Strengthening Community Connections: Wayfair & Connections for the Homeless

At Wayfair we believe everyone has a right to feel at home, including those experiencing homelessness. With the opening of our first-ever Wayfair store in Wilmette, Illinois, Wayfair is proud to partner with Connections for the Homeless (Connections), a local Chicago area nonprofit aimed at ending homelessness.

As part of this partnership, Wayfair provided Connections for the Homeless with two grants totaling $150,000. Connections is using the funds to sustain its After Care Program, which provides ongoing case management and support to clients who have transitioned out of homelessness and into their own apartment. The program helps clients avoid returning to homelessness and maintain stability by addressing immediate needs such as food insecurity, educational support, and employment support.

Wayfair also supported the third annual community block party, hosted by Connections in July. More than 1,000 community members attended this two-part event that is a family fest during the day and a concert during the evening. Taking place in the community's largest historically Black community, this all day and night celebration is rich with community resources, pony rides, balloon artists, gospel singers, afrobeat, salsa performers and treats throughout the event.

Serving 5,000 individuals annually across more than 50 communities in Northern Illinois, Connections for the Homeless prevents and ends homelessness via the following programs:

• Homelessness Prevention: The most effective way to stop homelessness is to prevent it from happening. By catching families up on late rent or mortgage payments, they avoid the financial and personal trauma caused by an eviction.
• Shelter: When homelessness can't be avoided, Connections' hotel-based shelter program is an effective solution. Thanks to strong case management support, onsite mental and physical health services, recovery support, job readiness training, and life skills training, an impressive 80% of clients exit the program into a housing solution.
• Housing: Connections has a comprehensive tapestry of housing programs that work with youth, single adults and families on a temporary or permanent basis to provide tailored solutions for their clients.
• Advocacy: Connections also has an advocacy team that works on local, state and national policies to address the root causes of homelessness and housing instability.
  

As we deepen our collaboration and reinforce our commitment to Chicagoland, our investment in Connections for the Homeless will contribute to our Purpose mission of supporting housing and a sense of home for all. Through our partnership with Connections, we share a commitment to creating positive change in the housing landscape. At Wayfair we believe that everyone deserves a place to call home. By collaborating with organizations that share our goals, we can leverage their on-the-ground work and contribute to meaningful solutions. Together, we strive to create solutions that uplift communities and promote social equity.

Learn more about Wayfair's Purpose goals and how to get involved in the impact that Connections for the Homeless is making in the Greater Chicago area here.