youth housing

New South Side Homeless Shelter for youth OPEN!!!

 

We are proud to announce that Ujima Village, the low threshold youth shelter for the South Side is now open! We serve older youth, ages 18 up to the 25th Birthday, all genders. We can accept youth with disabilities and youth who are wearing home monitoring devices (so long as the youth has allowed movement). We unfortunately cannot accept parenting youth who have their babies/children with them or minor youth.

 

We have 24 comfy cots, serve a hot dinner and a continental breakfast, and provide a 1-Ride CTA card to everyone who gets a bed the next morning. We have showers & laundry and a voluntary nightly activity. We are linked with the Teen Living Program Drop-in Center in Bronzeville that provides social services for homeless youth during the daytime.

 

We have a large shelter space with two floors  and due to staff coverage of the space and wanting staff to concentrate upon the youth who are there, we simply can't handle a large volume of calls from youth who may or may not actually come to the shelter.This is why the phone number is not posted on the flyer. Also, the shelter is not staffed during the daytime hours when it is closed.

 

How to get a bed: Youth can get a bed by arriving at the front door of the shelter at 8pm nightly or by calling the 311/Catholic Charities Homeless hotline from a hospital emergency room. The youth, when calling the hotline, need to state that they are a youth and that they want to come to Ujima. Catholic Charities will call us to confirm bed availability, and then Catholic Charities will go get the youth from the hospital to transport the youth to Ujima. Catholic Charities will only pick up homeless persons from hospital emergency rooms or police stations.

 

Transit: The shelter is only a short two block walk West from the #29 CTA State Street Bus Stop at Lafayette Ave and 73^rd Street.

 

We have a total of 24 beds and so far have only had a few youth. Please help us get the word out!

 

Thank you!

 

-A. Anne Holcomb

Supportive Services Supervisor

Unity Parenting & Counseling