At Sarah's Circle, 642 women, making 14,047 visits, participated in services provided by Sarah’s Circle during Fiscal Year 2006.

• 85% of the women were homeless at the time of intake
• 11,858 meals were served
• Racial/ethnic composition:
  • African American (60%)
  • European American (27%)
  • Latina (1%)
  • Native American (1%)
  • Asian/Pacific Islander (1%)
  • Multi racial (10%)
• Challenges faced:
  • Alcohol abuse (14%)
  • Drug abuse (26%)
  • Physical disability (8%)
  • Chronic health problems (10%)
  • Severe mental illness (42%)
• Primary reasons for services:
  • Domestic violence or family dispute (23%)
  • Eviction, lack of affordable housing, substandard or condemned housing (6%)
  • Insufficient income (22%)
  • Loss of job (14%)
  • Other (18%)

138 women participated in case management services during the year.

• 20 obtained birth certificates
• 3 received state identification papers
• 9 were referred to transitional housing programs; 11 to permanent housing
• 2 were successfully housed in permanent housing
• 3 were referred to vocational and education programs,
• 7 were referred to job placement programs
• 6 increased job skills and financial independence
• 27 were referred to mental health programs; 24 obtained mental health treatment
• 19 were referred to drug treatment programs

Studies by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and The National Coalition for the Homeless show:

• 80,000 homeless individuals in Chicago cannot find permanent, adequate housing, 15,000 in any one night
• The cost of housing in Chicago is 37% higher than the national average - 12th highest in the nation
• Chicago is one of five cities that collectively have 50% of the nation's homeless population
• Homeless persons are at great risk of hypothermia, poor nutrition, chronic health problems, physical attack and even death.

Women who are homeless in Chicago are at even greater risk in that:

• Nationally 13% of homeless persons are single women, while in Chicago single women comprise 18% of the homeless population.
• They are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault and abuse; nationally, one-half of all women who are homeless are victims of domestic violence.
• They often lose trust in formal social service agencies and fall through the cracks.