NBC 5’s Sandra Torres found out District 168 has gone above and beyond to help students and families experiencing homelessness. This is the second part of her series called “Homeless Youth Crisis.”
For decades, Community Consolidated Schools District 168 has been supporting students and families who are experiencing homelessness. But in recent years, they've had to step up their efforts.
"Especially in the south suburbs, we are seeing more and more families who lost their jobs during the pandemic," Dr. Donna Leak, superintendent of Community Consolidated Schools District 168, told NBC Chicago. "It's heartbreaking."
Among those families receiving support is Amelia, a mother of seven. All but two of her children are grown and on their own. But her 11-year-old son is a student at District 168.
"It’s just being a single mom, rent going up, you do the best you can, but you just fall short sometimes," Amelia said. "Then, I wound up in the hospital and while I was in the hospital, our house burned down with everything in it."
Amelia has been homeless for about a month. For the first two to three weeks, she struggled to find a shelter, so she lived wherever she could in the streets. But once she reached out to her son's school district, they stepped in to help. Thanks to a grant, they paid for a six-day at a hotel in Merrillville, Indiana.
"It’s hard because you feel like you’re by yourself, but at least you have a school that do the best they can," said Amelia.
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Since we first interviewed Amelia in early February, district counselors have been able to connect her with the non-profit South Suburban PADS. They're currently working on a plan to help her find permanent housing.
Leak said offering students' families that extra support is a critical step in making sure the students themselves succeed.
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"We are here to make sure they get to the next phase of life and that means we also have to take care of their moms, dads, brothers, sisters," she said.
Amelia wasn't the only one who received help from the district in early February.
"One of the families has three children and they’re living in a tent with the mother, father and the three children," said Leak. "It’s gut wrenching… I can’t imagine."
Due to the growing problem, the district has set up laundry machines and dryers inside most of the schools. Each school is also stocked up with basic items like coats, clothes, hygiene kits and school supplies, just in case.
At times, the district has also gone above and beyond to offer transportation and counseling to families as they face challenges searching for permanent housing. That was the case for Christina Bretton-Stewart and her family.
"Homeless is nothing to play with," said Bretton-Stewart. "I’ve been there."
Bretton-Stewart, her husband and her four sons became temporarily homeless when their house caught on fire in January 2021.
"I was lost, hurt, devastated," Bretton-Stewart said. "In an instant everything was gone."
Faith Movers church helped the family cover the costs of a hotel stay for about six months. While grateful, Bretton-Stewart said it was a temporary living situation that proved to be difficult. Especially for her youngest, who was 6 years old at the time, a then-first grader at Wagner School, part of Community Consolidated Schools District 168.
"Wagner school stepped up and said they'd give my son transportation," said Bretton-Stewart. "They also blessed us with coats… they blessed us with food and counseling."
The district says counseling is also a top priority.
"They are so resilient in their situation, that you have to sit down and speak to them and tell them, 'It’s OK to feel strong emotions… it’s OK to talk about what you’re going through,'" said Tonda Balogun, a school counselor and homeless liaison at District 168.
All of that support, helped the Bretton-Stewart family slowly get back to normal. They're now living in a new permanent home and want to make sure others in similar situations learn from their experience.
"There is help out there… no matter how bad the situation looks, if you turn to your schools, to the community, there is help out there," said Bretton-Stewart.
