Homeless Advocacy Group of Kankakee County

Here is our Mobile Food Pantry schedule for May! Anyone needing food assistance is welcome to join us at these drive-through food distribution events. Please share this info!

Community engagement is an important part of advancing fair housing. PSLS provides outreach and training to help individuals, housing providers, and community partners better understand fair housing rights and responsibilities. If your organization is interested in a fair housing training or presentation, contact PSLS at 855-347-7757 to learn more.

Last week, the Kankakee County Housing Authority partnered with Kankakee Workforce Services to host a resume workshop for participants in the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program.

The FSS program is a voluntary program designed to support families in increasing their income, building financial stability, and working toward long-term goals through a personalized five-year plan. As participants increase their earned income, they also build an escrow savings account that can be accessed upon successful completion of the program, creating a meaningful financial foundation for the future.

Opportunities like this matter. When individuals and families have access to both stable housing and employment support, it creates a pathway toward long-term self-sufficiency. By the end of the workshop, participants walked away with polished, professional resumes and renewed confidence in their skills and their ability to take the next step in achieving their goals.

If you or someone you know could benefit from support in building job skills, preparing for employment, or re-entering the workforce, Kankakee Workforce Services offers free, weekly career readiness workshops every Wednesday from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, covering such topics as resume development, interview preparation, computer basics, and guided job search support.

They are located in the Kankakee Community College North Extension Center at 450 N. Bradley Blvd., Bradley.

These services are free and open to the community. Please feel free to share this opportunity with those you serve.

Do you have questions on what resources are available in Kankakee County? Housing? Food? Utilities? Children & Family Resources? Healthcare? You name it, Tammy Marcotte is the person to call! Tammy is based at the Kankakee County Health Department, located conveniently in the lobby so everyone can find her. Marcotte is a "Community Navigator" funded by United Way. She keeps the "Kan-I Help" directory up to date online. She says around 900 agencies on this site get updated annually, but agencies can request updates to their listing anytime there is a change. She says she doesn't try to explain what services an agency will be able to provide, but directs the caller to reach out to them so they can more fully assist with what they have available. Any homeless related callers are directed to the Homeless Help Line. Her biggest challenge is when resources/money have dried up for the year, and she can't provide a useful solution. She said sometimes, all some people need is a good listener to help them process their concerns.
Tammy has lived in Bourbonnais her whole life, She is married with two daughters and two grandkids. She loves to travel and camp. Thank you Tammy for your generous spirit to provide assistance to all in need.

Here are resources for you to reach out to:
* Community Navigator/Tammy Marcotte - 815-208-1305, email [email protected]. She is available M-F, 8 am to 5 pm
* 211 - a live operator is available 24/7 to provide a list of resources
* https://www.kanihelp.org/ KAN-I HELP for online resources
* Homeless Help Line 833-815-4673
* If you are in imminent danger, call 911

Our area is in need of affordable housing for our seniors. This new development in South Kankakee has passed the planning board process, and is headed to the Kankakee City Council. If you can't access past the paywall for this article, "Rodger Brown, president of New Directions Housing Corporation, is seeking to construct a $17 million, 32-unit senior housing development immediately northwest of Kankakee’s Super Walmart store...The project would be opened for applicants as so as it gains approval from the state. Brown said the location would be open to anyone, meaning it is not reserved for Kankakee County residents....The current development as proposed would consist of 32 units, of which 22 would be one-bedroom units and 10 would be two-bedroom.
Per development plans, the one-bedroom units would be 605 square feet, while the two-bedroom units would be 830 square feet.
The development would target low-income senior citizens, age 62 and older, who are earning at or below 80% of area median income.
Rents would range from about $350 for one-bedroom unit to about $1,200. Rents are based on the occupants ability to pay, so those with less income, would not pay as much.
Article by Lee Provost, the The Daily Journal

Developer targets $17M senior housing complex in Kankakee A Lombard-based developer is targeting a 32-unit, senior housing development in south Kankakee.

What a great event

Join us next week Thursday for our 2nd Annual Pathway of Hope Community Resource Fair!

Come connect with local resources, support services, and opportunities designed to help individuals and families thrive. We’re stronger together—you won't want to miss it!

National Alliance to End Homelessness has done it again!
For the second time in two days, the courts have ruled against the Trump Administration’s efforts to illegally meddle in federal homelessness programs.

Today’s ruling from the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals means the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cannot move forward with its plan to release the December 19th Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to hold an absurd partial-year competition. Our Preliminary Injunction remains in place.

This will bring immense relief to communities across the country who were faced with the prospect of running overlapping local CoC NOFO competitions. Most importantly, this means HUD must renew all awards expiring this year — which will keep people in their homes, program staff employed, and landlords paid their rent. The full opinion can be found here:
https://endhomelessness.org/media/news-releases/appeals-court-rejects-latest-trump-vance-administration-attack-on-funding-for-solutions-to-homelessness/?utm_source=Master+Email+List&utm_campaign=f1f8a8123b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_04_01_06_45&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-f1f8a8123b-669207637
And it’s not over yet.
Preventing the December NOFO is just a part of our ongoing litigation. The full merits of our case remain before the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island awaiting final judgment, and we trust our legal counsel has put forth a strong set of arguments for the Court to consider.

Democracy Forward and the ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island represent the coalition of nonprofit organizations in the matter; the National Homelessness Law Center represents NAEH and NLIHC; Public Rights Project represents the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Nashville, and Tucson as well as King County; Santa Clara County and San Francisco are also plaintiffs. The Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island represents all plaintiffs.

Appeals Court Rejects Latest Trump-Vance Administration Attack on Funding for Solutions to Homelessness The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States.

Some potentially good news on the political fight to save funding for those who are unhoused, or housing insecure:

"BREAKING: Judge Rules in CoC Builds Case
The Alliance is pleased share that a federal judge this week ruled that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and HUD Secretary Scott Turner violated the law through their “slapdash imposition of political whims,” when approving new funding restrictions that would have unlawfully conditioned access to federal CoC Builds housing grants on compliance with the Trump-Vance administration’s partisan agenda.

“This ruling is a victory for people across this nation who have overcome homelessness and stabilized in HUD’s permanent housing programs. Today’s news reinforces a fundamental truth: that the work to end homelessness is not partisan, and never should be interfered with for political means. On behalf of the people and providers we serve, the National Alliance to End Homelessness pledges to continue fighting back against efforts to dismantle homeless response in America.”
-Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness

The Alliance extends its deep gratitude to Democracy Forward, National Homelessness Law Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, and ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island for its legal representation in this case."

Court Finds Trump-Vance Administration Violated Law In Rush to Politicize Housing Grants The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States.

If you're in need of childcare support, this event is for you. Happening now!