Our community’s “hidden homeless”
The typical person in our program is a nine-year-old child.
Not what you expected? You’re not alone. Many people picture those facing homelessness as unemployed panhandlers living on the street. The reality is that most live in working families. In fact, 92% of Bridge client families are facing imminent risk of homelessness despite working full- or part-time.
DuPage County's “hidden homelessness” challenge is persistent and growing. Despite being one of the nation’s wealthiest counties, DuPage has seen the fastest poverty growth of any Illinois county in recent years. Today, one in five DuPage households earns less than $35,000 per year; one in 20 people lives below the poverty line.
As poverty grows and affordable housing becomes scarcer, people filling critical community roles are being priced out of the DuPage housing market – including teachers, social workers, childcare providers, construction workers, retail and restaurant workers and clergy.