A Housing Program Like No Other

Designed with a young person’s future in mind, Ignite’s Community Housing Program helps young people, ages 18-24, experiencing homelessness chart a course that includes housing stability, health and wellness, career planning, economic goals, and aspirations that honor the spark inside of them.

Like all young people their age, Ignite’s youth deserve the opportunity to thrive - to have the same access to resources and caring adults who can walk with them on their path to achieve the goals needed to sustain independent housing and achieve their career and family goals.

Entering into our Community Housing Program, all youth receive a caring case manager who will be with them throughout their journey, which can last anywhere from 2-5 years -our youth get to decide, not a forced-upon funding policy.  During that time, young people contribute to savings, rent, and apartment expenses while they work on career and education goals, attend school, go to work, and build support systems and safety nets that will carry them beyond their time at Ignite.

Ignite staff meet and check-in with youth regularly throughout the month, visit them at home, and help them access on-site resources at any of our locations.  For most of our young people, this is a journey of firsts – living alone, living in an apartment, learning to cook, and the first time they are building trust with a community outside of their neighborhood.  We take our role in this work seriously and understand our responsibility to show up, do what we say we are going to do, and deliver a program that meets the housing, wellness, and economic needs youth have to leave homelessness behind them for good.

30 young people are currently living in Ignite’s Community Housing Program with 30 more available units on the way in 2026. But we can’t do this without you.  Your investment not only changes the housing needs for a young person tonight, it transforms the opportunities for young people at the greatest risk of harm in our city to grow into a future filled with economic security, wellness, and joy.

91% of youth maintained employment and/or education while enrolled in housing at Ignite. Over the last 4 years, 80% of youth exited this program to safe and stable housing.  

Community Programs

Street & Community Outreach: Our outreach program works in the south and southwest areas of Chicago to build relationships with young people experiencing homelessness, connect them to community resources and the full array of Ignite programs, meet their immediate needs, and provide crisis intervention.

Community Hub & Drop-In Resource Center: This is a safe, welcoming space youth can come to whenever they feel the need. A full continuum of services is available under one roof including housing placement, life skills programming, employment support and financial literacy, primary health care, mental health/substance use assessment and treatment, and child care.

Emergency and Transitional Housing

Bronzeville Youth Shelter: This 4-bed emergency shelter meets the basic needs of youth and provides housing, crisis intervention, and case management. For youth ages 10 to 17, with a safe, supportive, and temporary place to stay while efforts are made to reunite them with their families or secure alternative living arrangements.

Belfort House: Located in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, Belfort House is a 24-bed transitional living program for young people between the ages of 17 and 21. Youth may stay at Belfort House for up to 18 months and are engaged in productive activities including school, employment, and life skills training. With staff support, youth create Individual Action Plans which serve as road maps to help them achieve their goals while residing at Belfort House.

* We protect the confidentiality of all our clients and adhere to the HMIS Standard Agency Privacy Practices.