The History of Eleanor
[Image: Ina Law Robertson]
In 1898, Ina Law Robertson created The Eleanor Foundation and opened its first residential club. By 1914 six Eleanor Clubs had been established in the city. The Foundation began as a direct service provider of decent and affordable housing for single independent women with the goal of creating conditions in which lower income working women could help themselves build successful, self-sufficient lives.
In 2002, the Eleanor Foundation transformed itself into a research-oriented grant-maker focused on helping working women determined to achieve sustainable economic independence. The Foundation decided to leverage its expertise and resources and to build the Eleanor Network by investing in innovative programs that provide housing opportunities and supportive services to local organizations.
City of Chicago Awards Foundation $822,000 in Rental Subsidies
August 1, 2007
In April 2007, the Board of the City of Chicago's Low Income Trust Fund approved an allocation of $822,000 in rental subsidies to help up to 100 women who are being assisted through grants made by the Eleanor Foundation. This is the first award made by the Trust Fund using monies generated through the new State of Illinois rental subsidy program launched last year.
The overall goal of this pilot program is to use rent subsidies as another stepping stone to these women's economic independence, stabilizing their housing situations and enabling them to focus on their educational or employment- related needs. The program has another benefit: In attaining economic self-sufficiency, women in the program no longer need subsidies in future—freeing up rental subsidies for other deserving working women. The Low Income Housing Trust Fund limits program participation to households earning no more than 30% of the area median income, which is $22,600 for a family of four. Several Foundation grantees already have access to landlords and apartments. The Foundation will work with its grantees to identify additional landlords as well as qualifying women who are being assisted through Foundation grants.
This award represents an important opportunity for the Eleanor Foundation to leverage our $1.5 million investment in our 2007 Self-Sufficiency Initiative grants. We are excited and energized by this opportunity to put public sector support to work alongside our private funding.
Other Stories
Partner Perspective: C. Bork:
Is Occupy Good for Women?
HOW's Center for Working Women
JARC: Meeting the Needs
of Women and Manufacturers
Partner Perspective: J. Antolin:
IDEA at Work
Chicago Expands Healthcare
Training: Replicates Eleanor
Network Program at St. Anthony Hospital
Partner Perspective: K. Begley: Empowering Women in Alternative Career Paths
Employer Partnerships Help
Single Working Moms
Partner Perspective:
N. Brunick: The Importance of Affordable Housing
Partner Perspective:
A. Ladky: Overcoming Barriers,
Investing in Talent
Community-Based Partnerships
for Working Latinas
Eleanor Foundation Partners
with Neighborhood Writing Alliance
City of Chicago Awards Foundation
$822,000 in Rental Subsidies
© 2012 The Eleanor Foundation. All Rights Reserved.