Homelessness & Poverty
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Local and Statewide Assistance
Catholic Charities/Diocese of Joliet Shelter and support services Phone: 815.723.3405
Hesed House Helps with shelter and food for the homeless (Aurora) Phone: 630.897.2156
Homeless Shelter Directory/Illinois Directory of homeless shelters throughout Illinois
Illinois Department of Human Services Housing, shelter, and homelessness resources
Interfaith Food Pantry of Plainfield Local food distribution Phone: 815-439-8394
MorningStar Mission Homeless shelter (Joliet) Phone: 815.722.5780
Plainfield Area Public Library Pantry: food/supplies for those in need (located on the east side of our library)
Wayside Cross Ministries Help for the homeless (Aurora) Phone: 630.892.4239
Will County Center for Community Concerns Broad range of support services Phone: 815-722-0722
Books
Dignity : seeking respect in back row America by Chris Arnade (available in print)
High-risers : Cabrini-Green and the fate of American public housing by Ben Austen (available in print)
Invisible Americans : the tragic cost of child poverty by Jeff Madrick (available in print)
The Librarian’s guide to homelessness : an empathy-driven approach to solving problems, preventing conflict, and serving everyone by Ryan Dows (available in print)
Maid : hard work, low pay, and a mother’s will to survive by Stephanie Land (available in print, as an eBook and as eAudio)
The prosperity paradox : how innovation can lift nations out of poverty by Clayton M. Christensen, Efosa Ojomo, and Karen Dillon (available in print)
You can’t go wrong doing right : how a child of poverty rose to the White House and helped change the world by Robert J. Brown (available in print and eAudio)
National/Global Organizations
Institute for Research on Poverty Research institution whose goal is to combat poverty and inequality
National Alliance to End Homelessness
NAEHCY National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
National Coalition for the Homeless
OPAD Organization for Poverty Alleviation and Development
OXFAM Oxford Committee for Famine Relief
Movies
DVDs:
Streaming:
- Growing Up Poor in America | Frontline (PBS)
- What’s Behind Rising Homelessness in America? (PBS)
- Why is There Still Poverty in America? (The Economist)
- Why the US Can’t Solve Homelessness (CNBC)
Websites/Articles
US Federal Poverty Guidelines 2023
2023 Poverty Guidelines: 48 Contiguous States (HHS)
Frequently Asked Questions About Homelessness (National Health Care for the Homeless Council)
Homelessness in America (National Coalition for the Homeless)
How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty (US Census Bureau)
Poverty Overview (The World Bank)
Pritzker Signs Bill Aimed At Ending Homelessness In Illinois (WTTW 7/26/23)
The State of America’s Children 2023: Child Poverty(Children’s Defense Fund)
State of Homelessness 2023 Edition (National Alliance to End Homelessness)
HUD Releases 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report