Hesed House

Description

Hesed House is the second largest shelter in the State of Illinois, and the largest shelter outside of the city of Chicago. With the help of professional staff, alliances with outside agencies and 6,000 volunteers from 70 area churches, almost one thousand individuals (including 188 children) are served each year through Hesed House’s shelter and three housing programs.

History

In the early 1980s, religious leaders of six Aurora churches and other concerned citizens formed a grassroots coalition to shelter, feed and clothe homeless individuals and families found walking the streets in adverse weather conditions. Rotating among the six church halls each night to provide a port in the storm for this struggling group, a core of volunteers prepared and served food at the churches – not just for the lone person who showed up the first night of shelter – but for the growing number of homeless who appeared at church doors each night.

The coalition approached City of Aurora leaders imploring them to help find a better solution to shelter, feed and care for this group of human beings caught in desperate situations. At that time, the City of Aurora’s former incinerator was available for sale and proposed as an option for providing services and shelter under one roof at an out–of–the–way location, yet on a bus route for access by the population who would be served at Hesed House and who did not have transportation.