Safe Housing United States Project #2815

Help Empower Women Who are Homeless in Chicago

by Sarah's Circle

Help Empower Women Who are Homeless in Chicago

Project Report | Aug 7, 2020
The Intersection of Race and Womanhood

By Sarah Nutt | Development Associate

70% of the women we serve at Sarah's Circle are Black or African American. The women we serve are disproportionately of color because of the systemic racism that permeates all aspects of American life, starting with housing. The work we do is in response to the structures that keep so many in poverty and unhoused. For over 40 years, we are still fighting to end homelessness for women in Chicago.

The lived experiences of Black women are not compartmentalized by race and gender. At the intersection of being Black and female, are innumerable complex issues that the feminist movement has failed to address.

We are reminded that although the 19th amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920, discriminatory practices such as poll taxes and literacy tests continued to oppress Black women's right to vote until the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

What are some ways in which Black women suffer at the oppressive hands of both racism and sexism?

Health inequities: Black women are 2 to 6 times more likely to die in child birth.
Pay wage gap: Black women make on average 62 cents on the white man's dollar, 17 cents less than white women.
Fractured family structure: The mass incarceration of Black men as a result of decades of racist legislation places a significant burden on Black women who have to shoulder the household on a singular and already deflated income.
Voting Rights: After the ratification of the 19th amendment, the battle for voting was ended for white women. Meanwhile, African American women voters in the Jim Crow South continued to encounter disenfranchisement strategies faced by their African American male counterparts.

Resources to learn more!

Watch: Kimberlé Crenshaw Discusses 'Intersectional Feminism'
Listen: 'Hood Feminism' Focuses on the Needs of the Many, Not the Few
Read: Black Feminism and Intersectionality

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Jun 23, 2020
The Relationship Between Homelessness + Color

By Sarah Nutt | Development Associate

May 5, 2020
#GivingTuesdayNow to End Homelessness for Women

By Sarah | Development Associate

#GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity that is taking place as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

Why do our services remain vital at this time?

Sarah’s Circle is a refuge for women who are homeless or in need of a safe space. By providing life necessities, housing, case management, clinical and social services, we encourage women to empower themselves by rebuilding both emotionally and physically; realizing their unique potential.

#affordablehousing The COVID-19 pandemic is rendering many people jobless and affordable housing's demand is only going to rise. Sarah's Circle envisions a safe home for every woman in Chicago and, in pursuit of that vision, is building a new housing facility set to open in fall of 2020.
#domesticviolence Domestic violence is the cause of homelessness for approximately one in five women. With shelter-in-place in effect, the number of domestic violence calls to law enforcement have risen, as women are stuck at home with their abusers. This is one of the many reasons why Sarah’s Circle serves women only.

While many of us are experiencing an unprecedented lack of socialization for the first time, women experiencing homelessness face this on a daily basis. Sarah's Circle offers community to women who struggle to connect, something that is vitally important to the wellness of the women we serve.

“Sarah’s Circle made me feel like a person. I cannot emphasize how important that is. Being without sanctuary, family, job… Being homeless, you feel like you’re a throw away. If I didn’t have this place, I don’t know if I would have had the emotional support to keep hustling." -a Sarah's Circle client

Consider a monetary or in-kind donation today as we work to house every woman in need of a safe space.

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