Will, 22, has spent his life on the west side of Chicago near Austin. Last fall, he found himself in a period of uncertainty, unsure of what his next steps would look like. A friend told him about Covenant House Illinois, and although he felt hesitant, he decided to stop by the drop-in center. "It was overwhelming being here at first," recalls Will. "Everyone was dealing with their own situations, and I didn't know where I fit in." Over time, however, he learned to take things in, focus on...

Discovering My Passion for Youth Advocacy I’m Bri Hailey. I’m a Detroit native, data analyst, cat mom, aspiring community connector, and youth advocate. Recently, I came across posts about Sleep Out 2024 on Instagram. They piqued my interest and led me to explore more about youth-focused organizations. For the past year, I’ve volunteered with several organizations on the city’s South and West sides. However, I hadn’t found any that truly aligned with my values until I discovered Covenant...

Vono started coming to the CHIL Drop-In Center (YDC) in July 2024 and moved into our interim housing program in September 2024. In July...