Schools

Helping Homeless High School Students in D-211

The number of homeless students attending the five district high schools is on the rise, so local realtors and the District 211 Foundation have joined forces to make a difference in their lives.

Last year 150 students attending Township High School District 211 schools were classified as homeless, and this year that number continues to rise. 

In response to the growing problem, a group called Realtors Against Homelessness (R.A.H.) have joined forces with the District 211 Foundation to sponsor an upcoming fundraiser to impact the lives of these students.  

“After learning this Spring about significant increases in student homelessness, I contacted members of the broader real estate community to help – everyone responded positively,” said Cindy Eich, a realtor with RE/MAX at Home in Rolling Meadows, who also serves as a District 211 Foundation board member.

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Eich along with a core group of realtors from Coldwell Banker, Baird and Warner, Prudential Starck, REMAX Suburban and Keller Williams formed Realtors Against Homelessness in mid-August.

The group’s goal is to raise money to assist homeless students and increase community awareness about the issue.   

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“For students who have been displaced outside district boundaries, we want to help them with transportation to school; we also plan to help with groceries and school supplies,” Eich said.

Another goal is to help homeless students pay for school activities, which can be costly when a family is struggling, Eich said.  

An upcoming fundraiser, In Support of Homeless Students in District 211, will be held Thursday, Nov. 3 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at John Barleycorn in Schaumburg, 1100 American Lane. 

The public is invited to attend the event sponsored by Realtors Against Homelessness and the District 211 Foundation, and proceeds will go to provide assistance for homeless students.

Tickets are $25 a person and can be purchased online at www.d211foundation.org/homeless.html or at the event.

The event will include a hot appetizer buffet and two drink tickets. Raffles and a live and silent auction also will be held.

The high schools in District 211 include Palatine, Fremd, Conant, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg.

Students who attend the schools come from Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Palatine, Schaumburg and parts of Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, South Barrington and Streamwood.

“This is something that touched my heart, and I knew we could join together and make a difference,” said Eich.

For more information, visit www.d211foundation.org.

This story originally stated that RE/MAX at Home was in Palatine. It is in Rolling Meadows. Also, Prudential Starck was added to the realtors participating in the group. Palatine Patch regrets the errors.


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