In October 2018, we were delighted to share with you the news of new washer and dryer units that will serve students of our high school. The project to create a laundry room to serve students who may not otherwise have those resources was funded by a generous grant from the Chicago Youth Storage Initiative. Sadly, due to the effects of a flood in our building caused by the late January polar vortex, the use of our laundry facility has been halted.
Thirty percent of our high school students report experiencing homelessness or transitional living situations. The washer and dryer unit served as a resource to support and assist students with a secure and private space to wash their clothes. (more…)
Over the past week, we have experienced multiple facility-related challenges. As a result of the record-breaking bitter cold, our building experienced massive flooding. The flood impacted about 25,000 square feet on multiple floors. The damage will require efforts to restore and repair that will take many months.
Speaking with Victor, you would not know the journey he has taken that leads to where he is now. Just a few years ago, he started seeing images and hearing sounds that he believed were God. Suffering from a severe mental health issue, eventually, he lost his job, which resulted in homelessness and an inability to manage his symptoms and medications. His issues climaxed suddenly while dining in public. “I don’t remember exactly, but I caused a scene in McDonald’s,” Victor shared. “The police came and took me to the hospital, [and] from that point on it was one hospital to the next.”