CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It's a Thursday at Covenant House in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood and CEO Cheryl Hamilton-Hill is checking on her current residents.
"Hello, hello. What are you doing Jacob?" she asked a table full of young people.
Covenant House serves teens and young adults who are experiencing homeless in need of shelter, safety, counseling and job placement.
"Covenant House has been around nearly 50 years. We help youth between the ages 18-24 who are experiencing homelessness. On any given night, there are up to 3,000 youth who are experiencing homelessness here in Chicago," Hamilton-Hill said.
With only 375 units of housing in the city to support this exceptionally vulnerable population, many are left to the streets. Hamilton-Hill said there are many reasons why young people find themselves there.
"In two short years, we've already served more than a 1,000 kids. You don't always know who is experiencing homelessness. They're not dirty, they are not disheveled. They are usually living in plain site." she said.
"Sadly we have seen an increase in the need in the services we're providing. We've seen an increase in our numbers each year."
And the COVID-19 pandemic increased those numbers even more.
"I was in a dark place, a very dark place. I'm almost at my 60 day mark. I love the staff. I love this place. It's very warm and comfortable," Wyatt said.
Hamilton-Hill said the program provides wraparound services.
"We are going to a space that will allow us to quadruple the number of people that we will be able to serve and see any given day," Hamilton-Hill said.
The new 25,000 square feet space will also have temporary and transitional housing, a career center, and a garden where young people can grow their own vegetables and herbs.
"The secret sauce is that we are providing that support and we're not just with you when you're struggling. We can get young people where they should be and where they need to be. There is nothing more powerful and nothing more heart warming than one of them coming back to us and saying thank you for giving me that 30 days of respite. I was not only able to get a job, I was able to get counseling for mental health support, and I was able to get a place to stay and that makes all the difference," she said.
Covenant House International has grown into one of the largest homeless service agencies in the nation, with 33 locations and in Mexico and Latin America.
"The beauty of Covenant House, our doors are always open. Even if you fall down, you can come back. Homelessness is only temporary," Hamilton-Hill said. "Together we can change the trajectory of your situation."
Now in its fourth year in Chicago, the SLEEP OUT is an annual fundraising event that takes place at Covenant House locations around the country on the same night each year. Members of the Chicago community, celebrities, business leaders and young professionals come together to raise funds and awareness for homeless, trafficked, and at-risk youth by sleeping outside for one chilly night. Each participant creates an individual or team page through Covenant House and sets a personal goal (ranging from $1,500 to $5,000) to raise funds by reaching out to friends, family, colleagues and employers.
For more information, you can log onto www.covenanthouseil.org/