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REGISTRATION IS LIVE FOR THE 2026 HOW 5K! SIGN UP HERE.
2025 IMPACT
+1,400
Clients Supported
+700
Households Served
+150
Clients Secured Jobs
97%
Positive Exit Destinations
HOW'S MISSION
Our work is rooted in empowering individuals and families across Chicagoland to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty.
CLIENT SUPPORT
Employment
& Life Skills
From job readiness training to GED courses and financial literacy, HOW's Employment Program equips clients with the skills to build stable careers.
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Family & Youth Services
Kids get after-school coaching, teen programming, and support through every school transition while HOW works with the whole family to build lasting stability at home.
Wellness Services
HOW's Health team provides benefits navigation, HIV/AIDS care, and medication support to help clients achieve lasting health stability.
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Housing & Case Management
Thanks to our dedicated case managers, HOW provides permanent supportive housing and rental assistance to hundreds of households each year. Learn More.
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CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
"It's family. Walking [into the HOW office] is like walking into a family member's home because that is the way I am treated here. My daughter and son went through the youth program and they loved it. It was an excellent opportunity for them."
GET UPDATES ON HOUSING
Interested in learning more about HOW's work? Subscribe to our newsletter and to stay up to date on the fight against homelessness.
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LATEST NEWS
![On a single night in January 2025, more than 230,000 people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. were part of a family with children, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The same data shows family homelessness dropped 11.2% from the year before, which is real progress worth celebrating. But the count only captures one night, and it likely misses many families: those doubled up with relatives, sleeping in their cars, or otherwise out of sight.
At HOW, we see these families every day. More than 4 in 10 of the households we serve are families, and the typical one is a single parent raising three children.
Lasting stability starts with housing. Everything else builds from there.
🔗 Learn how you can support families across Chicago: [link in bio]](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/820308030_18591074746066381_764290836246511620_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiRkVFRC5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=ZTPctb8__acQ7kNvwFkJAga&_nc_oc=Ado1IAyq9AEpXxJgYKrun4x9NvU4XYCpNJQrxWKhYmcV7jb1Y-hiU1ao11uuqVmLZU0&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=bZki3bD5O1b1oXI6owo2zQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQL3nsG34of372WMlmH7a2LDiNIczXMqk5KaC-0Zfs3ePZbWBT97Pxc_wkP3iPKRDrj9kti7dkcu&oh=00_AQKaussa-Jqxdjq5gS9sfXNQzx79I5H7U5BSIjC8NWmrQA&oe=6AB9F549)
![The Chicago Board of Education just approved its first policy update in a decade for serving students in temporary living situations — and it's a meaningful step forward.
Key changes:
✅ Students must be enrolled the same day they show up at their zoned school (clarifying the federal "immediate" enrollment mandate)
✅ Schools must set aside private spaces for families to confidentially seek help
✅ Youth without a parent/guardian can now enroll themselves and consent to transportation — no parent signature required
✅ Guaranteed access to tech devices, fee waivers, transportation & extracurriculars
✅ Funded advocate positions at schools with 75+ students experiencing homelessness
Why it matters: At least 22,000 CPS students (6.8%) experienced homelessness in 2024-25 — more than double the national rate. This update aims to remove barriers and make sure support doesn't depend on ZIP code.
Source: [Chicago Sun-Times –– CPS policy seeks to make it easier for students experiencing homelessness to enroll in school and get support]](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791659897_18585287323066381_347942438066507985_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiRkVFRC5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=cEveCEh1XOwQ7kNvwExvfA0&_nc_oc=AdpUJM-uDYnpai7ltCawjVEPuIwB3jZRuZMEnNlqIATa_qtu6lrny-2DpiCq0-Ljlaw&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=bZki3bD5O1b1oXI6owo2zQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQL81fW49ShbWmrrjlTlCiqoCQm6rqsak1fP8BEsg54JG-wTyUuWlTSizN5Q_faFqWERboRc_HrJ&oh=00_AQIOAHHP98HPZw3DT3jTFskB_6A9b8d7Br3A0C5P-EvElA&oe=6ABA2B6E)
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
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