It’s new. It’s exciting. It’s Transitional Living.

Yah, it’s a buzz word these days. But to homeless young people 18-21 in McLean and DeWitt counties in Illinois, it means a lot. It’s a chance to learn how to live on your own, independent and successful.

Transitional Living teaches you how to manage a home and how to make a family budget. You learn how to find the right doctor, how to be a smart shopper and pitfalls to avoid that will leave you trapped in debt. Young people connect to folks in the community and begin to set down roots of their own. Our staff teach you how to land a job that’s more than minimum wage, giving you hope for the future instead of a parade of low-paying jobs. We teach you how to take care of yourself.

It’s a serious program that delivers serious benefits. We even pay partial rent subsidies while you find that better job, learn those skills, and get connected to a brighter future. We’re gonna demand a lot from you, too. We’re gonna make sure you learn the skills you need before we let you go. Our program graduates have gotten good jobs, rented apartments of their own, and begun raising families.

Not in our counties? Ask around your hometown to see if a Transitional Living program is there.

And if you’re a social worker who wants to know more about ours, give us a call. We’ve taught workshops around the country to help communities start successful Transitional Living programs.