Introduction

Bloomington-Normal, like most cities, has a homeless population. As of July, 2024, around 100 people in Bloomington-Normal are completely unsheltered.[1] As of January 2024, In the United States as a whole more than 770,000 people are in shelters, temporary housing, or have no shelter.[2] The 770,000 total represents an 18% percent increase over a year, with family homelessness rising 39% from the year before.[3] Local governments and organizations provide shelters and support services, but resources often fall short of demand. Efforts to address the crisis continue through policies, outreach programs, and housing initiatives.

Table of Contents

  • Encampments

    • Noteworthy current and past encampments

  • Causes

  • Relief & Aid

    • Shelters & Organizations

      • Home Sweet Home Ministries
      • Salvation Army
      • Midwest Food Bank
    • Government & City Council

Encampments

Noteworthy current and past encampments

The Bloomington-Normal area has had and continues to have homeless encampments that spring up in different areas of the twin cities.

  • A year long homeless encampment hosted roughly 35 unsheltered community members in a downtown Bloomington overflow parking lot near the Eastview Christian Church Community Center. This encampment dispersed by the end of the day on October 15, 2024.[4]
  • The Constitution Trail at one point had an encampment of roughly 40 unsheltered community members living in tents along its path, in mid July, 2024, they were notified they had to leave by the Bloomington City Council.[5]
  • As of February, 2025, there are a few tents lining a man-made trail behind gravel pits off of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in west Bloomington.[6]

A view from the man-made trail in West Bloomington off of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

Causes

There is much debate on what exactly is the main cause of homelessness, and what the best solution to prevent homelessness is. According to the CEO of Home Sweet Home Ministries, the main causes of homelessness in recent times is due to the loss of pandemic support and the rising cost of housing.[7] According to an article by the BBC, In the United States as a whole, the recent increase in homelessness is due to natural disasters, spikes in migration to large cities, and again, high housing costs . [8] On the podcast, 'Bloomington-Normal's not so normal homelessness epidemic', Dennis Frank, a member of the board of the Midwest Food Bank, was interviewed. When asked about how someone can reach extreme poverty, Frank said that "sometimes people just run into a hard time", "it's situational" he said.[9]

Relief & Aid

Shelters & Organizations

There are a few organizations in Bloomington-Normal that provide aid and relief for the homeless population. 

  • Home Sweet Home Ministries is a Christian not for profit organization that hosts shelters for the homeless population. Their main focus is street outreach, trying to assist individuals transitioning from living on the street to permanent affordable housing. The agency also hosts a food co-op named Bread for Life, aiming to help low income families gain access to fresh foods. Their mission statement reads, "Home Sweet Home Ministries demonstrates Christ's love through innovative approaches that instill hope, restore lives, and build community." [10]
  • The Salvation Army is one of the largest social service providers in the United States. The agency has three buildings in Bloomington-Normal. Their mission statement reads, "The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination." [11] The agency has given over 2.4 million people holiday assistance in the form of food, gifts, and other essential items over the years.[12]
  • The Midwest Food Bank, the largest food bank in the United States, provides food for those in poverty by shipping food to food pantries across the United States. Their mission statement reads, "It is the mission of Midwest Food Bank to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition and providing disaster relief. Our vision is to serve those in need with excellence, providing physical and spiritual nourishment."[13] Volunteers play a key role in the food bank’s service projects and distribution efforts. “The really lifeblood of the Midwest Food Bank is the volunteers,” asserted Dennis Frank, a member of the Midwest Food Bank . [14] While this food bank began in Bloomington-Normal, the organization now has many locations, though their Normal, IL division still serves as the organization's headquarters .

Government Aid

The city councils of both Bloomington and Normal have given a $700,000 grant to support the Immigration Project, which is a program designed to help specifically migrants with social services.[15] The Immigration Project is going to use 51% of the grant to assist recent arrivals and Home Sweet Home Ministries will use the other 49% to fund the non congregate shelter that’s been in progress for a few months.[16]

References

[1] Ellin, Melissa. “Bloomington Tells Homeless People Sleeping along Constitution Trail to Relocate.” WGLT, 16 July 2024, www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-07-16/bloomington-tells-homeless-people-sleeping-along-constitution-trail-to-relocate

[2] Wendling, Mike. “US Homelessness Hit Record High in 2024.” BBC News, 28 Dec. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2vwdw7zn2o

[3] Wendling, Mike. “US Homelessness Hit Record High in 2024.” BBC News, 28 Dec. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2vwdw7zn2o

[4] Ellin, Melissa. "'We built a community': Bloomington's yearlong homeless encampment is gone." WGLT, 17 October 2024, www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-10-17/we-built-a-community-bloomingtons-yearlong-homeless-encampment-is-gone

[5] Ellin, Melissa. “Bloomington Tells Homeless People Sleeping along Constitution Trail to Relocate.” WGLT, 16 July 2024, www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-07-16/bloomington-tells-homeless-people-sleeping-along-constitution-trail-to-relocate

[6] Ellin, Melissa. "Living unhoused in Bloomington-Normal during the winter's coldest months" WGLT, 17 February 2025, www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-02-17/living-unhoused-in-bloomington-normal-during-the-winters-coldest-months

[7] Minton, Maggie. “Fighting Homelessness in Bloomington.” Central Illinois Proud, 10 Dec. 2024, www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/fighting-homelessness-in-bloomington

[8] Wendling, Mike. “US Homelessness Hit Record High in 2024.” BBC News, 28 Dec. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2vwdw7zn2o

[9] Hanson, Aiden. "Bloomington-Normal's not so normal homelessness epidemic" RSS, 7 May 2025, https://rss.com/podcasts/bloomington-normals-not-so-normal-homelessness-epidemic/

[10] "Mission & Vision" Home Sweet Home Ministries, 2025, https://hshministries.org/about-us/our-story/mission-and-vision

[11] "About Us" The Salvation Army, 2025, https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/about-us/

[12] "About Us" The Salvation Army, 2025, https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/about-us/

[13] "Midwest Food Bank is Sharing the Blessings" Midwest Food Bank, 2025, https://midwestfoodbank.org/about-main/mission-methods

[14] Hanson, Aiden. "Bloomington-Normal's not so normal homelessness epidemic" RSS, 7 May 2025, https://rss.com/podcasts/bloomington-normals-not-so-normal-homelessness-epidemic/

[15] Ellin, Melissa. "Bloomington-Normal nonprofits join forces to help recent arrival and homeless populations." WGLT, 26 September 2024, www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-09-26/bloomington-normal-nonprofits-join-forces-to-help-recent-arrival-and-homeless-populations

[16 ] Ellin, Melissa. "Bloomington-Normal nonprofits join forces to help recent arrival and homeless populations." WGLT, 26 September 2024, www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-09-26/bloomington-normal-nonprofits-join-forces-to-help-recent-arrival-and-homeless-populations

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