2009 Homeless Count in Suburban Cook County

Count Articles

2007 South Region Count: "Looking for Someone to Help Them" (Northwest Indiana Times)

2009 Pre-Count: "Cook County Agency Predicts Count Will Rise" (Pioneer Press)

2009 Homeless Count: "Volunteers Count the Homeless" (The Doings) 

2009 Homeless Count: "Demographics Provide Clues to Proper Aid" (Morton Grove Champion)

2009 Homeless Count: "Problems with the Count" (The Doings)

2009 North Region Count: "Night Treks: Finding 'Homes' of the Homeless" (Evanston Review)

2009 West Region Count: "From Trains Stations to Rail Yards..." (Oak Leaves)

2009 South Region Count: "Students, Faculty and Staff Work with Those Challenged by Homelessness" (Trinity Christian College - Department of Social Work Newsletter)

Other Great Articles

"I was Homeless for a Week" Series:

In 2007, Todd Shields (a reporter for Pioneer Press) set out to understand homelessness in an extreme way. Shields packed a bag and became homeless for a week, discovering first-hand the difficulties of homelessness and chronicalling the stories of those he met along the way. Read about his experiences here:

"I was Homeless for a Week - Part I"

"I was Homeless for a Week - Part II" 

"I was Homeless for a Week - Part III"

"I was Homeless for a Week - Part IV"

"No Place to Call Home" Series:

In late 2007, The Arlington Heights Post printed a series of articles about the homeless populations in the North & Northwest regions of suburban Cook County. These articles were personal, enlightening, and inspiring. Furthermore, the subject matter far-reaching, beyond just those encountered in the northern suburbs at that time, but reflective of many of our homeless throughout the country in every year. Gain a new perspective of homelessness here:

"No Place to Call Home: An Introduction"

"How To Handle Panhandlers"

"My Parents Kicked Me Out"

"Education Will Save Homeless Children"

"Off My Meds or Abusing Drugs"

"Picking Up the Tab"

"Zero Homelessness... Is it Possible?"

"Angels to the Homelessness"

"Why Are They Here?"

"Without Four Walls"

"Hiring the Homeless"

"Down On My Luck"

Series Follow-Ups:

In late 2008, The Arlington Heights post followed-up on several of its articles published in the "I was Homeless for a  Week" and the "No Place to Call Home" series. You can find those pieces here:

"Foreclosures + Layoffs = Homelessness"

"More Homeless Seek Help in 2008"

"More Teens on the Streets"

"Former Homeless Teen is Making It"

"Not Much Has Changed..."

U.S. Layoffs to Date...