HOW has a number of programs and services to ensure program participants achieve housing stability and economic independence. Programs are designed around proven methodologies and evaluations are part of the design. Click here to learn more about HOW’s intake process or to make a referral.

PERMANENT HOUSING:

Singles Two, Family Two: Time-limited to two years, these programs provide appropriately sized apartments for families and unaccompanied women. The focus is on helping women become financially independent through increased skills, income, and job retention. 86 families with 11 children were served with both programs in FY08. Across all of HOW’s residential programs – including those for women who are disabled – 70% of participants who are able to work are employed.

Housing for Women with Disabilities: More than half of HOW’s subsidized housing units are designated for women with disabilities, both with and without families. There is no time limit on participation in this program, and all participating women have a disability that prevents them from obtaining independent permanent housing. 108 women and 164 children were served through our housing for women with disabilities in FY08.

Hospital to Housing Program (HTH): HOW has partnered with health care, respite care, and housing providers to develop and implement a Housing First strategy in order to increase housing stability and health outcomes for people who are chronically medically ill. In FY08 HOW served 16 households and 11 children through the CHHP program.

Chronic Homeless Initiative: This program addresses the unique needs of chronically homeless unaccompanied women, by providing access to medical and other supportive services as well as permanently subsidized housing. Happily, HOW was awarded eight additional units of program housing in FY08, allowing HOW to serve a total of 19 women.

HOPWA: HOW expanded its program and services in 2007 to include eight units of housing for women and families living with HIV/AIDS via a program supported by the Chicago Department of Public Health. In FY08, a total of 7 households and 2 children were served by the program. In addition, HOW served 6 households and 2 children in HOPWA apartments funded by the Aids Foundation of Chicago.

HomeFirst: This program targets a population that is underemployed and cannot afford market-rate rental costs, and/or are ineligible for traditional housing subsidies such as Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) because of income or those that simply cannot wait on significantly long housing subsidy lists. These women earn between $10,000 and $30,000 annually. The HomeFirst program aided 2 families in FY08, including a total of 8 children.

Housing Locator: The objective of this program is to assist individuals and families living in the community to access needed resources in order to prevent an initial occurrence or a re-occurrence of homelessness, thus increasing neighborhood stabilization. In FY08, HOW linked 77 low-income households to affordable housing through the Housing Locator program.

Service Connector: The Service Connector program is an initiative of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) and the Chicago Department of Health and Human Services (CDHS) targeting CHA residents. However, the end of December marked the final quarter for HOW’s Service Connector program, as the CHA has chosen to discontinue Service Connector in favor of a new program called Family Works. After careful analysis, HOW chose not to participate in this new initiative. Nevertheless, throughout its last quarters, HOW’s Service Connector program continued to meet/and or exceed most program goals. In FY08, the Service Connector program served 105 families and was able to connect 33 participants to employment, which was four times their goal. HOW has extended it commitment to serve these families through its ECHO and Community-Based Support Services initiatives.

SUPPORT SERVICES:

Comprehensive Case Management: This is the core component of HOW's support services for both individuals and families. Case Managers work with each woman to develop a Transition Plan with short- and long-term goals and then provide the support and assistance needed to accomplish her goals.

Life Skills & Support Groups: HOW provides a variety of groups to meet diverse needs for the women and children in its programs. Support groups give women the opportunity to share their experiences and support each other around issues ranging from relapse prevention and domestic violence, to apartment maintenance and money management. Financial literacy and banking skills training are also provided, along with other educational workshops and classes. In FY08, 57 participants received credit counseling, over 30 participants attended financial literacy training, 4 participants maintained savings accounts, and 2 participants maintained checking accounts.

Employment Services: An Employment Specialist works with clients on job search techniques, the application process, resume writing, interviewing skills, and job retention. This staff member is also responsible for creating comprehensive career plans with participants while linking them to appropriate job training programs and employers in the community. Reflecting this emphasis on career advancement, the Education, Career and Housing Opportunities (ECHO) team was created. ECHO takes a holistic, team-oriented approach towards securing a livable wage and overcoming barriers to employment for clients. In FY08, 38 participants obtained new employment in the first two quarters alone, surpassing our FY07 total. In addition, 70 percent of participants able to work are employed.

Health Services: Stable health and access to health care are essential factors for economic and housing stability. HOW’s Patient Navigator conducts health outreach, build relationships, and educate clients, while encouraging prevention screening and follow-up treatment. This individual also helps clients navigate their way through today’s complicated health care system and helps families develop the skills needed to access community health services. A total of 215 referrals were made in FY08 linking women and children in need of health services. Of these referrals, 101 were medical, 28 were dental, 22 were for vision, and 64 were for mental health. In addition, a Nurse Practitioner from Heartland Health Outreach did on-site physicals and provided other health care service to 69 adults and 10 kids in FY08.

Children & Youth Services: HOW recently enhanced its Children and Youth Services Program with the addition of a Child and Youth Specialist. This summer, HOW hosted an After-School Matters program for teens, called “Theater Arts and Performance (TAP) Guild.” This apprenticeship program served 24 teens each day throughout the summer and exposed them to a wide variety of arts and culture, self-expression, performance and career readiness topics. The specialist also designed and implements a gender-specific program (Girls’ Empowerment Module, or GEM) for adolescent girls ages 13-17 living in HOW’s residential facilities. The program has met with great success and is attended regularly by 4-10 girls.

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

Affordable Housing Development: HOW is committed to developing affordable housing, modeling green building practices and providing property management for the buildings it owns. The goal of HOW’s affordable housing preservation and production efforts is to ensure that extremely low-, low- and moderate-income individuals and families can access safe, affordable housing in the Rogers Park community. As such, HOW is excited to announce that we have closed on our third property in Rogers Park. The building, located across the street from Gale Elementary School and one block away from the new community center, will ultimately add 25 units of housing to our portfolio. Rehabilitation of the building, which currently has 24 units, will create a 25th unit in the basement that is accessible and meets ADA requirements. The basement will also provide a Support Services Center that will provide wrap around services to residents. The scope of the project will include a number of exterior improvements (i.e. tuck-pointing, roof replacement, window repair and replacement, etc.) while interior work will include painting, upgrading all lighting to energy efficient CFL's and LED, and providing Energy Star Appliances in the laundry.

HOW extended its services to the Southside of Chicago as well by acquiring units from the now defunct Southwest Women Working Together. Thanks to dedication and perseverance from the entire agency, but particularly from the Housing and Support Services Department, HOW successfully acquired 25 existing units of affordable housing and were awarded 8 additional units dedicated to homeless, unaccompanied women on the Southside.

Partners for Rogers Park: A coalition of community and faith based organizations who have come together to ensure the long-term social and economic well being of the Rogers Park Community. Established in late 2006, the mission of the coalition is to “promote positive community development for current residents through open and inclusive partnerships that fosters a healthy and just Rogers Park.” The overarching goal of the coalition is to strengthen the Rogers Park community through a strategic and progressive planning process, creative and engaging community organizing initiatives and comprehensive community development work.

Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA): A statewide association of non-profit organizations who provide supportive housing - affordable housing, enriched with supportive services - to individuals and families who are homeless and/or have special needs, such as mental illness, substance abuse issues, or other chronic illness, such as HIV/AIDS. SHPA's mission is to strengthen the supportive housing industry, to enable the increased development of supportive housing, and to support non-profit organizations to develop the capacity for providing permanent supportive housing.  Members network with one another, access the latest information, and advocate at the state and federal levels, with the aid of Springfield lobbyists.