History Timeline

1981
• Emmanuel Episcopal Church began to realize the plight of men with mental illness walking the streets of downtown Rockford.
1982
• Father James Cardone becomes the Rector at Emmanuel.
• Emmanuel Soup Kitchen is started.
1984
• Recession impact increases homelessness.
• Emmanuel Parishioners are trained to help at the Open Doors Mission.
1985
• Family homelessness increases significantly.
• Shelter Care Ministries is incorporated on July 22nd.
• Shelter Care receives its first grant from Public Aid for a six-month pilot program with the Open Doors Mission for $24,000.
• Rev. Robert Hensley becomes program coordinator.
• Shelter Care receives the Jubilee designation by the National Episcopal Church.
1986
• Shelter Care ends relationship with The Open Doors Mission.
• Jan Wanninger hired as part-time program coordinator.
• Shelter Care becomes funded through Episcopal Charities.
1987
• Stewart McKinney Homeless Assistance Act passes, creating 15 funded programs to serve individuals who are homeless and creating definitions for homelessness. Families are not included in the Act.
• Jubilee Center opens on Sundays from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
• Rev. Cardone leaves as Rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
1989
• Jubilee Center extends hours; opens five days a week.
• First Spring Luncheon
• Family Programming begins.
1990
• Rockford Affordable Housing Coalition formed.
1991
• Robert Parker hired as the Director of Jubilee Center.
1994
• Pilot Program for transitional housing through the Illinois Department of Public Aid
1995
• HUD funding for transitional housing
• First Harvest Fest
1996
• Welfare Reform Law is signed into law.
• 6 emergency units/4 transitional units are provided to homeless families.
1997
• State removes people who abuse substances from SSI benefits.
• Children with disabilities are removed from SSI.
• The network that supports people who are marginalized now puts them at greater risk of harm.
2005
• Shelter Care became the managing partner for MAYA’S House, which was started by the Junior League of Rockford in 2002.
2007
• Shelter Care became the sole administrator of MAYA’S House daycare.
2010
• Awarded Permanent Supportive Housing Program through HUD, for 4 additional families where one parent has a disability.
2012
• Contracts with MedMan Creative to develop branding for a new vision, mission, and website.
• Receives the new application funding through the Continuum of Care to serve 5 Veteran families.
2013
• Careers Etc., a life and employment readiness program, is acquired by Shelter Care; families housed by Shelter Care and members of Jubilee begin attending sessions.
2014
• Funding for Careers Etc. ends due to a reprioritization by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Shelter Care aggressively fundraises to keep the program operating.
• Reprioritized money from Careers Etc. is distributed equally among three local providers of housing for the homeless. Shelter Care receives $33,000 to start a new Permanent Supportive Housing program for families who are chronically homeless. 3 additional families are served with the funding.
2015
• Robert Parker retires after 24 years as the Director of Jubilee Center.
• Careers Etc. program closes.
• With the help of many generous supporters, Shelter Care endures the State of Illinois budget impasse for 11-1/2 months.
2016
• Shelter Care receives additional HUD Continuum of Care funding to start providing Rapid Rehousing to homeless families. Programming begins in November, and by year’s end, 8 families are accepted into the program.
2020
• Housing and services at Jubilee continue throughout the pandemic, MAYA’S House closes for part of the year, reopening in September
2021
• Supportive Housing expands to house an additional 2-3 families per night
• MAYA’S House closes

2023
• Shelter Care is awarded funding from HUD for a new Permanent Supportive Housing program for single adults living with serious mental illness. This is the first time providing housing to households other than families.
2024
• Shelter Care is awarded two new grants from the State of Illinois to offer more Permanent Supportive and Rapid Rehousing to families. Shelter Care is now housing 65 households every single night.
2025
• Funding from HUD for single-person Permanent Supportive Housing is terminated, but the State of Illinois awards additional funding for both Permanent and Transitional Housing for single people experiencing homelessness, so no one loses their housing.
2026
• The Jubilee Center partners with the University of Illinois Chicago – Rockford to provide on-site primary medical care to Jubilee members.