COVID-19 Community Resources
HOPE IS GROWING IN CHICAGO'S SUBURBS
OUR MISSION
Respond Now exists to provide immediate relief for residents of Chicago's south suburbs who are in the most need while maintaining their dignity and affording them respect.
We do this by:
- Helping people through their temporary emergencies with financial assistance
- Providing food to families and individuals in need
- Providing sound referrals and counseling for other needed services
OUR VISION
At Respond Now, our vision is to:
- Become a hub of access to social services in Chicago's south suburbs
- Advance and refine our delivery of emergency services
Respond Now continues to develop a first-rate system where individuals are not only matched with available community resources, but will be provided the individualized attention that they need as well as the follow-up to ensure that services were adequately provided.
OUR CLIENTS
The 22 communities Respond Now serves the south suburbs are stricken with the highest levels of poverty and unemployment in all of suburban Chicago. Recent studies show that nearly half of families living in these areas deal with food insecurity on a regular basis - representing more than 760,000 residents. Foreclosure rates in our service area are some of the highest in all of suburban Cook County. Some of clients have recently been laid off while others live on fixed incomes, finding it difficult to make ends meet. Still others struggle with disability and inadequate services. Most urgently, 30% of area children are living below the poverty line.