{"id":2407,"date":"2020-08-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loopchicago.local\/press-releases\/new-resource-center-pilot-for-homeless-will-pop-up-in-harold-washington-library\/"},"modified":"2020-08-17T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T00:00:00","slug":"new-resource-center-pilot-for-homeless-will-pop-up-in-harold-washington-library","status":"publish","type":"press_release","link":"https:\/\/loopchicago.com\/es\/press-releases\/new-resource-center-pilot-for-homeless-will-pop-up-in-harold-washington-library\/","title":{"rendered":"New resource center pilot for homeless will pop up in Harold Washington Library"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press contact: <\/strong>Jessica Cabe | PR and Communications Manager, Chicago Loop Alliance jessica@chicagoloopalliance.com | 815-713-8909<\/p>

MEDIA: <\/strong>View and download photos here.<\/a>
<\/span><\/p>

SOCIAL:<\/strong> #BackInTheLoop   #inTheLoopChi   
@loopchicago<\/a>     @ChicagoLoopAlliance<\/a>    @ChiLoopAlliance<\/a>     @Chicago-Loop-Alliance<\/a><\/p>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | August 17, 2020
<\/strong><\/p>

CHICAGO\u2014<\/strong>Chicago Loop Alliance\u2019s Street Ambassadors<\/a>, Heartland Alliance Health\u2019s street outreach team and Thresholds have begun a partnership with the Chicago Public Library, operating a resource center in the Harold Washington Library<\/a> for people experiencing homelessness and others in need of support. Chicago Loop Alliance and Heartland Alliance Health will operate the booth from 1-2:30 p.m. every other Thursday, and Thresholds will operate from 9:30 a.m.-noon every Wednesday. Thursday, July 30, was the first day for the new pilot program. It will run through at least the end of September.<\/p>

Last winter, Chicago Loop Alliance\u2019 Street Team Program Manager Octavion Thomas and Heartland Alliance Health\u2019s Danielle Woods approached Harold Washington Library with the idea.<\/p>

\u201cMany individuals who panhandle on State Street, who are experiencing homelessness, or who need resources like internet access frequent the library,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cWe do a lot of work on the street, but we thought these people, too, could benefit from our services. With this program, anyone who needs assistance will speak with us at our stationed areas in the library, and we will then provide the needed service.\u201d<\/p>

Providing resources to vulnerable populations, including individuals experiencing drug dependency, mental health issues, etc., is more urgent than ever. The impacts of COVID-19 and recent social unrest have exacerbated economic insecurity and concerns for safety. Many of the spaces in the Loop used by individuals experiencing homelessness, like restrooms or any temperature-controlled environments, are less accessible due to closures or capacity restrictions. In May, Chicago Loop Alliance partnered with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to install two portable toilets in the Loop<\/a> as a quick, tangible effort to address these issues. Dedicating time to operating a resource center within the Harold Washington Library will allow Chicago Loop Alliance to more directly address the underlying causes of homelessness and housing insecurity. This work takes on an even greater urgency ahead of a Chicago winter.<\/p>

\u201cWe have had our Street Ambassadors on State Street since 2013, and we\u2019ve tasked them with everything from cleaning up litter and sanitizing touch points<\/a> to offering directions and making meaningful connections with people experiencing homelessness,\u201d said Michael Edwards, Chicago Loop Alliance President and CEO. \u201cBy having our team members on State Street seven days a week, these individuals are known by name, and our ambassadors are able to connect them with the resources they need based on their unique situations. We\u2019ve developed meaningful partnerships with social service organizations over the years, and we\u2019re glad to continue our work with Heartland Alliance Health and Thresholds on this new initiative that will serve any Chicagoan in need of some help.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cMost of the people we serve gravitate toward the Loop to get their needs supported, so it\u2019s up to us to make sure they are connected to benefits, employment opportunities and housing,\u201d said Yolonda Townsend Harper, Manager of Clinical Operations at Heartland Alliance Health. \u201cThe library in particular is a place of refuge for people experiencing homelessness, so this new partnership with the Harold Washington Library means we get to serve people where they feel safe and supported.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cThresholds\u2019 approach to homeless outreach includes long-term engagement that helps clients find more permanent solutions,\u201d said Sam Guardino, Thresholds\u2019 Homeless Outreach Program Director. \u201cThe Harold Washington Library is a safe, clean place where our teams, who are equipped with laptops, can connect clients to benefits, housing opportunities, IDs, and mental and physical healthcare resources. We are thrilled to partner with the library, Heartland Alliance Health and Chicago Loop Alliance on this project at such a crucial time for this vulnerable population.\u201d<\/p>

By working together, last winter these organizations matched 10 people experiencing homelessness on State Street in the Loop with housing opportunities. These Chicagoans, some of whom had been homeless for over 20 years, now have apartments of their own. With this new resource center pilot project, the organizations are hopeful for more success stories.<\/p>

About Chicago Loop Alliance<\/strong><\/p>

Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA)\u2019s mission is to create, manage and promote high-performing urban experiences, attracting people and investment to the Loop. CLA is a membership organization as well as the sole service provider for Special Service Area#1-2015, and the Chicago Loop Alliance Foundation produces public art projects and events. For more information, please visit here<\/a>.<\/p>

About Heartland Alliance Health<\/strong><\/p>

The Heartland Alliance Health street outreach team travels to all areas of Chicago to engage individuals who are experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness. Team members build relationships and link individuals to services, including housing (via the Chicago Coordinated Entry System), primary medical and behavioral healthcare, substance use treatment, oral healthcare, case management and other supports such as applying for food assistance and accessing health insurance and other benefits. For more information, please visit here<\/a>.<\/p>

About Thresholds Homeless Outreach Program<\/strong><\/p>

Founded in 1959, Thresholds provides healthcare, housing, and hope for thousands of persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Innovative programs promote recovery at more than 75 locations in Illinois. The Thresholds Homeless Outreach Program was established in 1989 to provide services to persons experiencing homelessness with serious mental illnesses. The program\u2019s licensed clinical social workers are on the streets, in shelters, and on the CTA. Our primary goal is simple: to get people living with mental illnesses off the street and help them recover and regain their lives. For more information, please visit here<\/a>.<\/p>

###<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Press contact: Jessica Cabe | PR and Communications Manager, Chicago Loop Alliance jessica@chicagoloopalliance.com | 815-713-8909 MEDIA: View and download photos here. SOCIAL: #BackInTheLoop   #inTheLoopChi    @loopchicago     @ChicagoLoopAlliance    @ChiLoopAlliance     @Chicago-Loop-Alliance FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | August 17, 2020 CHICAGO\u2014Chicago Loop Alliance\u2019s Street Ambassadors, Heartland Alliance Health\u2019s street outreach team and Thresholds have begun a partnership with the Chicago …<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":2408,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"class_list":["post-2407","press_release","type-press_release","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew resource center pilot for homeless will pop up in Harold Washington Library - Loop Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/loopchicago.com\/es\/press-releases\/new-resource-center-pilot-for-homeless-will-pop-up-in-harold-washington-library\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_MX\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New resource center pilot for homeless will pop up in Harold Washington Library - Loop Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Press contact: Jessica Cabe | PR and Communications Manager, Chicago Loop Alliance jessica@chicagoloopalliance.com | 815-713-8909 MEDIA: View and download photos here. 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