The potential deployment of the National Guard has heightened anxiety and fear across Chicago. For our unhoused neighbors, increased military presence can be particularly unsettling, exacerbating the already immense challenges they face daily. The feeling of insecurity and potential for further marginalization adds another layer of complexity to their struggle for survival.

At The Night Ministry, our mission remains unchanged: to provide human connection, housing, and health care to those who need it most. During this time, we will continue to deliver our human-centered, trauma-informed outreach programs and services across the city with a safety-first approach to protect our staff and our unhoused neighbors. We are equipping them with information and resources, including reminders about their rights, safety tips, and connections to legal and mental health support services.

We are also in collaboration with our city and state officials, as well as our community partners, to stay informed and to align and coordinate efforts to respond to needs in an ever-changing environment, steadfastly and fiercely advocating for their safety, well-being, and fundamental rights.

The Night Ministry stands alongside our unhoused neighbors and will support them in navigating these uncertain times with the compassion and dignity they deserve.

Resource cards are available in English: Know_Your_Rights_as_an_Unsheltered_Person.pdf

And Spanish: Conozca_sus_derechos_como_persona_experimentando_falta_de_vivienda.pdf