Will Smith as Homeless Businessman Chris Gardner in

Will Smith as Homeless Businessman Chris Gardner in "The Pursuit of Happyness"

Dr. Phil “I was homeless living in a car with my dad. We eventually got a room at the downtown YMCA for five bucks a week. ”

Steve Harvey still owned a 1976 Ford Tempo. He began living out of the vehicle, which proved to create other obstacles in his life. When you are homeless, how do you store food? Where do you clean up? According to Harvey, he owned a small Igloo cooler that became a makeshift refrigerator and he cleaned up at gas stations, showering in hotels when he was able to secure a gig and land a better place to sleep for the night.

Daniel Craig When you see the English actor Daniel Craig playing the role of James Bond, you wouldn't think he was once homeless and slept on park benches in London until he got

Halle Berry revealed that she spent some time in a homeless shelter when trying to break into show business.

As of January 2018, Illinois had an estimated 10, 643 experiencing homelessness on any given day, as reported by Continuums of Care to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of that Total, 1, 223 were family households, 804 were Veterans, 684 were unaccompanied young adults (aged 18 -24), and 1, 625 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Public school data reported to the U. S. Department of Education during the 2016 -2017 school year shows that an estimated 50, 949 public school students experienced homelessness over the course of the year. Of that total, 447 students were unsheltered, 5, 674 were in shelters, 1, 795 were in hotels/motels, and 42, 223 were doubled up. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness

State wide • 10, 643 people are homeless on any given night St. Clair County • 250 people are homeless on any given night Madison County • 146 people are homeless on any given night Southern Illinois • 282 people are homeless on any given night

Types of Homelessness Chronic Homelessness Individuals who have been continuously homeless for a year or more, or has had a minimum of four episodes of homelessness in the previous three years Episodic Homelessness Individuals who are currently homeless and have experienced at least 3 periods of homelessness in the previous year Transitional Homelessness Individuals residing in shelters, temporary housing or extended stay hotels for short periods of time Provisionally Occupied Individuals living with friends or family members with no long-term guarantee of continued housing, “couch suffers”

What Causes Homelessness? • Lack of affordable housing • Lack of Income • Health condition • Domestic Abuse • Racial Disparities “A Series of Unfortunate Events”

How BPL Provides Service • Serves as a neutral meeting place for clients and service providers • Provides hygiene kits upon request • Distribute snack bags upon request • Distribute socks and hats upon request • Distribute blankets upon request • Distribute and collect intake forms for various agencies • Computer assistance • Food for fines does not benefit local food pantry • Personal care items for fines • Bus Passes • Gift Cards • CONVERSATION…

Homeless or Displaced Resident: The library may issue a library card to anyone who resides at a temporary facility. This may include but is not limited to: Salvation Army, Women’s Crisis Center, Bethany Place and Oxford House, in city motel/hotel or transitional housing. Proof of residence at a facility is required. Acceptable forms of verification are receipt from hotel/motel indicating advance payment of room nights. A letter on stationary from a facility official indicating an individual’s duration of stay or an I. D. card from a facility indicating residency. A displaced patron library card shall be valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If the individual establishes permanent residence before the 6 months expires, the card shall immediately become invalid and the appropriate resident/non-resident card shall be issued. The card may be renewed once, allowing the patron a total of one year of library access with the displaced patron status. A displaced patron card shall be limited to computer usage equal to that allowed by a resident patron. The displaced patron card shall also be allowed to check out two print items excluding best sellers at a time for the standard duration.

Homeless or Displaced Residents Cont. : Reasonable fines for delinquent items shall be waived; however, fees for damaged, lost or stolen material shall be assessed at the normal rate. Printouts relating job searching social services, medical assistance or any other topic deemed to be necessary for the individual to obtain permanent residence shall be free of charge. Printouts not so deemed shall be charged at the normal rate. Displaced Resident cards are valid ONLY Belleville Public Library and are not eligible for reciprocity.

Community Interfaith Food Pantry

Little Free Library Outside Community Interfaith Food Pantry

Personal Care Kit

Personal Care Kit Donated by Local Nurses Organization

First Aid Kit with Narcan and Bloodborne Pathogen Kit

Food Stamp Circa 1980's

1. 8 Million Illinois Residents Receive SNAP (Food Stamps)

About 49% of the Students in the State of Illinois qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch

Community Development Network (CDN) The Community Development Network was established in 2012 and consists of representatives for the City including the Mayors Office, County, Local Clergy, School Districts, Boys and Girl Scouts, YMCA, Local Hospitals, community Groups and Individual citizens. The group meets bimonthly and we have formed sub-commitees that focus on 4 main areas: • Health & Wellness • Inclusion • Economic Development • Homelessness

General Assistance (GA) A program of “last resort. ” This means that you can get GA only if you can’t get any other form of public benefits. GA programs must help people meet their basic living requirements. To qualify for GA, you must have very little income and few assets Emergency Assistance (EA) A verifiable need for specific categories of Emergency aid, limited to once every 12 months Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Temporary financial help to pregnant women and families with one or more dependent children to assist with food, shelter and utilities

General and Community Assistance In 2017, Belleville became only the 2 nd community in the State to dissolve it’s Township and merge those service in to the City’s operation. The exclusive function of The Belleville Township was to provide General and Emergency assistance to the poorest and most venerable members of our community. General and Community Assistance has greatly expanded that mandate to include education, limited counseling, housing and job placement assistance, emergency shelter, food and clothing assistance and much more. • Bus Passes • Retail Vouchers • Assistance Checks • Case Work • Transportation Assistance • Housing Assistance • Employment Assistance • Creditor Counseling • Gift Cards • Utility Payments • Rent Payments

Partnerships • City Government • County Government • Neighboring Municipalities • Clergy • Local Retail • Law Enforcement • Local Restaurants • YMCA • Food Pantries • Salvation Army • Local Landlords • Compassionate Patrons • Catholic Urban Programs • Chestnut Health Systems • Caritas Family Solutions • Local Hospitals • DMV • Department of Human Services (DHS) • Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

This Movie challnges the limits and extremes a Public Library go to address the issues of homelessness