Programming for West40 at St. Joseph​
​
HOW WE HELP
When foster kids are removed from abusive or neglectful homes, they don’t always receive the care they deserve. In 2023, more than 500 youth in care in Illinois slept in state office buildings or on the floors of conference centers, psychiatric hospitals and juvenile detention centers.
Kids often had no access to showers, fresh food,
education or mental health services.*
This contributes to a dramatic mental health crisis for Illinois youth: a situation where those with the greatest needs are forced into even more
desperate situations.
B U T T H E R E I S A S O L U T I O N .
THE SOLUTION
A first-of-its-kind facility in West Cook County, West40 at St. Joseph will educate, house and nurture displaced foster kids from across Illinois.
Serving 12-18 year olds, our facility will offer:
-
Comprehensive mental health care, including daily therapy services
​
-
Robust education with the ability to earn credits towards graduation, plus college prep, career/technical pathways, and life skills training
​
-
Social opportunities like peer helping groups, adventure trips, and extracurriculars
-
40 dormitory rooms staffed by experts trained in youth trauma
​
-
Transition support and follow-ups with foster kids and their new families
