HEAR US Inc. is issuing 
Charlie’s Compassion Challenge!
Bring goodness into the lives of kids experiencing homelessness in your community by picking (at least) one deed from The Charlie Book: 60 Ways to Help Homeless Kids. 

Perfect for individuals, service clubs, scouts, PTOs, faith communities, etc. Actions helps kids of all ages, infant to young adult--right here in your own community! 

Your good deed will benefit local efforts to help homeless kids. You can connect with local programs. If you don’t know who to connect with, this book describes how to find local services.

Get a copy of The Charlie Book:
HEAR US for $10 (+$6 s/h), www.hearus.us 

   Kindle $1.99
All proceeds from book sales benefit homeless kids.

• Pick your challenge. 
• Contact the local shelter/program to verify this need.
• Do it! 
• Deliver to the shelter/program. Ongoing, no deadline!
  (HEAR US is planning Naperville area events in November. Sign up for our free monthly e-newsletterfor more information.)

Did You Know?

Homelessness affects both adults and kids.

• Thousands  of kids of all ages are homeless in the Fox Valley, IL area. Millions (6M+) across the country.
• Families/youth tend to beinvisible in their homelessness.
• Kids can attendschool and have strong educational rights (law originated in the Fox Valley.)
• Agencies/schools can’t meet all theneeds of these kids.
• Given help, these kids cansucceed.

HEAR US and local agencies/schools want to raise awareness of this issue so immediate and long-term needs can be met. 

Charlie’s Compassion Challengewill: 

• generate needed supplies to help local kids, 
• raise awareness of the plight and promise of local kids,
• develop support for local efforts,
• challenge officials to work harder for solutions.
  

Compassion cures Apathy, causing love to seep almost undetected, touching those who give and those who receive. This little boy,"Charlie," aka Charles, has brought about more good than anyone could ever know, even Charles(2008).   

Charlie is a real kid from the Fox Valley.
He and his mom were homeless.
Naperville Sun photographer
Pat Van Dorentook this photo. 

Pat's a HEAR US director, serving with a dedicated volunteer board overseeing her project, It’s About the Children. 

HEAR US Inc. 

Since 2005, HEAR US Inc.,
this Naperville-based national nonprofit
gives voice & visibility to families & youth 
experiencing homelessness. 

Founded by Diane Nilan (former director at PADS/Hesed House in Aurora), who lives in her van. She travels across backroads filming and producing award-winning videosfeaturing families and youth sharing what it’s like to be homeless and what school means. Check out the website!

www.hearus.us

Dismazed and Driven - My Look at Family Homelessness in America

Diane's latest book! 
Released November 2020

Crossing the Line:
Taking Steps to End Homelessness

by Diane Nilan

 Changing the Paradigm of Homelessness 

by Yvonne Vissing, Christopher Hudson and Diane Nilan

AMAZON SELLS THESE BOOKS

SHOP HEAR US E-Stores
books also available through mainstream book vendors (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) and independent book stores.

Schools/organizations may use PURCHASE ORDERS to order from HEAR US.
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 - Priscilla Series -

• Priscilla the Princess
  of the Park
• Priscilla and the Snow Fort
• Priscilla and the Bishop's Gambit
• Priscilla's Picnic with the President

Pat LaMarche's delightful new series of children's chapter books on homelessness! They are kids' books that will delight and enlighten kids and adults!

Pat's hardcover and e-books available through the Charles Bruce Foundationand Amazon.

Kursid Kids 

Written by an 8-year-old boy, Ronan, Pat LaMarche's grandson,  
...this book weaves an elaborate science fantasy through a fabric of injustice. You will fall in love with the characters - most of them. You will ponder the same question Ronan asked in the car that dark night as he thought about his housing-insecure classmates, "Who will make things right in a world where so much is wrong?"

Priscilla and her Pals in the Park

Written by Pat LaMarche to be read to younger children, this will enlighten older readers, too! 

Pat's hardcover and e-books available through the Charles Bruce Foundation and Amazon.

It's About the Childrenproject

by Pat Van Doren 

Where Can I Build My Volcano?

A Place of Our Own 

A Family of 5 or 6

Each book is $15 + s/h

The set is $40 + s/h

Available through HEAR US. 

The Charlie Book:

60 Ways to Help Homeless Kids

by Diana Bowman

Available through HEAR US.

The Charlie Book is also available as an e-book from Amazon.

Memorial Blanket Success!

The December 21 event to call attention to the millions of
children and adults who experience homelessness,
and the countless people who die on the streets
exceeded our wildest expectations! 
HEAR US website Memorial Blanket coverage.
Also, see pictures, video, articles at MemorialBlanket.org

HEAR US board member Pat Van Doren 
honored by Congress!

Pat was recognized for her 3 decades of advocacy work to help families and adults
experiencing homelessness. 
See more of Pat's work.

(Left) Pat surrounded by HEAR US board members Maria Wilson, Barb Schneider, Diane Nilan, Rosie Robbs (missing Marilyn McGowan and Helen Jilek, OSB)
(Center) Proclamation entered into the Congressional Records by Congressman Bill Foster.
(Right) Congressman Bill Foster (IL, 11-D) congratulates Pat.
The November 12th event was held at Heritage Woods, Bolingbrook, IL,
and attended by family, friends, and neighbors.

Charlie Book Released on Kindle!

The ever-popular

Charlie Book: 60 Ways to Help Homeless Kids

is now available as a Kindle book!

$1.99

Click here for info and to order

New Films by HEAR US!
Hidden in Plain Sight -
Families Experiencing Homelessness in New Mexico(5/22)

Four mothers and a dad share their families' experiences of homelessness and
describe how schools helped them survive(16:15)

HEAR Them: Youth Without Homes in New Mexico (5/22)

Six New Mexico teens shared their experiences and insights about homelessness. Three teens are unaccompanied youth--without parents/guardians involved in their lives. The other three are part of a family. (10:09)

Idaho Schools: Lifesaving Connection  (1/22)
4 women share their families' struggles and accomplishments, pointing to the importance of school support (18:30)

Families Experiencing Housing Instability in Idaho  
ID mothers share what school support meant to their families (6:50)

These women offer deep, heartfelt insights about the agonies of housing instability and the impact of support from their children's school communities. 
Invaluable lessons for all audiences. Perfect McKinney-Vento training tools.

Check Out >> HEAR US Books 

Visit the > HEAR US BOOKSHOP <

To purchase other HEAR US books, visit our E-STORE.

>>HEAR US books available through Amazon.

Not Homeless Enough (8/21)

The agony of parents with no viable options (video 10 min)

Dane County, Wisconsin, with the capital seat Madison,
has hundreds of families who have lost housing and have nowhere to go.
Four parents share their observations and experiences of being
"not homeless enough." 
>VIDEO LINK
> Wisconsin State Journal story 8-8-21

 Capital Failure -

Family Homelessness Surging (3/21)

See and hear this family's struggles being stuck in motels during CoVid in Raleigh, NC. (12-min)

Jamie's astute descriptions of her family's hardships
resonate with many families in similar situations. 
 Her textbook lesson that needs widespread sharing.
> More about the film, resources...
> VIDEO LINK

Dismazed and Driven -
My Look at Family Homelessness in America

Part memoir of Diane's 15 years 
chronicling family homelessness,
part social justice narrative.

Perfect companion book forChanging the Paradigm of Homelessness! 

>>BUY THE BOOK<<

>> 1-min. VIDEO PROMO

Take the 30-day HEAR US Compassion Challenge! 

Videos match stories in Dismazed and Driven, Diane's new book!

A textbook that speaks the truth about 

FAMILY HOMELESSNESS 
and offers strategies to address this crisis.  

For information and to order

>>>>>> HEAR US VIDEO MENU

Check out our vast collection of videos featuring families/youth experiencing homelessness!
**************************
HEAR US has made statewide McKinney-Vento films for:

Texas, Kansas, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, 
New Hampshire, New Jersey, Hawaii, New Mexico

Filming also in:

Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois,
New York, California, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, 
New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin 

The Charlie Book

Author: Diana Bowman
Editor, Photographer: Diane Nilan

Graphic Design, Layout: Beth Adams

Charlie photo: Pat Van Doren

Price: $10, quantity discounts available

Publisher: HEAR US Inc.

> ORDER

(as of 7/22) Kindle $1.99