>> THE FIGHT TO END HOMELESSNESS REMAINS AN UPHILL BATTLE AS PART OF THE CHICAGO RECOVERY PLAN.

A RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE 2020, A LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS SPEARHEADS THE INITIATIVE CONNECTING PEOPLE FACING HOMELESSNESS TO MULTIPLE AGENCIES IN A SINGLE SPACE.

CHICAGO.

TONIGHT'S JOANNA HERNANDEZ TELLS US MORE ABOUT ACCELERATED MOVING EVENTS.

>> WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS EVER LIVING IN A SHELTER.

SOMETHING MICHELE KEARNEY NEVER THOUGHT SHE WOULD HAVE TO EXPERIENCE.

I GOT HOME THIS LIGHT AT THE MY MOM PASSED.

>> MIKE 18, 2020 MY DAD PASSED APRIL 19, 2020 RIGHT AFTER MY BIRTHDAY, KEARNEY HAS BEEN STAYING AT ONE OF OLIVE BRANCHES SHELTERS FOR THE LAST 5 MONTHS.

>> BUT SHE'S WORKING WITH THE ORGANIZATION TO GET A PLACE OF HER OWN.

I LOVE TO OWN SPACE LATE.

SO MUCH BETTER.

PIECING QUIEN NO ONE WAKING YOU UP >> STANDING IN LINE FOR THE BATHROOM.

ALL OF BRANCH IS ONE OF THE CITY'S OLDEST ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES TO PEOPLE FACING HOMELESSNESS WILL GO TALK TO WITH ALL CHICAGO AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE OTHER AGENCIES HERE HE BROUGHT IN MORRIS HAS BEEN WORKING AT ORGANIZATION FOR THE LAST 22 YEARS.

HE SAYS HELPING PEOPLE IS SOMETHING HIS PARENTS INSTILLED IN HIM.

THEY TOLD US TO ALWAYS BE RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE TO SEE PEOPLE AS PEOPLE.

ALL OF BRANCH IS ONE OF THE MANY AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN OUR SOLAR RATED MOVING EVENTS.

>> A PROGRAM USING FEDERAL FUNDING TO CONNECT CLIENTS TO HOUSING AND OTHER SERVICES.

THERE USED TO BE A SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO TO ONE LOCATION TO FILL OUT PAPERWORK AND ANOTHER LOCATION TO LOOK AT HOUSING IN ANOTHER LOCATION TO LOOK AT FURNITURE.

AND IF YOU RECALL DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> THAT WASN'T SAFE.

AND SO WE DEVELOPED EMMYS, ACCELERATED MOVING EVENTS, BORN OUT OF THAT NEED AND DISCOVERED THAT IT'S JUST REALLY EFFICIENT DURING THE EVENT'S CLIENTS WORK WITH THE AMY TEAM TO BROWSE APARTMENT UNITS FILL OUT AN APPLICATION.

>> AND PICK UP FURNITURE FROM THE CHICAGO FURNITURE BANK.

IT ALLOWS THOSE AGENCIES BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CLIENTS THAT NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE, BUT THAT ARE AROUND THEM IN THE COMMUNITIES.

ACCORDING TO THE CITY, MORE THAN 6,000 PEOPLE ARE REPORTED TO BE HOMELESS IN CHICAGO.

>> THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE STAYING IN THE SHELTER HAS INCREASED BY 14% SINCE LAST YEAR.

>> HOMELESSNESS DOES NOT MEAN THAT SOMEONE IS CRIMINAL OR UP OR NECESSARILY JUST MEANS UNFORTUNATELY CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CAUSED HIM TO NOT HAVE A PLACE TO STAY EVERY WEEK.

THE ALL CHICAGO ORGANIZATION PARTNERS WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO HOST THESE EVENTS AND EVERY MONTH THEY SERVE PEOPLE LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS OF JUST MAY CAN GET HOUSING MARKET RATE HOUSING.

THAT REALLY SUBSIDIZE FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS.

AND THEN BIG GO LONG PROGRESSIVELY OVER COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, NEED TO BE DEVELOPING THEIR INCOME.

THEY HAVE A CASE MANAGER WORKS WITH HELPING FIND RESOURCES TO DEVELOPING INCOME.

EACH CLIENT COMES IN WITH A DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCE.

>> NICHOLAS FRANKEL SHARES WHAT HIS LIFE WAS LIKE GROWING UP ON THE STREETS, LEADING HIM TO SERVE TIME IN PRISON.

THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN YOUR HOUSEHOLD THAT YOU'RE RAISED IN THAT KIND OF LEAD YOU DOWN THAT PASSED.

SO I DIDN'T I NEVER LOOKED AT MUCH AS A CHOICE.

KIND OF IS IT WAS JUST LIKE A NATURAL PROGRESSION FOR US.

MY STEPFATHER WAS A BIG DRUG SO MY MOTHER WAS USING DRUGS.

THERE WAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HOW TO USE EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR HOUSEHOLD.

AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAS NOT NORMAL.

TODAY, HE SAYS HIS MOTIVATION FOR A BETTER LIFE IS HIS TEENAGE DAUGHTER.

WHEN THESE PEOPLE GAVE US A HOME, I LIKE TO HELP ME FOR TEMPORARY MUSCLE BUILD MYSELF BACK UP YOU CANNOT EXPLAIN JOIN AND FEEL THE MUSCLE RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

FRANKEL SAYS HE CAN MOVE INTO A TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH HIS DAUGHTER IN THE NEXT MONTH.

SLEPT ALL SEEM EMBRACES, THOUGH.

SO DOESN'T AFFECT ME AS MUCH.

BUT I KNOW FOR SURE.

SAW HAPPY FOR GOTTEN ANYTHING SISI BEEN HERE FOR QUITE A WHILE.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST WE'RE GETTING OUR OWN PLACE SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE SINCE FEBRUARY FOR CHICAGO.