Resources

• HOUSE Grantee Booklet

This handbook is to assist Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) institutions with implementing the requirements of Public Act 102-0083. 

• 2024 HOUSE Liaison Handbook

Resources in this section include Continuum of Care contact directories, hotlines for services and housing, and resources for fair housing legal assistance.

• Continuum of Care contacts in Illinois by region: Grantee Contact Information - HUD Exchange

• Illinois Department of Human Services, helpline
  • Illinois Department of Human Services Help Line or call (833) 234-6343 

• Suburban Cook County, Entry Point staff will match students with resources available
  • Entry Point: Working Together. Help for Homelessness. (myentrypoint.org)

• National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
  • National Call Center for Homeless Veterans - Call (877) 424-3838

• Illinois Housing Development Authority, rental resources
  • Rental Housing Resources – IHDA

• Illinois Public Housing Authorities by county
  • PHA Contact Report by State and City (hud.gov)

• Fair Housing and Equal Opportunities/Fair Housing Initiatives Program
  • Contact a FHIP | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
  • Eviction Flowchart (hopefair.org)

• Illinois Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) 
  • Illinois Housing Help is Here! - FAQs

• Illinois Legal Assistance for Housing Foreclosure
  • Legal Aid Resource PDF
    
    
• ComEd Financial Assistance
  • Payment Assistance | ComEd - An Exelon Company
    
    
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Utility Bill Assistance - Utility Bill Assistance

Resources in this section include FAFSA information on eligibility of students who are homeless and statewide resources for students in care and individuals who may need Medicaid, SNAP, or cash assistance.

• US Department of Education/FAFSA for students experiencing homelessness
  • US Dept of Ed, 2026-2027 Student Aid Handbook, Special Cases section Special Cases | 2026-2027 Federal Student Aid Handbook
  • US Dept of Ed/FAFSA, July, 2024 update Reminder – Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Determinations | Knowledge Center

• National Center for Homeless Education, a template for eligibility determination
  • FAFSA Form Templates for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Determinations

• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Post-secondary Resources for Students in Care
  • Post-Secondary Education Services (illinois.gov)

• Illinois benefits for Medicaid, SNAP, and cash assistance
  • Illinois.gov - IL Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) ABE Home Page
  • www.GetCoveredIllinois.gov and click “Explore your health coverage options”
  • Illinois DHS SNAP Eligibility Calculator

• SchoolHouse Connection, FAFSA simplification summary and email template to students
  • Inform Students about the FAFSA: Use This Email Template | SchoolHouse Connection
  • The FAFSA Simplification Act: Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Youth with Experience in Foster Care (schoolhouseconnection.org)

Resources in this section provide information and professional development on issues of homelessness. This section also features organizations at the state and national level that research and advocate for people experiencing homelessness.

• National Alliance to End Homelessness
  • Home - National Alliance to End Homelessness
  • SOH: State and CoC Dashboards - National Alliance to End Homelessness
  • What Is Homelessness in America? - National Alliance to End Homelessness
  • Racial Disparities in Homelessness Persist: A Data Snapshot - National Alliance to End Homelessness

• National Low-Income Housing Coalition, IL District Data
  • Congressional Districts | National Low Income Housing Coalition

• Illinois Low Income Housing Coalition
  • http://www.housingactionil.org/

• National Center for Homeless Education, FAFSA Data, Includes by State
  • FAFSA Data on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth – National Center for Homeless Education

• Homeless and Housing Resource Center (HHRC):
  • Training Courses | HHRC (hhrctraining.org)
• Fair Housing Law Center
  • Common Housing Discrimination Examples » Fair Housing

• UIC, Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, Black Homelessness in Illinois
  • Black Homelessness in Illinois: Structural Drivers of Inequality|Powered by Box

• Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, Transgender Students
  • Securing the Basic Needs of Transgender Students | The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs

• National Center for Homeless Education
  • Increasing Access to Higher Education for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth 
  • Common-Signs-of-Homelessness.pdf (ed.gov)
  • Microsoft Word - nche_effectiveteaching_6.11.08 (ed.gov)

• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, Professional Development
  • Professional Development - NAEHCY

• The Hope Center/#RealCollege Survey
  • The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs
  • 2023-2024 Student Basic Needs Survey Report | The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs
  • Federal Funding Opportunities for Colleges & Universities to Support Basic Needs | The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs
  • https://hope.temple.edu/newsroom/hope-blog/new-longitudinal-federal-data-reveal-troubling-reality-students-basic-needs-insecurity-persists

• Report on Basic Needs from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)
  • Mission Critical: The Role of Community Colleges in Meeting Students’ Basic Needs (cccse.org)

• Report on culture of caring (CCSSE)
  • Essential Conditions for Community College Student Success
    
    
• MDRC on basic needs
  • Helping Students Meet Basic Needs to Support Their Success

• McKinney-Vento Act, full text and definitions:
  • STATUTE-123-Pg1632.pdf

• Food Dignity - Webinar Series
  • https://illearningrenewal.org/professional-development/ 

• ICSPS Super Strategies:
  • Special Populations Super Strategies

• ISBE for McKinney-Vento K-12 Liaisons
  • Considerations-for-Teaching-Literacy-to-Students-Experiencing-Homelessness-Handout.pdf

• California Community Colleges Basic Needs Toolkit
  • https://www.cccstudentmentalhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Basic-Needs-Toolkit-2022_0606-1.pdf

• Ventura County Community College District, Student Pre/Post Surveys and Basic Needs Resource Structure
  • team_3_basic_needs_resource_center_project.pdf (vcccd.edu)

Resources in this section include templates to communicate about services with students, assist with FAFSA determinations, and design effective programs.

• SchoolHouse Connection, templates to alert students that it is FAFSA completion time, a simplification summary, and a determination template
  • Inform Students about the FAFSA: Use This Email Template | SchoolHouse Connection
  • The FAFSA Simplification Act: Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Youth with Experience in Foster Care (schoolhouseconnection.org)
  • SHC-FAFSA-Determination-2026-27 - Google Docs

• Times Higher Education/Inside Higher Ed on campus food pantry designs
  • https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/food-pantry-can-help-support-your-campus-through-costofliving-crisis
    
    
• Healthy Food Pantry Toolkit (NJ)
  • https://cfbnj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Healthy-Food-Pantry-Toolkit.pdf
    
    
• Healthy Food Pantry Assessment Toolkit
  • https://www.gleanersnutritionhub.org/uploads/2/9/7/6/29762123/healthy_food_pantry_instruction_guide.pdf

• California Community Colleges Basic Needs Toolkit
  • Breaking Down Barriers: Guidelines for California Community College Homeless Liaisons 2025

• Ventura County Community College District, Student Pre/Post Surveys and Basic Needs Resource Structure
  • team_3_basic_needs_resource_center_project.pdf (vcccd.edu)
    
    
• Community College Daily: Student Success Divident, program designs for basic needs support
  • https://www.ccdaily.com/2023/10/the-student-success-dividend-colleges-that-double-down-on-their-students-will-thrive-in-the-long-term/

• Syllabus language about basic needs support, Bakersfield College
  • https://sites.google.com/view/educ-b30-syllabus-71067/resources

• Syllabus language about basic needs support, MiraCosta College
  • https://miracosta.edu/student-services/care/_docs/basic-needs-canvas-syllabus.pdf

• Long Beach City College, Safe Parking Program
  • https://e1.nmcdn.io/assets/cco/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026_LBCC_SafeParking_Brochure.pdf

Assisting HOUSE Liaisons, Benefits Navigators & Others in Addressing Students’ Fundamental Needs

• Crystal Credi, Illinois Valley Community College
• Presentation Slides
• IVCC Resource Guide
• IVCC Flyer
• Support Resource Quick Reference
• College Resource Guide

Data is Knowledge

• Deana Schenk, Illinois Community College Board
• Ashley Lewis, Illinois Board of Higher Education
• Anna Wandtke, Rock Valley College
• Presentation Slides

Supporting Undocumented Students and English Language Learners

• Britt Pisto, Illinois Community College Board
• Dena Giacometti, Illinois Community College Board
• Presentation Slides

Supportive Housing 101 

• Julie Nelson, Corporation for Supportive Housing
• Presentation Slides
• Accessing Housing & Paths to Housing

IBHE HOUSE-ing FAQs

• Ashley Lewis, Illinois Board of Higher Education
• Melissa Van, Illinois Board of Higher Education
• Patty Zuccarello, Zuccarello and Associates
• Presentation Slides

Continuum of Care Overview

• Laura Bass, All Chicago
• Presentation Slides

Overview of HOME Illinois

• Christine Haley, Chief Homelessness Officer, Office to Prevent & End Homelessness, Office of Governor JB Pritzker
• Presentation Slides
• End Homelessness Info Sheet
• End Homelessness FAQ Sheet

Impact of Homelessness on the LGBTQIA+ Community

• DJ Ralston, Senior Technical Assistance & Research Analyst, The George Washington University
• Presentation Slides
• LGBTQIA+ Terminology

Homelessness & Youth in Care

• Kim Peck, Downstate Education & Transition Services Administrator, DCFS, Office of Education and Transition Services
• Kate Danielson, Executive Director, Foster Progress
• Presentation Slides
• Scholarship Tip Sheet
• Education & Training Voucher Tip Sheet
• Youth in College Tip Sheet
• Waiver Tip Sheet

Highlighting Student Supports

• Patty Zuccarello, Principal Consultant, Zuccarello & Associates
• Presentation Slides