Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Homelessness is caused by two things: lack of affordable housing and the complex array of deficits generated by poverty, limited education and poor health. For people whose housing costs exceed more than a third of their income, homelessness is one medical crisis or job loss away. What most people don't realize is that more poor people live in suburbs than in cities today. Suburban homelessness is on the rise. BEDS Plus Care offers shelter for people who are literally homeless, giving them a warm and safe place to stay, meals and the opportunity to work with a case manager to address the problems that led to homelessness. BEDS provides housing assistance and safety net support to help them back on their feet. BEDS helps people who face the immediate threat of homelessness to keep their homes and avoid the downward spiral of becoming homeless. And BEDS provides permanent supportive housing to those who are simply unable to live independently.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Stabilization Services
BEDS Stabilization Services include Short Term Stabilization services that address the immediate impact of homelessness, or its imminent risk including homelessness prevention financial assistance for past due rent and utility arrears, connections healthcare and behavioral healthcare, food, and community-based services. Long Term Stabilization includes on-going case management to address the underlying causes of homelessness which vary and are client-centered, trauma-informed, and equitable. These include education, employment and development of life skills and money management skills with the goal of preparing clients for permanent housing.
Emergency Services
BEDS Emergency Services are people experiencing homelessness’ first step in returning to housing. A Street Outreach program reaches people living outdoors and connects them to services; a limited Rotating Shelter program helps new clients stabilize before moving to Interim, Transitional, and/or Supportive Housing programs; and a Homeless Medical Respite program that will provide people experiencing homelessness with interim housing, onsite nursing and clinical care, and connections to stabile housing and supportive services at the Linda Sokol Francis Summit Service Center (opening February 2023).
Interim Housing Services
BEDS Interim Housing Services provide people experiencing homelessness with longer-term residences where they can recover from homelessness and regain housing. A Motel-Based Shelter program provides up to 90 days of housing in area motel rooms, and a Family Bridge program shelters families experiencing homelessness in organization-leased apartments.
Transitional Housing Services
BEDS Transitional Housing Services offer vulnerable homeless populations longer-term housing, intensive case management, and supportive services. Programs serve chronically homeless families, transition-aged youth, domestic violence survivors, victims of crime, and justice-involved households.
Supportive Housing Services
BEDS Supportive Housing Services help people experiencing homelessness regain and sustain housing. A Rapid Rehousing program helps newly homeless households find housing with 30 days of program entry, and a Permanent Supportive Housing program provides people with histories of chronic homelessness with housing in BEDS Ogden Avenue Supportive Housing facility, Dover Place facility, or more than 90 housing units scattered throughout our communities.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County 2004
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Average number of service recipients per month
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, People with disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2021: Homelessness prevention grew 2020: BEDS responded to COVID19 crisis with additional shelter while keeping other program services constant. 2019: BEDS expanded its Shelter Program with new sites.
Number of people no longer couch surfing or doubling up with others as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, People with disabilities, Chronically ill people, Victims of crime and abuse, Ex-offenders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Number of people who enter the program whose prior living arrangement was with friends or family. 2020: increase due to COVID19 2019: increase due to expanded shelter program
Number of people using homeless shelters per week
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people, People with disabilities
Related Program
Stabilization Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Shelter program added beds in 2019. COVID19 response added motel-based shelter in 2020 and continued through 2021
Number of households that obtain/retain permanent housing for at least 6 months
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Over the years, the number of total clients served by BEDS Plus has increased while the percentage of clients who exit to permanent housing and remain housed has been consistent: 65-75%.
Number of homeless participants engaged in mental health services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, People with psychosocial disabilities, Substance abusers, Victims of crime and abuse
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of bed nights (nights spent in shelter)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Homeless people
Related Program
Stabilization Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
2020 and 2021 increases due to COVID19 emergency shelter program expansion
Number of emergency meals provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Stabilization Services
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2020: COVID19 increase. In 2019, emergency shelter capacity doubled as BEDS expanded its service territory. The Agency successfully moved many of these new shelter clients into permanent housing.
Number of homeless participants engaged in housing services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Homeless people
Type of Metric
Context - describing the issue we work on
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our MISSION is to help vulnerable individuals stabilize their lives through housing and supportive services.
We provide a comprehensive range of services, which include emergency overnight shelters, daytime support centers, rapid rehousing services, and transitional and permanent supportive housing facilities, and partner with a range of healthcare and social support service providers to meet our clients’ individual needs.
Our GOALS are to:
• Reduce and end homelessness in Southwest Suburban Cook County
• Connect our clients with affordable housing and successfully reintegrate them back into the community.
• Make our communities stronger and safer for everyone
Our OBJECTIVES are to:
• Successfully and efficiently deliver services that stabilize individuals and families who are at risk of homelessness or literally homeless
• Reintegrate homeless individuals and families back into their communities as contributing members.
Our VISION is to end homelessness.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
BEDS Plus Care follows the proven strategies identified by decades of research conducted by HUD and independent research conducted by housing advocates and academics.
In 2012, BEDS adopted a Housing First strategy, transforming the agency from primarily a local provider of emergency overnight shelter to a regional partner delivering the entire spectrum of services to reduce and end homelessness. These include Rapid Rehousing, which emphasizes housing as the first step in treating homelessness, accompanied by safety net supports, to move people to independence. Permanent Supportive Housing recognizes the needs of highly vulnerable homeless who cannot live independently and rely disproportionately on emergency services for their needs. Transitional Housing helps people, such as victims of domestic violence, who need a year of intense support before they are ready to succeed in Rapid Housing. Homelessness Prevention stops the harm caused by homelessness before it starts.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have successfully secured a healthy mix of public and private support to strategically add staff and implement best practices in ending and preventing homelessness. As a result, BEDS has been able to help more clients each year; the number of clients served annually has grown exponentially since 2012 when BEDS was still primarily a homeless shelter organization. In our last fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2018, we served 920 clients and secured permanent housing for 152 households.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Expansion of our Emergency Overnight Shelter System in 2017 from 7 to 19 shelters and capacity to shelter 60 guests per night - twice our prior capacity.
Opening of a purpose built permanent supportive housing unit, Ogden Avenue Supportive Housing, with 20 single occupancy units for chronically homeless, highly vulnerable adults.
Acquisition of transitional housing stock, LaGrange Area Transitional Housing, dedicated to low income, housing insecure families with a child who has a disability.
Acquisition of a new single site permanent supportive housing building that will add 13 units to the current stock of 50 single and scattered site housing units.
In all, our efforts have meant that 920 clients, the largest number to date, are benefiting from shelter services, safety net supports, and housing assistance and individualized case management - a substantial contribution to reducing and ending homelessness in Southwest Suburban Cook County.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
BEDS serves people experiencing homelessness and imminent risk of homelessness. Clients include families; transition-aged youth; older adults; sexual and domestic violence victims and survivors; victims of crime; justice involved households; veterans; and people with chronic health conditions, behavioral health conditions, and disabilities. Reflecting national housing inequities, a disproportionate number are Black, Latinx, and other People of Color.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
The Family Bridge program was formed in response to the expressed needs of homeless families in motel-based shelter for a more stable and homelike environment. The Agency leases apartment units for up to 12 months for families to recover from homelessness and prepare for traditional housing programs. Income and contribution to rent is not required in Family Bridge so that heads of household may focus on addressing the issues that caused homelessness. Peer support groups for single female parents in the transitional housing component of the Agency's transition age youth program for young homeless adults age 18-24 were formed at the request of these young women to meet and form connection with others who have had similar experiences.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
BEDS, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 11/21/2022
Mr. Mark Rudzinski
Principal Rockpile Strategies
Term: 2022 - 2023
Susan Valentine, J.D.
Valentine & Bueschel
Isabel Martinez Noth, PhD
Adjunct Professor of Public Health, UIC
Rick Rius
UPS
David Schwartz, J.D.
Partner, PFS Attorneys at Law
Dawn McMillin
Sargent & Lundy
Mark Harris
The Boeing Company
Leland Albright
Grace Lutheran Church, La Grange
Michael Collins
Advocate Health Care
Sharon Ferrin
Retired, Nucor Tubular Products
Mark Laubacher
The Laubacher Company
Joseph Russo
Retired, Express Employment Professionals
Shantel Thurmond
Caretaker
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 11/15/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.