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.

As opioid-related overdoses and deaths increase by alarming rates in Chicago this year, The Night Ministry has partnered with the University of Illinois (UI) to expand access to treatment for substance use disorder among Chicago's homeless population. Through an innovative telemedicine program, the Street Medicine Team is connecting indiv...

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...

By Benita Natalini, Associate Board Member The Annual Night Lights Gala is an incredibly special event that I look forward to every year. It is a party and an opportunity to recognize an amazing organization all in one! Since 2017 I've had the privilege to help plan Night Lights through my various roles on The Night Ministry's Associate B...

By Alex Liebermann, Night Lights Committee member I joined the Night Ministry Associate Board at the beginning of 2019 and was fortunate to participate in my first Night Lights gala last October. Night Lights is the Associate Board's annual fundraising event supporting the mission of The Night Ministry. It typically consists of an evening of food, ...

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...

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...

The Associate Board supports the overall mission and activities of The Night Ministry. Acting as ambassadors of the agency, Associate Board members engage the community through volunteering, fundraising, networking, and advocacy opportunities targeted towards young professionals. The Associate Board's leadership helps guide the endeavors of its mem...

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...

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...