HOW

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: https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/housing-opportunities-for-women/fy25---one-time-or-monthly-donation

Housing keeps a roof over someone's head. Employment gives them the foundation to keep it there.

In 2025, more than 150 HOW clients secured jobs. We know that lasting stability doesn't stop at the front door. A paycheck brings the income, confidence, and independence people need to hold onto their housing for the long haul.

Our Employment Program (HEP) walks alongside clients every step of the way: resume building, interview prep, digital literacy training, and direct connections to employers who are ready to hire. Landing any job is one thing but landing the *right* job that supports a sustainable future is the ultimate goal.

Learn more: how-inc.org

Let's take a look back at our last HOW 5K! In 2024, we brought our neighbors and supporters together for a morning that raised funds to help end homelessness in Chicago.

And guess what? It's BACK. Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 18 — HOW is returning to Horner Park for our first 5K since 2024. Whether you're racing for a PR or walking it out with friends, every step helps power HOW's housing and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness across Chicago.

📍 Horner Park
📅 Sunday, Oct. 18
🏃 Walk it. Run it. Just show up for it.

Registration is officially live! Sign up now and let's make this year's 5K our biggest one yet.

Register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/Chicago/HOW5K

ICYMI: The 2026 HOW 5K is coming back next month!

See the details below 👇 to check out how you can make a difference for our neighbors across the city.

HOW 5K Join us for the 2026 HOW 5K on Sunday October 18th. Walk, run, or come celebrate HOW at a post-race afterparty!

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.

🔗 Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-school-board/2026/08/28/cps-policy-seeks-to-make-it-easier-for-students-experiencing-homelessness-to-enroll-in-school-and-get-support

Housing is a human right. This October, we're running to prove it.

Join us for the 2026 HOW 5K on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Horner Park. Every registration helps keep Chicago families housed, connected to jobs, and supported through case management and health care — especially as federal funding grows more uncertain.

Run, walk, or bring the whole family (strollers welcome! 👶).

👉 Register now: https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/Chicago/HOW5K
📍 Horner Park, Chicago | 📅 10.18.2026

HOW 5K Join us for the 2026 HOW 5K on Sunday October 18th. Walk, run, or come celebrate HOW at a post-race afterparty!

This week, our South Office was full of energy and possibilities. 💫

At our Pathways to Employment event, HOW clients sat down one-on-one with the team from Greater West Town Project to talk through everything from high school diploma options to hands-on training in logistics and manufacturing. Resumes got polished. Interview nerves got calmed. Enrollment questions got answered.

No two conversations looked the same, because no two paths look the same — and that's exactly the point.

Grateful to GWTP for showing up and meeting our clients where they are. This is what it looks like when partnership turns into progress. 🙌

Backpacks: ✅ Snacks: ✅ Sunshine and smiles: ✅ Our Back2School Picnic at Washington Park had it all today!

HOW families stopped to pick up free backpacks and school supplies, played games, and enjoyed a picnic together in the sun.

Huge thanks to all of our volunteers, HOW staff, and everyone who donated to the event who helped make sure these kids start off the school year on the right foot.

Last year, we couldn't have supported our neighbors without people like you. Now, with federal funding for homelessness programs growing more uncertain, that support matters even more.

Here's the thing: every single sign-up makes a real difference. Not "down-the -line impact — direct, immediate support for people working to find stability, keep a job, and stay housed right here in Chicago.

📅 October 18, 2026
📍 Horner Park, Chicago

Grab your spot before race day sneaks up on you.

Register: https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/Chicago/HOW5K

It's that time of year again!

HOW is hosting our annual Back 2 School Drive on Aug. 20 at Washington Park — helping youth experiencing homelessness start the school year with the supplies they deserve.

🎒 Backpacks are our #1 need right now. Without one, a student walks into class with nothing to carry their future in.

Every donation helps make sure no kid starts the year behind. Give today (links in the caption below)