A Chicago woman with a heart for those experiencing homelessness in the city is setting an ambitious goal, as she is seeking to raise funds to tackle the issue.
Aleta Clark, who has experienced homelessness herself, has been living in a tent underneath an overpass in the Pilsen neighborhood for nearly three weeks, and is seeking to raise $1 million to help people who are going through that experience now.
Underneath the Dan Ryan on Canalport in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood is where Juanita House, 62, lives. She’s been without a home and on the streets for 30 years, and says she has been sober from her heroin addiction for one month now. The only roof over her head is this green single-person tent where she sleeps next to people in similar situations.
“Every day I wake up and thank God and ask him to give me another chance,” she said.
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Clark calls Juanita and the others living in the area her friends, and says she feels moved to help those in need.
“It makes them feel bad and it places them beneath me and I don’t want them to feel like they’re under my shoe by me identifying them by their situation," said Clark. "So I call them my friend because it gives them a sense of belonging.”
Clark has left her belongings, the comfort of her own home and her children and has chosen to live there. She’s continuing to do so every night until she raises $1 million to open a shelter for them herself. She’s already raised over $120,000 through her non-profit and has some big names supporting her.
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“It makes me feel good! It makes me feel that she’s sincere, that she really cares about us,” said House.
A permanent shelter would allow House and her friends a place to call their own and allow them to get back on their feet. Clark wants the entire city of Chicago to not just support her financially, but to come and join her as part of a city-wide sleep out until all the money raised.
“People that say they support this, show me," she said. "Like don’t just show the friends, show Chicago. Like this is a problem for all of us.”
And people like House are depending on her.
“I stumbled but I didn’t fall," she said. "Now I’m back and I’m going to show you and everybody else it’s time for a change.”
Clark is obviously very passionate about her mission and even though a million dollars might seem like a pretty lofty goal, she is confident that she can raise that money. So far, her efforts have helped raise more than $120,000, according to the fundraiser's website.
