The coronavirus is making this a holiday season like no other, with so many of us adjusting our plans in order to protect the health and safety of our loved ones and those around us. At The Night Ministry, we are also adapting our annual holiday celebrations to align with recommended COVID-19 procedures, while still sharing the magic of the season ...

As an emergency room physician, Dr. Claudia Beals has firsthand knowledge of the intersection between homelessness and the health care system. Dr. Beals, who joined The Night Ministry's Board of Directors this year, trained in emergency medicine in the South Bronx, where she encountered individuals experiencing homelessness who came into the hospit...

Young adults struggling with homelessness in Chicago now have more permanent housing options available to them, under a new partnership involving The Night Ministry and several other local agencies. The Flexible Housing Pool for Youth provides subsidies for market-rate rental apartments across the city, along with case management services, to help ...

Harm reduction is an evidence-based public health model designed to reduce the adverse effects of potentially risky behaviors such as drug use and sexual activity. Noam Greene and Andrew Wojda of The Night Ministry's Street Medicine Team discussed how The Night Ministry utilizes harm reduction to save lives and October 29.

Every year, The Night Ministry distributes thousands of hygiene kits to the individuals it serves on the streets of Chicago. The kits are filled with travel- or sample-size toiletry items such as deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and soap to help clients maintain their personal hygiene, and the agency relies on the generosity of its supporters to pr...

This month, The Night Ministry says goodbye to a beloved and long-serving leader and colleague. After more than two decades at the agency, Barbara Bolsen, our Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement, is retiring. Bolsen leaves behind a legacy of service, compassion, and innovation at The Night Ministry, all aimed toward th...

On July 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a rule that would modify the Equal Access Rule, stripping transgender people of fundamental protections that ensure the safety of anyone in need of HUD-funded programs. The proposed rule would allow local shelter providers decision-making authority around a transg...

Nine years after it began operations in the basement of Lakeview Lutheran Church, The Night Ministry's overnight shelter for young adults has reopened in a larger, enhanced space on the first floor of The Night Ministry's new headquarters in Bucktown. Guests of The Crib woke up at the old location for the last time Monday morning and were then welc...

The U.S. Senate is back in Washington this week with plans to move on a COVID-19 spending package by the end of July. Last month, the House of Representatives prioritized emergency protection for renters and homeowners in both the CARES Act and the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act. Across our country, Betwee...

Youth Development Specialist Candace Musick and Youth Outreach Team Case Manager Michelle Thomas have run Youth 4 Truth, The Night Ministry's leadership development program for young people served by the agency, for the past few years. But lately they've been able to step back as program participants have taken charge.  "There used to be a lot...

Dear Friends, The end of the year is always a reflective time for me. It is one of my traditions to take December 31 as my last personal day of the year, so I can spend time in reflection, as the holidays come to a close. I find a quiet space within my heart to reflect on the challenges of the year that is passing, what have been my personal and pr...

Human connection is an essential part of The Night Ministry's mission. And while it's often spoken about in terms of how the agency works with those whom it serves, it extends to communities as well. That means building and sustaining relationships with residents, businesses, and leaders in the neighborhoods in which it operates. Over the past few ...

For the past several weeks, staff with The Night Ministry's Outreach & Health Ministry (OHM) Program have been hitting the rails to reach individuals struggling with homelessness. During the winter, Peer Advocate Professional, Keith Belton, suggested to his colleagues on the Street Medicine Team that they try conducting outreach on the CTA. Bec...

Kiantae Bowles has played multiple roles on The Night Ministry's Board of Directors, from Secretary to serving on the Finance Committee. Bowles, who is Manager of Informational Technology Procurement with BMO Financial Group, said the varied experience has prepared him for his latest position, that of Board Chair. "Over the last eight years, I've d...

Our city and our country are in crisis. But what we are living through today in the wake of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and countless others is the result of not only centuries of racism but decades of collective failure to address its corrupting influence in the foundations of our society. As a nonprofit organization assisting ...

More residents of The Night Ministry's Open Door Shelter – West Town are taking advantage of mental health counseling offered by Rush University Medical Center during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rush has been providing therapy as well as medication management at The Night Ministry's Youth Housing Programs for a few years now. Sarah Warner, Case Manager ...

The Night Ministry is providing care packages for former residents of its Youth Housing Programs and other young people sheltering-in-place and struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. The packages, featuring grocery staples such as pasta, meat, peanut butter and jelly, and nuts, are being delivered every week by Candace Musick, Y...

M. has a place to shelter in place. But they don't feel safe there. "I'm staying with my mom. It's just not a good environment," they said. M., who is 20 years old, ran away a few years ago to get away from the conflict at home. They returned because being out on the streets was worse. They'd like to get their own place but faces several hurdles. "...

Millions of Americans are anticipating their federal government stimulus checks authorized by the CARES Act. Among those are young adults who are currently sheltering in place at The Crib, The Night Ministry's emergency shelter. Youth Outreach Team Case Manager, Michelle Thomas, is helping them sort out the situation. "There have been a lot of misc...

A letter from Paul W. Hamann, President & CEO of The Night Ministry April 14, 2020 Dear Friends,  "The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected." The above quote, attributed to Robert Frost, is one of my favorites. It is a quote about which I have been thinking a lot lately, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our communit...