This Chicago Nonprofit Helps Families Facing Homelessness

In her 16-year career with Bridge Communities, CEO Amy Van Polen has seen the nonprofit's holistic program work first-hand. The organization exclusively supports families with children that are facing or experiencing homelessness in DuPage County, west of Chicago. They provide many services, including case managers, transitional housing, financial literacy mentorship, family wellness programs and counseling resources.

"Family homelessness is typically rooted in a lack of affordable housing and low-paying employment and is often connected to domestic violence," Van Polen says. "There are several traumas that families are recovering from when they come to our services. We work really deeply with that family on helping them recover."

She credits Bridge Communities' success—92 percent of families secure permanent housing by the time they leave their program—to the nonprofit's model of working with families for about two years to develop stable financial resources.

Now in its 35th year, Bridge Communities will hit a big milestone in 2024: 1,000 families served. The organization partners with hundreds of people to serve as mentors for families. Van Polen describes this collaborative model of using volunteers as a "powerful way" of bringing the local community into their mission.

"Instead of having just this really small staff doing work, we have hundreds of persons that are taking this journey with us," she says. "That model and how we do the work … keeps me incredibly motivated and drawn to this mission."

As part of our Good Neighbors program, highlighting unique Midwest nonprofits and individuals working to make our communities stronger, Midwest Living has donated $500 to Bridge Communities. Read about other nonprofits chosen to be part of Good Neighbors.