A Refuge for Women Who Are Homeless
Sarah’s Circle is a refuge for women who are homeless or in need of a safe space. By providing housing assistance, case management, referral services, and life necessities, we encourage women to empower themselves by rebuilding both emotionally and physically; realizing their unique potential.
The Challenge
Individuals who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless face many barriers to empowerment.
- A census done by The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless showed that during fiscal year 2006 there were 73,656 people who were homeless.
- According to the census, on any typical night over 21,000 individuals were homeless. Of this total, only 4,654 were served by shelters.
- Individuals who are homeless have a greater risk of hypothermia, poor nutrition, chronic health problems, physical attack, and even death.
- Chicago spends $3 per homeless individual versus San Francisco, which commits $100 per individual, and New York, which commits $37 per individual.
- In Chicago, single women comprise 35.5% of the homeless population.
- Women who are homeless are particularly vulnerable to severe physical and/or sexual abuse.
- Domestic violence is the immediate cause of homelessness for many women and often this violence is from an intimate partner.
- A study by the U.S. Census shows that there is a growing percentage of individuals in Chicago who are “rent-burdened,” meaning they pay more than 30% of their income toward housing.
The Response
Sarah's Circle creates a safe and empowering place for women:
- We are the only agency in Uptown that is solely dedicated to serving women who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. On average we serve 50 women a day, and last year served 725 individual women.
- We are committed to providing ongoing supportive services to women which assist them in moving out of homelessness and help them to maintain permanent housing. In 2008, Sarah’s Circle served 14,000 meals, and facilitate the permanent housing of 43 women.
- Our services include clinical services designed to support women with dealing with many of the root causes of homelessness – we provide Trauma Services for Women, Domestic Violence services, and Art Therapy.
