Why Did Dan Baker Slip Away From Us?

By Sreya Sarkar

August 8th, 2013

On July 16th, 2013 Broadway United Methodist Church hosted the memorial service for Dan Baker. Many remembered him as a part of the Broadway United Methodist Church community--- as one who attended the Worship Service on Sundays regularly and would be present at all the potlucks.

Who was Dan Baker?

Dan Baker was an elderly white man, once a part of the social service system with access to senior housing in Lakeview, a case manager and SSI. Yet, he eventually became homeless and ultimately died on the streets of Lakeview.

Pastor Lois McCullen Parr of Broadway United Methodist Church remembers him fondly. “Dan started visiting us regularly 2 years ago every Sunday. We knew he suffered from mental illness and needed medication to stay stable. The Church community saw him in all the gatherings and grew fond of him.”

Why did Baker meet such a scary end?

Baker lived in Hattie Callner Apartments (855 W. Aldine Avenue), one of Chicago Housing Authority’s senior properties managed by the Habitat Company. He moved into this apartment a little over 2 years ago with some help from Trinity Lutheran Church of Davenport, IA. He was originally from Davenport and had a bond with the Lutheran Church there.

He was on SSI and had an assigned case manager from Catholic Charities. Around May 20th, 2013 Baker was evicted from his apartment because of “non-compliance” issues. One of his neighbors, as well as Pastor Parr recollect that the apartment officials were having trouble making him understand that he needed to follow some rules in order to live in his apartment. He could not understand the message because of his deteriorating mental health condition and this resulted in his eviction from his apartment.

He was sent off in a cab to a homeless shelter in South Loop, the Pacific Garden Mission. But, Baker could not adjust there and came back to Lakeview on his own in a few days. He wanted to get back into his apartment at 855 W. Aldine but was not allowed back in because of the rules in place.

He started wandering around on the streets with no food, medication or care of any sort, and ended up sleeping on the mattress that had been tossed out of his apartment in a nearby dumpster.

Sometime in June this year he collapsed on the street near his former apartment and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center by the police. He died after a few days in the hospital. His body was sent to Cook County Morgue. The Morgue tried to find his family but could not find anyone and contacted Pastor Parr after they found some papers on him from the Church.

The Broadway United Methodist Church tried hard to collect the $3,000 that was needed to release Baker’s body from the Morgue and arrange for his burial. Unfortunately, they could not collect the full amount and Baker’s body ended up in the Pauper’s Grave.

Why did Baker fall through the crack?

A few important questions emerge out of this sad incident. How does an elderly citizen with access to housing end up homeless on the streets? How does a mental health patient with an assigned case worker die on the street? How does someone on SSI not have a proper burial after death and end up in the Pauper’s Grave?

Perhaps the social service system is not designed to support senior singles with no family. Or the social service system is not well equipped to help single seniors with a deteriorating mental health condition.

Either way, this is definitely a disturbing tale and reveals the fact that a vulnerable individual without family not only needs access to social services but also a supportive community.

Pastor Parr said, “Dan called our Church at least twice a month, not always to ask for a favor. Sometimes he would call to thank us.” Baker wanted to connect with people around him. He reached out to the Broadway Church community to be a part of it.

Is North Chicago really equipped to support the vulnerable?

North Chicago has a host of service provider nonprofits offering a range of services to the low-income and vulnerable. It also has several local Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) offices to serve the needy. Yet, it is not easy to navigate the social service system.

While it is difficult for able-bodied individuals and families to use the system, it is even more challenging for an elderly suffering from mental illness to seek help. The elected officials and the nonprofit leaders together should look at the service gaps and try to address it before more people like Dan Baker die homeless without any help.