ABOUT US
OUR MISSION is to empower individuals and families across Chicagoland to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.
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HOW HISTORY
HOW was founded in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago in 1983 to support homeless women and their children, a group largely overlooked by traditional shelters at the time. Today, HOW is one of the largest provider of permanent supportive housing in Chicago, serving over 700 households across the Chicagoland area.
Since its inception, HOW has expanded its programming to serve a wide variety of clients. We are inclusive of the medically complex or fragile, folks living with HIV or AIDS, transgender folks, veterans, youth aging out of foster care, chronically homeless individuals and families, those on the verge of homelessness, and many more. As HOW looks to the build a better future in our city, our founding belief hasn't changed: everyone deserves a place to call home.
Justice
OUR VALUES
Compassion
Integrity
Collaboration
Innovation
Housing instability doesn't hit every community the same way. HOW's client data shows who's been left behind. Our work is built to close that gap, expanding access to safe housing, quality health care, and food security for the people who need it most.
CLIENT DEMOGRAPHICS (2025)
92%
identified as
People of Color
64%
of Heads of Households
(HoH) identified as women
96%
were considered extremely low income
67%
of HoH identified as having at least one disability
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