A Positive Approach
Housing First
We put Housing First, and make it our priority to help people experiencing homelessness by providing housing while they pursue employment, education, financial and other goals.
Our approach is guided by the belief that people need basic necessities like food and a place to live before attending to other areas of focus, such as getting a job, budgeting properly, or dealing with healthcare issues.
Homelessness Prevention Services
Prevention
Help with basic needs like food, rent and utilities for people and families facing eviction, foreclosure or homelessness.
Outreach
We meet people – youth, adults, families – wherever life takes them. Their immediate safety is our top priority.
Housing
Emergency shelter, short-term housing, and coordinated support to re-stabilize an individual or family’s living situation.
Prevention
Help for people and families facing eviction, foreclosure or homelessness or who are currently homeless.
Homeless prevention services help individuals and families stay in their current homes, shorten the amount of time they stay in shelters and with finding affordable housing.
To prevent or shorten the experience of homelessness, we can help individuals and families paying their rent, mortgage and/or utility bills. Our case managers are trained to support people and families, answer questions and make sure you have a place to call home.
Aunt Martha’s can also connect you to other support services like:
- Rent, mortgage and utility assistance
- Job Preparation/Employment Services
- Counseling
- Outreach
- Follow-up
- Case Management
Who can our homeless prevention services help?
If you or your family are in immediate danger of eviction, foreclosure or homelessness or are currently homeless, we may be able to help.
You must be able to document a temporary economic crisis beyond your household’s control and must be able to demonstrate an ability to meet the prospective rental/utility obligations after the assistance has been granted based on current or anticipated income.
Need help?
Don’t wait to call.
If you or your family are in immediate danger of eviction, foreclosure or homelessness or are currently homeless, we may be able to help.
In suburban Cook County
If you live in Will County
Outreach
We meet people wherever life takes them.
Aunt Martha’s outreach teams work in areas where individuals – especially children and teens – experiencing homelessness are known to gather. Our outreach workers provide prevention and intervention services to runaway, homeless, and street youth up to age 21, who have been subjected to or are at risk of being subjected to sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and severe forms of trafficking in persons.
Our goal is simple. We want to keep kids safe. We do that, but we also help them build stronger connections with families, communities, schools, and other positive social networks. By doing that, we help them become more self-sufficient and improve their social and emotional well-being.
Our outreach teams can also offer:
- Access to emergency shelter,
- Crisis services,
- Screenings and assessments,
- Harm reduction, and
- Linkages/referrals to services.
Housing
Emergency and Short-term Assistance
Aunt Martha’s emergency shelter services offer immediate help to people who are experiencing homelessness, and on a short-term basis until the individual has a stable housing option secured.
We make sure people’s basic needs are met. Things like food, clean clothes, a shower, and a safe clean place to sleep. That’s where we start.
Then our team goes to work. We take time to understand each situation and individual, and the offer support, referrals and guidance as they navigate a difficult time in their life.
How long can people stay in emergency housing?
For most people, our Emergency Shelter is an option for up to 120 days.
Transitional housing, which can accommodate youth and young adults for 12 to 18 months, may be available when a youth has made significant progress in our care but still needs time to prepare to live on their own.
What other services are part of the Emergency Shelter program?
- Case management,
- Educational and employment services,
- Life skills training,
- Transportation, and
- Counseling to help young people prepare for independence
Take advantage of all we have to offer.
