Fortitude Community Outreach Moves Closer to Night Shelter Approval

Fortitude Community Outreach has made significant progress in its efforts to establish a night homeless shelter in Kankakee, Illinois. Following a successful session with the Kankakee Planning Board, the organization received a conditional-use permit to operate a shelter at 970 E. Court St.. The board’s unanimous vote of 5-0 marks a critical step forward, although Fortitude must now seek approval from the Kankakee City Council, which is set to consider the matter in its meetings on September 2 or September 15.

During the Planning Board meeting, Fortitude Executive Director Dawn Broers expressed her gratitude for the board’s decision. “I’m very appreciative,” she stated, highlighting the importance of this approval in the context of the community’s support for the initiative. For Broers, this moment comes after years of efforts to secure a permanent shelter for the homeless in Kankakee, underscoring the organization’s commitment to addressing local homelessness issues.

The challenges faced by Fortitude have been significant. Since 2018, Broers has explored various options for shelter locations, including attempts to establish a facility on North Washington Avenue and at a former church on South Fourth Avenue, both of which were ultimately unsuccessful. After initially considering stepping away from Kankakee, Fortitude found a suitable site in the 1st Ward, where the Planning Board’s approval has now set the stage for a potential shelter.

Despite the Planning Board’s endorsement, the City Council’s decision is not guaranteed. Both council members from the 1st Ward, Cherry Malone Marshall and Michael Prude, have publicly expressed their opposition to the proposed shelter at a site that previously housed the Kankakee County Health Department. Their concerns highlight the complexities involved in community decisions regarding social services.

The upcoming council meetings are expected to draw significant public interest, especially as many residents have shown support for the shelter. During the Planning Board meeting, an estimated 20 individuals voiced their opinions, with the majority advocating for the shelter’s establishment. Many supporters donned green T-shirts emblazoned with “YIMBY,” which stands for “yes in my backyard,” reflecting a proactive stance on addressing homelessness in their neighborhood.

Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis and several other City Council members attended the hearing, engaging with community voices. Some speakers shared personal experiences with homelessness, emphasizing the urgent need for a shelter that could potentially open as soon as October 1, 2023. Broers indicated that if approved, the shelter would operate year-round, expanding its capacity from the previous 19 individuals it could accommodate when located at St. Paul’s Lutheran School.

Community advocate Jeffery Judd underscored the importance of providing shelter, arguing that the absence of such facilities contributes to a cycle of crime and vulnerability for homeless individuals. “This problem is not going to go away if we do nothing,” he stated, urging the board to support Fortitude’s initiative.

Supporters like Sharon Moore and Kristin Ponnambalam echoed similar sentiments, framing the shelter as a compassionate response to a widespread issue. Ponnambalam described the permit approval as a “no-brainer,” stressing that without such options, many individuals would remain without safe refuge.

Broers remains optimistic, citing that 117 residents in Kankakee have sought homeless services in recent times, with actual needs potentially reaching as high as 500. She pointed out that 70% of calls to Fortitude’s hotline come from individuals identifying Kankakee as their home, highlighting the local scope of the homelessness crisis.

As Fortitude Community Outreach prepares for the next steps, the upcoming City Council vote will be crucial in determining whether this long-awaited shelter can finally become a reality for those in need within the Kankakee community.