Former president of Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Gloria Gibson is proud to support a range of worthy causes, including sitting on the board of Covenant House, Illinois. This article will look at the history and impact of Covenant House, an organization launched with the mission of tackling homelessness and helping young people to access the stable housing and the educational and vocational opportunities they need to realize their full potential. The article will also underscore the importance of the “Sleep Out,” the organization’s annual fundraiser that is coming up soon.
Covenant House provides tailored solutions for each service user that go beyond short-term housing and support. The organization’s focus is on equipping young people with the resources they need to overcome challenges and obstacles. In 2024 alone, Covenant House provided young people in Illinois with 9,639 nights of shelter, serving 375 youth through its drop-in center, with 96 more served via the organization’s residential programs.
Empowering young people through its holistic, trauma-sensitive services, Covenant House’s core programs include interim housing, the Youth Development Center, clinical case management, employment and education services, and street outreach and aftercare programs. The organization’s ultimate goal is to expand housing options for young people by creating a long-range plan for a continuum of transitional and permanent housing. Covenant House is dedicated to developing and sustaining innovative programs to respond to the needs of youth experiencing homelessness.
Covenant House was established with the ethos that all youth in Illinois deserves food, shelter, clothing, education, and crucially, opportunity. Covenant House Illinois provides young people living in Chicago’s most vulnerable populations with a safe haven and full continuum of wraparound supportive services. The organization’s services and programs are expertly curated to meet the emotional, physical, and educational needs of young people, helping them to plot their own course to independence and success.
Located in Chicago, Illinois, Covenant House’s Youth Development Center supports young people experiencing homelessness, helping them to immediately address their most urgent needs. When a young person arrives at Covenant House, they are welcomed into a safe and supportive environment and provided with access to food, laundry, showers, personal storage, employment and education, case management, and a place to rest and relax.
Covenant House’s residential program empowers youth by connecting them with holistic trauma-informed care capable of meeting the unique needs of each and every client. Young people living at Covenant House receive wraparound services and clinical case management, with the organization’s clinical case managers supporting youth as they navigate and access community services and establish and work toward their goals.
The Sleep Out is an overnight fundraising event where participants sleep outside to raise awareness and funds for Covenant House Illinois. By giving up their beds for one night, participants stand in solidarity with homeless youth and help raise crucial funds for programs and services that provide shelter, food, education, and job training to the young people. Gibson explains, “The Sleep Out is an immersive experience that offers opportunities to learn from experts on the front lines of ending youth homelessness, connect with colleagues, and hear directly from people who have overcome homelessness.” The Sleep Out event will take place on the night of Thursday, November 20, 2025. The event will run from early evening until the next morning. For more information visit: Sleepout.org/Chicago.
A retired higher education administrator, Gloria Gibson grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. Her parents instilled in her a love of education and service. She served as an administrator at several institutions including Indiana University, Arkansas State University, and Morgan State University. As a member of the board of Covenant House, her longstanding focus remains firmly fixed on helping young people to find the housing/support services they need and to also help them appreciate the opportunities presented by higher education that will help change their life trajectories.
