Homelessness isn’t an easily defined condition anywhere and, in the suburbs, it may not even be noticed.
The federal definition includes pretty much anyone without a nighttime permanent address — including families living together to save on costs, families living in hotels and other venues outside the public view.
In short, Michiel Burnett says, while homeless people may be seen sleeping in parks and in downtown doorways in Chicago, homelessness can be indoors in the suburbs, making the problem invisible.
Burnett knows the feeling more than most, as she and her husband as well as their school-aged daughter were homeless for years on the South Side. After the family’s home was foreclosed in 2005, the Burnett family fell into homelessness. It was sudden, unexpected and it wasn’t public.
Burnett said for years the family stayed with relatives and in extended-stay hotels and even when they could rent a home, those only last a couple of years on average. Moving was tough, as was the uncertainty about permanent housing, and all of that was on top of all the usual stress of maintaining a family, staying employed and paying bills.
Even so, Burnett and her husband were among the lucky ones. Five years ago, they found a home to rent with the eventual goal of buying it. While the owner of that home backed out of the sale at the last minute, the family had still worked hard enough in five years to build credit and save enough to buy another home, which they closed on May 30, as their daughter wrapped up her junior year of college.
Their cycle of housing uncertainty was broken, but the experience shaped the family and it inspired Burnett to start a nonprofit to help meet needs of homeless school children in the south suburban area with, among other things, an annual fundraiser for book bags and school supplies.
DBC Gifts of Love hosted its most recent 5K fundraiser Saturday at Vollmer Road Grove in Flossmoor with a goal of getting 1,000 students ready for school with donations. At the first supply drive, the Burnetts helped 32 students with school supplies. Since then, the support has grown, with last year’s fundraiser getting 850 students ready for the new school year.
Sabrina Sturdy of Fitness Premier leads some warm ups prior to the 5K walk and run in Flossmoor June 15, 2024. (Jesse Wright/for the Daily Southtown)
The community has noticed. A handful of employees, and some retired, from Steger Elementary District 194 gathered Saturday for the first time to tackle the 5K and pitch in to help students. Megan Van Houtegen, the organizer for the bunch, said DBC had helped 25 of their students last year, so she and her colleagues wanted to help the charity.
“I’m excited,” Van Houtegen said. “It’s a nice morning for a walk and we plan to come back in the future.”
In this case, the cycle of giving back is large. Burnett said the fundraiser is her own effort to give back to the community that helped her and her family. She said her daughter, though homeless with the family, managed to stay in the same school district, keeping her friendship circle intact and benefitting from a community of support — including donated school supplies.
“With God, family and community support, she prospered and always gave her the best by going, even as she went through the homeless ordeal,” said Burnett.
Bryan Oughouse, from left, Sam Woods and Tony Harden, members of the Eastside Church, volunteer their grilling services June 15, 2024, at a 5K fundraiser in Flossmoor for homeless kids. (Jesse Wright/for the Daily Southtown)
The “homeless ordeal” isn’t a big city problem and it’s not suffered by a few families — though it can be isolating in the suburbs.
“There’s homelessness in the suburbs,” Burnett said, recalling not just statistical data but the number of families she met living at the WoodSpring Suites. “There are a lot of people who are homeless and people don’t even know that because they’re living with friends or family or in hotels.”
The fundraiser is an effort to give back, to help others and call attention to neighbors who might otherwise go unnoticed.
“You never know the need,” said Melinda Wallace, a retired teacher. “And you never want the students to suffer. This is a great program.”
To donate to the fundraiser, which is still open, visit the DBC website at dbcgiftsoflove.org.
Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
