(CHICAGO, IL — July 25, 2025) The Night Ministry strongly opposes the recent Executive Order, “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” which directly targets the communities that we serve and abandons the approaches that have been seen to improve people’s lives.
Our mission is grounded in supporting our unhoused neighbors with proven, compassionate, trauma-informed, and evidence-based programs and services that help them achieve healthy, stable lives. The executive order undermines our human-centered approach and voluntary care model, which is designed to honor the dignity and humanity of those we serve.
By prioritizing federal funding for communities that criminalize homelessness and forcing people facing mental health and substance use challenges into treatment, this Executive Order’s framing and directives conflict with everything we know to be true: that housing and health care are human rights, that harm reduction saves lives, and that our clients, people experiencing homelessness and poverty, deserve dignity, not criminalization.
We will continue to advocate for our unhoused neighbors fiercely and stand firmly against policies that undermine their human rights. Together with our elected officials in Chicago and Illinois, as well as our trusted partner organizations, we are committed to responding thoughtfully and strategically to minimize service disruptions, maximize support, and uphold the core values and principles that guide our work.
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About The Night Ministry:
Founded in 1976, The Night Ministry is a Chicago-based organization whose mission is to provide human connection, housing support, and health care to those who are unhoused or experiencing poverty. With an open heart, we compassionately accept each individual as they are and work alongside them to advocate for their immediate physical, emotional, and social needs while affirming our shared humanity. Learn more at www.thenightministry.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
David Dodd, Director of Marketing and Communications: 773-501-9230; davidd@thenightministry.org
Judith McLean, Manager of Marketing and Communications: 312-399-0013; judith@thenightministry.org
