Listening Sessions: Providing Shelter Across Illinois
Listening Sessions: Providing Shelter Across Illinois
The Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Office of Housing Stability (OHS) invite community members to participate in upcoming listening sessions on shelters in Illinois.
Shelter is a vital community resource, and we want to hear from you. These sessions will help us better understand:
The strengths and challenges of the current shelter system.
What is needed to strengthen shelters across Illinois.
How to make shelters more accessible for individuals facing barriers such as serious mental illness, substance use disorder, pets, storage needs, or family situations.
To ensure voices from across the state are heard, seven identical listening sessions will be offered: five in-person opportunities and two virtual sessions.
In-Person Sessions
Oak Park – Oak Park Library, Veterans Room, 834 Lake St. | 10/14, 11 am–12 pm
Rockford – Rockford Public Library Nordlof Center, Large Multipurpose Room, 118 N. Main St. | 10/14, 3–4 pm
Peoria – Peoria Health & Human Services, Community Room, 2116 N Sheridan Rd. | 10/15, 9:30–10:30 am
Springfield – HSHS St. John’s Hospital, 800 E Carpenter St. | 10/15, 1–2 pm
Carbondale – Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, 400 E Main St. | 10/22, 10–11 am
Virtual Sessions (via WebEx)
10/29, 2–3 pm
10/30, 10–11 am
Register here to attend any session
We encourage all stakeholders, service providers, and community members to join us, share your experiences, and help shape the future of shelter access in Illinois. Your voice matters!