Who do we serve?
How we Serve
A Little Bit of Heaven is an Emergency Overnight Shelter that provides food, housing, clothing, and support services to indigent, and homeless adult men for their physical, social, and psychological needs. The targeted population includes Veterans, ex-offenders, mental health, those with alcohol/substance abuse, disabled, HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQ family throughout the Chicagoland area.
These individuals are all underserved within our communities. The program serves as a channel for our clients to move from homelessness to rapid re-housing with wrap around services using the strategic priorities of Chicago’s Plan 2.0. From the time of entry to departure, clients will receive individual assessments, service plans, and goals to serve as a guide for their rapid re-housing.
Case Management is led by the Director of Case Management. Using assertive case management, clients will receive client-centered services as well as a connection to community-based programs that will help in the successful retention of interim, and or permanent housing and assist in the achievement of self-sufficiency. A Little Bit of Heaven acknowledges case management as the key to the movement of clients from homelessness to permanent housing.
All clients upon intake will be triaged and assessed for all imminent risks of homelessness. Once risks are identified, an Individual Service Plan will be created to address each risk and provide client-centered steps needed to achieve the identified goals. Referrals are then made to an appropriate provider for services needed to accomplish each goal.
As an Emergency Overnight Shelter Program, our facility will receive clients with various special needs such as: Mental Health and those people who are non-medication compliant, those actively using Alcohol/Substances, people with physical disabilities and HIV/AIDS. Assessments will also be completed for income entitlements and referrals will be made to Illinois Department of Employment Services (IDES), Social Security Administration (SSA), Veteran Affairs (VA), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), when applicable.
All clients are linked with community-based case management services to increase the probability of housing retention up to 18 months after initial placement. A Little Bit of Heaven also proposes to coordinate services with: DFSS Community Centers, the City of Chicago's Department of Family Support Services (DFSS), Mercy Housing, Continuum of Care Agencies, Illinois Department Of Corrections (IDOC), the Chicago Police Departments, Human Resource Development Institute (HRDI), Prentice House, Counseling And Psychological Services (CAPs), Apostolic Pentecostal Church of Morgan Park, St. Johns MB Church, Lilydale Baptist Church, Apostolic of Faith Church, X-TEND-A-HAND Ministry, Loving U Pass UR Sickness, Chicagoland Family Health Center, Roseland Community Hospital and other citywide hospitals, along with other homeless service providers to perform outreach for clients.
A Little Bit of Heaven have both formal and informal linkage agreements with all these community-based agencies. The only requirements for entry are as follows: the client must be homeless, at imminent risk of becoming homeless, chronically homeless, single, adult male, with supporting documentation. Examples of supporting documentation are: any information obtained during the intake process indicating that the client is living unsheltered, or in an emergency shelter, transitional shelter or interim housing program; and written, dated verification/referral from street outreach, emergency shelter, transitional shelter and/or interim housing programs stating the time periods the client received services, bounded by dates; or documentation of a HUD-defined disability.
A Little Bit of Heaven will make every effort to assist each client in rapidly returning to stable housing and sustainability through supportive services. If the client voluntarily wishes to leave the program, they are provided with housing resources and referred to other programs if desired. For those leaving involuntarily, they will receive the same resources and referrals.
A Little Bit of Heaven has addressed many challenges as it relates to our client population. Our Agency has served over 52,000 meals and provides beds to the homeless population of the greater Chicagoland area. We have provided beds in the underserved Roseland community as of 2020.
In the year 2020 and with the impact of the coronavirus affecting the people we help, A Little Bit of Heaven had adapted to play its role in the fight to keep life safe and free from harm as we all face this deadly virus as a country and community. Today, we are providing in house, stay in place shelter for 20 homeless men in accordance with the federal, state and city guidelines to keep and protect us all from the spread of Coronavirus. This measure has allowed our agency to participate in the tracing, testing, and keeping the harmful effects of this virus from getting into our agency and the homeless population we serve.
425
unduplicated clients served
52,000+
Meals Served
20+
Years of Serving
A Little Bit of History
A Little Bit of Heaven (ALBOH) has been providing shelter for the homeless since 2001 as a subcontractor to the Inner Voice, Inc. as an Emergency Overnight Response Center for the City of Chicago Department of Family Support Services
As members of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, A Little Bit of Heaven is familiar with proper nutrition and has served over 52,000 meals. Food Handling Certificates are maintained current and guidelines are strictly followed. Clients receive a variety of food items according to the most current recommendations and the Food Pyramid. Food is stored and prepared according to guidelines.
Our intake and admission process will provide fair and equal access to program services for all homeless (Male) persons. The agency will make use of its Grievance Procedure if a client at any time feels he may have not been treated fairly. Quarterly Evaluation Surveys are also distributed measuring fairness and equality.
The agency can receive direct referrals from DFSS Emergency Services Division. The agency also verifies homelessness through referrals from other programs that have provided services to the client previously.
Outcome Performance Measures
Goal Proposed Outcomes
100% Clients attain basic needs for shelter, food and safety.
100% Clients Screened for Housing Options through Referral.
50% Clients connected to Supportive Services.
20% Clients will obtain stable housing.
