Diane Nilan
Diane Nilan has more than 3 decades of experience running shelters; advocating for improved state and federal policies; filming/producing award-winning documentaries, My Own Four Walls; on the edge: Family Homelessness in America; writing her reader-friendly book on homelessness, Crossing the Line: Taking Steps to End Homelessness; and addressing audiences from Columbia University to Congress. Since 2005 she's lived in a van, traveling across the US chronicling family/youth homelessness.
Subjects: Adolescent Studies, Anthropology - Soc Sci, Cognitive Psychology, Consumer Psychology, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Developmental Psychology, Education, Family Studies, Health Psychology, Health and Social Care, Law, Psychological Science, Research Methods & Statistics, Social Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Sociology & Social Policy, Urban Planning, Urban Studies
Biography
Author—Crossing the Line: Taking Steps to End Homelessness Award-Winning Filmmaker— My Own Four Walls; on the edge: Family Homelessness in America; REACH; Littlest Nomads; Worn Out Welcome Mat, films about homeless families/youth in TX, KS, OR, ID, WA, NH, NJ, HI
Editor/photographer—The Charlie Book: 60 Ways to Help Homeless Kids
Activist, homelessness issues
2005-present HEAR US Inc. Naperville, IL, President and Founder
national advocacy organization to give voice & visibility to homeless children & youth.
2003-2005 PROJECT REACH, 8 suburban counties outside Chicago, Founder and Director
lead liaison for McKinney-Vento implementation
1990–2003 Hesed House & Public Action to Deliver Shelter, Aurora, IL, Associate Director and
Program Director (Center for ministry to very poor and homeless persons)
Professional Affiliations Friends of Imiliwaha NFP (founding member, board of directors)
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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Family Homelessness
Youth Homelessness
Homeless Education Laws and Policies
Personal Interests
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Interests Photography/videography, travel, reading, disc golf, kayaking, hot air ballooning
Websites
Books
Articles
Unpaid School Lunch Fees: The Tip of the Homelessness Iceberg
Published: Dec 07, 2019 by Public Seminar
Authors: Yvonne Vissing, Diane Nilan
Subjects:
Education, Adolescent Studies, Family Studies
Lunch-shaming turned into an epidemic this fall, as it does every year when schools try to crack down on unpaid lunch fees. The trouble is, too often schools are bullying kids to fork over money that they really don't have to pay.
Videos
Published: Dec 07, 2019
Courageous parents and kids! In 8-minutes you'll grasp why family homelessness is so awful. This HEAR US video was screened at a congressional hearing on family homelessness. It is part of a national grassroots campaign to expand HUD's definition of homelessness. www.helphomelesskidsnow.org