Resources

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)

• Illinois Emergency Homeowner Assistance Fund
  • https://www.illinoishousinghelp.org/ilhaf

• Illinois Legal Assistance for Housing Foreclosure
  • Legal Aid Resource PDF

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
  • FAFSA FAQ on youth who are homeless homeless-youth.pdf (studentaid.gov)
  • US Dept of Ed/FAFSA, April 2023Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Determinations – Update | Knowledge Center

• National Center for Homeless Education, a fillable tool for eligibility determination
  • Making Student Status Determinations for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Eligibility Tool for Financial Aid Administrators

• 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
  • IDHS: Guide to Completing an ABE Application (state.il.us)
  • www.GetCoveredIllinois,gov and click “Explore your health coverage options”
  • Illinois DHS SNAP Eligibility Calculator

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

• National Low-Income Housing Coalition
  • Illinois | National Low Income Housing Coalition (nlihc.org)

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

• National Center for Homeless Education
  • FAFSA Data on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth – National Center for Homeless Education

• US Department of Education:
  • Identifying and Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness from Pre-School to Post-Secondary Ages | U.S. Department of Education

• Homeless and Housing Resource Center (HHRC):
  • Training Courses | HHRC (hhrctraining.org)
  • Examples of Housing Discrimination | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Basic Needs, Transgender Students
  • Securing the Basic Needs of Transgender Students | The Hope Center for College Community and Justice (temple.edu)

• National Center for Homeless Education
  • 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
  • https://naehcy.org

• The Hope Center/#RealCollege Survey
  • The Hope Center for College Community and Justice (temple.edu)
  • HopeCenter-Report-2021-03.pdf (temple.edu)

• 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)

• McKinney-Vento Act, full text and definitions:
  • https://files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/HomelessAssistanceActAmendedbyHEARTH.pdf

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

• ICSPS Super Strategies:
  • Special Populations Super Strategies

• 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)

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