Local Crisis Center Seeks Partners for Homelessness Awareness Drive
The Jacksonville based Crisis Center Foundation is asking Morgan County residents and organizations to join its Homelessness Awareness Month campaign by collecting donations and raising awareness. The effort responds to rising statewide and national homeless counts and calls for local advocacy for affordable housing and expanded support services.
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The Crisis Center Foundation, a Jacksonville based nonprofit that provides services to victims of domestic violence, is launching a county focused drive for Homelessness Awareness Month and is asking for collaborators to help collect essential supplies for people experiencing homelessness. The appeal arrives as Illinois reported almost 30,000 people homeless in 2024 and national estimates approached one million, figures that underscore growing demand for housing and emergency services.
Foundation representatives said groups are being invited to "adopt a tote," which consists of using a tote or box to collect donations and supplies for homeless people. The campaign seeks specific items that are practical for immediate relief and winter readiness, including hand warmers, non perishable food, bottled water, feminine hygiene products, lip balm, body and baby wipes, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, bar soap, shampoo and conditioner, hairbrushes and combs, and winter apparel.
Donations can be dropped off at local collection points, including the Crisis Center Outreach at 1101 W. Morton Ave., Suite A in Jacksonville and the Community Hope and Recovery Center at 121 E. Second St. in Beardstown. Businesses and organizations interested in partnering or collecting items can contact campaign coordinators Naomi Trotter at trotter@jvillecfc.org or Jacquelynn Quinn at jquinn@hrcasscounty.org.
Organizers are also asking residents to wear purple during the month to raise visibility for the issue and to push for policy changes. Officials asked the public to advocate for funding and policies that expand access to affordable housing, and they framed the campaign as a shared community responsibility. "Remember, as a community we are stronger together," officials said. "No one should have to go without basic needs, shelter and food."
For Morgan County, the campaign links immediate relief to longer term housing policy. National and state level counts indicate a structural shortage of affordable units and gaps in emergency shelter capacity, trends that local planners say affect veterans, families, and survivors of domestic violence. The Crisis Center Foundation's effort targets short term needs while calling attention to the need for more housing vouchers, supportive services, and prevention programs to reduce future homelessness.
The campaign is positioned to mobilize schools, faith groups, small businesses, and service organizations across Jacksonville, Beardstown, and surrounding communities. Local leaders say coordinated collection drives can reduce strain on emergency shelters and provide dignity and safety for people sleeping outside or in temporary settings as winter approaches.
Residents who participate will be providing direct assistance and helping build public pressure for investments in affordable housing and supportive services. The Crisis Center Foundation hopes that a combination of donated supplies, community engagement, and policy advocacy will both meet immediate needs and contribute to longer term reductions in homelessness across Morgan County and beyond.
