Hesed House works to end homelessness through multiple services

The goal, said executive director Ryan Dowd, is to shut down Hesed House in Aurora.

"We don't want to be needed any more," Dowd said. "We'd rather end homelessness and shut down the organization. When there's no homelessness, we won't need to exist."

As the second-largest shelter house in Illinois, Hesed House in Aurora is sure giving its best shot to reach its goal.

Since Sister Rose Marie Lorentzen founded the house in 1982, it has utilized more than 7,000 volunteers from over 90 area churches, businesses and service organizations to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness every year.

"It began with six churches coming to together to solve homelessness," said Dowd, who took over as executive director for Sister Lorentzen when she retired in 2004.

"Since there were six churches and seven days in a week, each church took one day a week and one got stuck with the whole weekend. And it just evolved from there," he said.

Dowd said the organization went from literally just a mat on the floor of a church with a meal to becoming a comprehensive homeless resource center with job training, mental health and substance abuse counseling, medical services, legal services and more.

Hesed House has everything a person needs to get on his or her feet, serving more than 1,000 people annually.

In 2018, 1,798 total outcomes were achieved in the 15 areas tracked (identification, support systems, transportation, child services, life skills, benefits, legal, financial, physical/emotional abuse, mental health, physical health, employment, education and housing).

Gerald Auto Group, through its Gerald Cares initiative, has been a major factor in the success of the Hesed House.

"They've been a big, longtime supporter of ours," Dowd said. "And they've been a creative supporter. Obviously, they've sponsored events and meals, but they've used their giving as a way to raise awareness for homelessness."

The Gerard Cares program has been especially helpful during this COVID-19 pandemic.

"They've hired cleaners to make sure our building is safe as possible." Dowd said. "They've just helped us in so many ways. It's been impressive to work with them."