested in getting involved in one of these issues, including the preservation of housing like the Chateau Hotel, please feel free to contact me at eryan@lpcsonline.org.