By Damian Nelson, Director, Learning and Impact The strength of The Night Ministry's three Outreach and Health Ministry Programs is their ability to tailor their approaches to better help Chicago residents who are unhoused or experiencing poverty. The Health Outreach Bus, Street Medicine Team, and CTA Outreach Program each serve unique populations ...

By Henry Merrill, Pathways Transitional Living Program Supervisor At The Night Ministry's Youth Housing Programs, we are in the unique position of helping young people who are unhoused find a home with us, while we support them in finding a more permanent home of their own. The program I supervise, Pathways Transitional Living, provides up to two y...

Since launching in 2020, the Flexible Housing Pool for Youth, a collaboration between the Center for Housing and Health and other Chicago nonprofits, has helped 325 unhoused young adults access permanent housing through rent subsidies and supportive services. The Night Ministry plays a key role in the program by offering ongoing case management to ...

It is with deep sadness that we inform you that Barbara (Barb) Bolsen, The Night Ministry's former Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement, passed away on Wednesday, August 16. Barb joined The Night Ministry in 1997 after leaving a 20-year career in journalism and graduating from Chicago Theological Seminary. Barb once tol...

After a national search, human services leader Carol J. Sharp has been named President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Night Ministry. Sharp assumed her responsibilities on August 14, 2023. A Chicago native, Sharp brings a deep passion for serving marginalized communities. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to enhancing t...

Finding a stable place to live, getting enough to eat, and receiving health care when they need it – these are the everyday concerns of many of the community members who visit The Night Ministry's Health Outreach Bus, according to a recent survey from the agency's Learning and Impact department. The Bus travels to Chicago neighborhoods with disprop...

This summer, staff, guests and members of The Night Ministry's Board of Directors gathered for our annual Reap the Rewards lunch honoring employees who have demonstrated their dedication to our mission with 5, 10, 15 and 20 years of service. Pictured (from back and left) are honorees Phyllis Murphy (Program Support Coordinator, 15 years); Chri...

On June 7, 2023, more than 300 of our friends gathered with us for Lighting Up the Night: An Evening to Benefit The Night Ministry. During the event, members of The Night Ministry staff spoke about our the agency helps clients find a home. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, we raised more than $350,000 in support of our mission ...

On a warm Monday afternoon, The Night Ministry's Health Outreach Bus pulled up to a corner in the Roseland neighborhood, just as it does twice a week. But this day was a bit different. In addition to Bus staff providing their usual meals and supportive services to community members who were unhoused or experiencing poverty, team members from the ag...

Black students enrolled in Chicago Public Schools are at greater risk of being unhoused than their white and Hispanic classmates, with a one in four chance of experiencing homelessness during their time in the school system.[1] Students who are unhoused and identify as Black face an intersecting web of barriers that make it especially hard to get a...

Oral health issues are common among unhoused people and can lead to serious health consequences, such as exacerbating diabetes symptoms or negatively affecting heart health. Unfortunately, with its high cost and frequent need for multiple treatments, accessing dentistry is a struggle for many experiencing homelessness. To help address these concern...

Young people served by The Night Ministry are represented in "Unaccompanied," an art exhibition and audio installation that captures the faces and voices of unhoused youth through large-scale portrait paintings and sound recordings. The show's artists, Kate Capshaw and Joshua-Michéle Ross, collaborated with The Night Ministry and other organization...