Shaping Powerful Policy in 2021

January 29, 2021 — As we welcomed in 2021, there was much anticipation for what was to come in January. Over the past several weeks, there has been a flurry of activity in our nation and our government that has critical implications on the thousands of participants we serve.

Heartland Alliance’s priorities for the Biden Administration’s first 100 days includes resources to fight COVID, state and local aid, direct cash to families, nutrition assistance, housing supports, and more.

There have already been many moves made by the Biden administration, including the release of a national vaccine strategy and dozens of executive orders. Many of these orders directly impact our participants and efforts to achieve equity and opportunity for all. There have been orders to reverse damaging immigration policies, including reviving DACA and ending the Muslim travel ban, as well as orders to increase access to health care needs through the Affordable Care Act and the reversal of the Global Gag Rule.

As the federal government provides aid and works to build back a better, stronger economy in the aftermath of COVID-19, it requires policy solutions anchored in economic justice and an equity-centered employment framework to guide us. We are also advocating for federal support for gun violence interventions and community investments. In Illinois, a number of new laws will soon go into effect. Some of the highlights include new legislation that establishes a 36 percent APR cap on consumer loans, standardizes the evaluation of criminal background screening process for public housing eligibility, and ends the suspension of driver’s licenses for unpaid automated camera tickets and unpaid traffic tickets.

This is just the beginning of what we hope to be a very promising year for our participants and our work. We look forward to continuing to shape and influence powerful policies that help us achieve equity and opportunity for all.

Volunteer at FarmWorks

Chicago FarmWorks, Heartland Alliance’s urban farm in the East Garfield Park community, fights two issues associated with poverty: economic opportunity and health. Utilizing a two acre farm in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, we distribute local produce of the highest quality to those who need it most, and help people overcoming multiple barriers to employment find full-time, permanent, viable jobs.

We invite community members to join us on the farm to volunteer. Get your hands dirty, have fun, and learn more about urban agriculture in a safe, socially distant environment!

We will be accepting group volunteers during our farming season, March to November, in groups of 10 or less. Farm tasks may include, but are not limited to; weeding, planting, harvesting, shoveling, and various other task. For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact Celeste Johnson at cejohnson@heartlandalliance.org.

Results for America: READI Chicago

Results for America’s Economic Mobility Catalog features an in-depth case study of READI Chicago, documenting the launch and first three years of the program in order to inspire other cities as they look to confront gun violence.

The Economic Mobility Catalog is a simple resource to help local leaders identify and implement evidence-based strategies to help improve economic opportunity. The case study details the history and launch of READI Chicago, how we are impacting gun violence in Chicago, and what we have learned over the last three years.

In addition to outlining the need for READI and how the initiative is being evaluated, the case study lifts up some major accomplishments seen so far:

READI has successfully engaged the young men at the highest risk of gun violence in Chicago and has enrolled more than 650 men from five of the city’s most challenged neighborhoods.
Despite their deep levels of disconnection, READI’s participants are enrolling in high numbers and persisting through long-term programming.
READI has contributed more than $20 million to community-based organizations in five of Chicago’s most challenged neighborhoods and nearly $9 million in wages and stipends directly to participants.

Read the full report here.

UCAN: Hope For Change

Leo Baylor is hopeful for the new year. Despite a turbulent 2020 that included a spike in gun violence amid a pandemic, renewed calls for racial justice, and social and political unrest, Leo said he and the rest of the UCAN READI Chicago outreach team see positive impact they’re making in North Lawndale every day.

“The guys we work with are at such a high risk of violence, so we focus on giving them something to do besides being in the streets—we’re seeing the difference it makes,” Leo said. “We’ve seen guys really change their lives around over the last three years of READI, and we do everything in our power to help with that change.”

To foster real lasting change means going above and beyond to build and maintain relationships with participants, a job the UCAN READI outreach team takes very seriously. At times this relationship building looks like socially distant mini-golfing on Christmas Eve, or bringing along a participant for the holidays who has nowhere else to go, like Leo did last Thanksgiving.

“We spend a lot of time with our participants, getting close and building brother-like relationships,” Leo said. “So although that participant is done with READI now, we still keep in touch—I’m even going to see him later today. It helps strengthen the community.”

Focused on serving and empowering young people who have experienced trauma, UCAN brings deep community knowledge and far-reaching support services to READI Chicago as a North Lawndale outreach partner. Leo said he is proud to be part of such a dynamic team, as well as of the work they’ve done through READI to hone and develop the field of outreach.

“We’ve done trainings through READI on how to facilitate cognitive behavioral therapy, peace circle keeping, de-escalation tactics—all kinds of stuff,” Leo said. “The trainings and professional development we get through READI help us grow and do our jobs better. It also gives us skills to take elsewhere—when we’re ready to move forward in our careers beyond READI, we’ll still have that foundation to take out into other parts of our community.”

Inauguration Day 2021

January 20, 2021
Evelyn Diaz, President
Heartland Alliance

Today is a historic day–the culmination of a long journey back to a federal administration that believes in treating all people with decency and respect, that values democracy and the rule of law, and that wants to bring equity and opportunity for all. Even if our next U.S. President and Vice President fail to live up to our standards perfectly, we and the participants we serve will benefit from a more just and humane federal administration. Perhaps we can even heal.

For more than 130 years Heartland Alliance has been dedicated to removing systemic and institutional barriers to health and healing, safety and justice, and economic opportunity. Our work is far from done, and repairing the damage of the last four years will not happen overnight, but I believe that President Biden’s first 100 days will set the course for many future decisions that deeply impact our participants and our work.

Health and healing: We have lost so many loved ones to COVID-19, and the pandemic has highlighted staggering health care disparities among vulnerable populations and communities of color. President Biden’s immediate rollout of a national vaccination program, as well as plans for expanding and strengthening health care coverage will be pivotal to our work.
Safety and justice: The repeal of the Trump administration’s “America First” vision for U.S. foreign policy and the reinstatement of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are instrumental to the safety of many of those we serve. We look forward to welcoming immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers again and are hopeful for the federal government’s efforts to root out systemic racism.
Economic opportunity: The Biden administration’s plan for economic recovery amid the pandemic will help provide a safety net for many of our participants. This includes direct cash for families, extended unemployment insurance, paid leave, and housing supports.

These changes signal important opportunities for the people we serve around the world. We will begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine to Chicagoans experiencing homelessness and at our health clinics. We will continue to provide safe and supportive housing. We will welcome immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers and help them find safety and stability. And we will continue our work to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of poverty and systemic oppression through our program and policy efforts.

These past four years have been exceptionally challenging and yet, I am inspired by the courage I have seen rise from adversity. I hope that, like me, you will see this new era as a chance to double-down on our mission and commitment to our participants and to make real progress on achieving equity and opportunity for all.

Sincerely,

Evelyn Diaz

Building Sustainable Partnerships and Futures

At READI Chicago, we believe workforce development and an ability to earn a living in a safe and sustainable way are critical to improving safety in our communities. We help our participants work toward increased economic opportunity through daily professional development, job coaching and training, and paid transitional employment.

Real work experience and on-the-job feedback and training prepare our participants for success after READI Chicago, and this can only happen when employer partners like the Chicago Furniture Bank (CFB) show their support by working with our participants, understanding the barriers they face, and opening access to more opportunities.

“Workforce development has always been core to what we do at the CFB in order to make sure that not only is furniture going to our communities that need it, but also jobs and opportunities,” CFB Director and Co-Founder Andrew Witherspoon said. “Before you can have opportunities to succeed, you need to have experience. In addition to furniture, the communities we serve also need our commitment and trust.”

Founded in 2018, the CFB is a nonprofit that collects donated furniture and, by partnering with more than 350 social service agencies including READI Chicago, helps people as they transition from homelessness or unstable housing situations by furnishing their new permanent homes. While a number of READI participants have received furniture through this program, even more have benefited from the CFB’s partnership with READI as a transitional workforce site. In fact, 75% of the CFB’s permanent workforce was hired through transitional employment programs like READI.

“These workers are people who have made the courageous decision to do something different with their lives,” Andrew said. “We partner with READI so people can learn what it’s like to work a traditional job, receive immediate on-the-job feedback, and make sure they’re in a position to be successful.”

Andrew said the CFB is currently furnishing about 12 rooms of furniture per day and that READI workers are vital to making this happen, helping to sort, organize, and distribute the furniture. Heartland Human Care Services READI Crew Chief Charise Brown said that her crew looks forward to work at the CFB, and that several of the men are even aiming for permanent positions when they finish READI down the line.

“The CFB understands READI—they know who we’re working with and what we’re working toward, and they’re understanding and give second chances,” Charise said. “My guys love coming here and it helps them work really well together.”

Only a Down Payment on Relief

December 21, 2020

Over the last nine months we have lost loved ones and we have battled the pain and trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ensuing economic recession has left millions of Americans struggling to get by and continued to deepen existing inequities in our communities. Since March, there has been very little help from the federal government and Congress has only passed one relief bill.

As a human rights organization dedicated to equity and opportunity for all, we were pleased to see Members of Congress come together to agree on a relief bill over the weekend. The bill includes many supports that reflect the critical needs of people in Illinois and across the country: an extension of the eviction moratorium and funding for rent relief; an extension of unemployment insurance; an increase in funding for nutrition assistance; and a check that will go directly to people who are eligible.

The bill also provides crucial resources to overcome the pandemic, including funds to open schools safely, provide public health and mental health services, distribute the vaccines, and continue COVID-19 testing and tracing. It provides additional resources for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

However, the truth is that this bill is still inadequate in meeting the needs of millions of people. Those who are months behind on their bills, struggling to make ends meet, and juggling work and caregiving responsibilities, not to mention people experiencing homelessness or people in jails and prisons where the virus has run rampant. It also fails to address the hollowed out budgets of cities and states across the country as a result of the pandemic and economic recession.

For our nation to heal and thrive we need substantial and sustained relief and stimulus measures that center equity, such as:

Funding for state and local governments, which Illinois and other states desperately need in order to maintain critical supports, such as health and human services;
Extension of the CDC eviction moratorium beyond January 31, 2021 with rent relief;
Inclusive, recurring direct payments to families so that they can meet their basic needs. This should include people who have been left out, such as undocumented people, and should implement our recommendations in order to ensure that people who should receive payments do so quickly;
Sustained funds and flexibility for nutrition assistance to help families put food on the table long after this relief bill; and
Investments in an equity-centered national subsidized employment program that can quickly connect people to paid work when it is safe to do so. When the job market improves, this program should provide ongoing access to subsidized jobs for people who face barriers to employment.

We look forward to working with the new Congress and federal administration to advance these and other priorities beginning in January. As millions of people continue to struggle under the weight of this pandemic and economic crisis we do not have a moment to lose.

Housing for Justice

“Life is easier now—my refrigerator is full of food and my kids don’t have to worry,” said Quentein, a 33-year-old READI Chicago participant and father of 4-year-old twins. “They were jumping for joy when we moved in.”

Like many READI participants, one of the barriers to safety and economic opportunity Quentein was facing when he joined the program was housing instability. He and his children were couch surfing and because he had a criminal record, even though it was nearly a decade old, landlords didn’t want to rent to him.

Quentein and his children were able to secure stable housing through the Housing for Justice Initiative (HJI), a pilot program of Heartland Alliance aimed at increasing community safety by housing those at the highest risk of violence involvement.

“You can’t expect people to be safe in their environments if they’re living in unsafe places or unstable situations,” said Susie Schoenrock, one of Heartland Alliance’s housing solutions specialists. “Now, Quentein knows his children have a safe place to come home after school, and he knows he can take care of them.”

To truly disrupt the cycles of violence and poverty, HJI connects participants at the highest risk of gun violence to housing through referrals from READI Chicago. Susie then works with the men to self-determine where they want to live and to set long-term goals, which often include things like building credit and working toward financial stability.

Susie said it’s usually not one single thing keeping READI participants from stable housing. Like gun violence, the causes are complex, systemic, and intermingling. The most obvious barrier is a criminal record, but if someone was incarcerated that means they weren’t building up their credit during that time and may have a limited rental history. Any of these things individually might give a potential landlord pause, but together, the application will be immediately passed over.

“Illinois’ Just Housing Amendment should minimize criminal background as a barrier, but there’s no real accountability—landlords still see everything that’s in someone’s background check and can make their mind up right then,” Susie said. “It makes a difference that the participant isn’t alone, though—their name is on the lease, but they come with the full support of Heartland Alliance behind them.”

Susie works with landlords along the way to understand HJI and the supports it provides. Once a participant has signed a lease, the initiative also furnishes the apartment, provides ongoing landlord mediation, and works with the participant to continue increasing their economic opportunity. The goal is for participants to achieve enough financial stability to maintain their lease independently after their rental subsidy ends.

The Next Few Months are Crucial for Illinois’s Financial Situation

Far too many Illinoisans are struggling to make ends meet and, as we stare down the economic recession forced on us by COVID-19, our state’s financial position is becoming more precarious as the fiscal year goes on.

We were disappointed that the Illinois Fair Tax ballot initiative did not pass in November, as that was an opportunity to generate an additional $3B of much needed revenue from additional taxes on the wealthy and make a much-needed structural change to our tax system.

Without additional revenue, Illinois is at serious risk of cutting or underfunding critical services – like health and human service programs – that are meant to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable people in our state. The inability of Congress to pass a stimulus package that would provide much-needed state and local aid makes the current outlook that much worse.

But we continue to believe that people with low incomes should be taxed at a lower rate so they can use their money to support their families – it’s that simple.

So what policy solutions are left to help Illinois keep its doors open while protecting Illinoisans who are struggling to make ends meet?

The General Assembly can raise income taxes for everyone. However, a tax increase should be combined with an expanded Earned Income Credit.

The Earned Income Credit (EIC) already provides cash relief to Illinois households that are most in need. Currently structured as a supplement to the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the state EIC provides hard-working families, the majority of whom earn less than $55,952 per year, with a tax return of up to $1,157. There is an opportunity to expand this credit to include working Illinoisans age 18-24 and 65 and older; immigrants who pay taxes, but do so using an ITIN (Individual Taxation Identification Number) rather than a Social Security Number; unpaid caregivers who forgo opportunities to earn income outside the home in order to care for their children, elders, or disabled family members; and MAP grant-eligible students. If legislation like this passed, we could bring more tax relief to hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans who need it the most.

Expanding the EIC would be an antidote to the regressive taxation Illinoisans face and, when we as a society must meet the basic human needs of our fellow Illinoisans during the pandemic, it can be an important tool for putting money back in people’s pockets while balancing the needs of the State of Illinois to raise much-needed revenue.

Learn more about how the Illinois Cost of Living Refund Coalition is advocating for an expanded EIC in Illinois.

Act Now, Congress

The COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession has continued to deepen the hardships and existing inequities experienced by the people we serve. Too many of our community members have lost loved ones. And millions of Illinoisans and people across the country are struggling to get by — unable to afford enough to eat, pay bills, or keep up with the rent.

This crisis began in March and it is now December. Congress was only able to pass one relief package in all that time, and critical support to individuals and families is set to expire at the end of the month.

As a human rights organization dedicated to equity and opportunity for all, we urge our nation’s leaders to pass a true relief package now that will help people all over the country who are struggling to make ends meet. And we call for a recovery package that includes policy solutions that center equity and invest in BIPOC communities, which continue to be disproportionately and deeply impacted.

Our priorities for immediate relief and recovery include:

Extending the CARES Act measures that have already expired or are set to expire on December 31, including the eviction moratorium, federal unemployment insurance expansions, and funding to state and local governments, which Illinois desperately needs in order to maintain critical supports that help our communities thrive, such as health and human services.
Providing more inclusive, robust, and recurring direct checks to families so that they can meet their basic needs. Include people who were left out of the first round of checks, such as undocumented workers and people who are part of mixed-immigration status households. When extending additional payments, implement our recommendations in order to ensure that people who should receive payments do so quickly.
Providing critical nutrition assistance to help families put food on the table by increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance by 15%.
Providing emergency rental assistance to help families stay in their homes.
Invest now in an equity-centered national subsidized employment program that can quickly connect people to paid work when it is safe to do so. When the job market improves, this program should provide ongoing access to subsidized jobs for people who face structural barriers to employment.

Congress has an opportunity now to get help out to people all over our country who desperately need it. As we begin the winter and holiday season, let’s make things easier for people who are struggling and finally set our country on a path to recovery.

Economic Opportunity