The Night Ministry

Volunteers needed for Wicker Park Fest — July 24, 25 & 26! 🎪
The Night Ministry is looking for Gate Volunteers to represent us at the Beach Street Gate during this year's Wicker Park Fest. Shifts are 3 hours long, and it's a fun, easy way to give back while repping our mission! Last year, our volunteer efforts helped generate a $6,000 donation from the festival organization to support our work with unhoused neighbors across Chicago.
Interested in signing up? Register (include the google link) or contact Maya at [email protected] to grab a shift!

A huge thank you to our friends at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association! 💙
Recently, BCBSA employees hosted an incredibly successful volunteer day — packing over 1,000 hygiene kits and rolling over 1,000 pairs of socks for our Street Outreach and Health team to distribute to those in need.
This spectacular contribution will make a real and lasting impact for our unhoused neighbors across Chicago.
Thank you to Evelyn Castro-Lake and the entire team at BCBSA for stepping up in such a meaningful way — your generosity and hands-on support don't go unnoticed! 🧦🧴
Inspired to get your company, group of friends, or community group involved? Reach out to Maya at [email protected] to learn how you can mobilize a volunteer day of your own!

Join The Night Ministry's Associate Board for an inspiring evening of community, connection and compassion at Night Lights, on Thursday, October 22 at Marshall's Landing, 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza from 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. This year's theme, Celebrating 50 Years of Care, honors a meaningful milestone and reflects on their enduring commitment to caring for those most in need.

In its 12th year, Night Lights has raised more than $1.2 million in support of The Night Ministry's mission. Proceeds from this year’s event will directly benefit the Street Medicine Program, which provides free, life-changing healthcare to individuals experiencing homelessness and others with limited access to care. Tickets are available at: https://onecau.se/nightlights2026

Legacy Thursday: Since 1976, The Night Ministry's Street Outreach and Health Medicine team has been meeting people where they are — literally. Our clinicians bring care directly to those experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty, treating medical conditions before they become emergencies.
The impact adds up: over $20 million in medical expenses saved through Emergency Room avoidance alone. 🩺
When someone doesn't have stable housing, a minor infection, an untreated wound, or a chronic condition can spiral into a crisis that lands them in the ER — the most expensive, and often least accessible, point of care. Our team changes that equation. By providing consistent, compassionate treatment on the street, helping clients manage their health before it becomes a 911 call.
That's 50 years of showing up — for our neighbors, and for a healthcare system that works better when everyone has access to care.

July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, and we want to shine a light on the added challenges our unhoused neighbors face in accessing mental health care — on top of the difficulties of not having a home.
Our Clinical Supervisor, Derek Ma, said it best: "Access to mental health care is not the same for everyone, and getting connected to support can be hard even in the best circumstances. In outreach, we often meet people navigating racism, poverty, homelessness, trauma, and past experiences of being judged, dismissed, or turned away. When someone is focused on where they'll sleep, staying safe, or simply getting through the day, mental health care can feel out of reach. Our role is to keep showing up, listen without judgment, build trust over time, and help reduce those barriers however we can."