Committed to Solving Homelessness

Responding to Chicagoans’ urgent needs has always been a vital part of the Trust’s mission — and right now, one of the most pressing needs is preventing and ending homelessness.

As of 2021, there were an estimated 68,000 people unhoused in Chicago. This includes many populations with specific needs, such as youth, families and survivors of gender-based violence, who often require specialized care and support. In addition, our region’s homelessness services system has taken on the challenge of providing shelter and other forms of emergency assistance for more than 36,000 migrants and asylum seekers who have arrived in Chicago since August 2022.

In FY2023, the Trust made nearly $2.3 million in grants to 35 organizations that are providing direct services and advocacy to reduce homelessness. Of that amount, $335,000 came from the Unity Fund, an initiative that pools donor contributions to help our region’s nonprofits meet residents’ critical needs.

Here are just a few organizations the Trust supported:

Ascension Illinois Housing and Health Alliance
Lakeview, North Side and Waukegan North Suburbs

Originally established to respond to the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness, the Alliance now provides transitional and permanent housing to Chicagoans experiencing poverty, addiction, mental health issues, and chronic health conditions.

Covenant House Illinois
Garfield Park, West Side

For young people facing homelessness and survivors of trafficking, Covenant House Illinois offers a safe place to live and grow. Since its founding in 2017, the organization has reached more than 1,600 youth through a residential facility and supportive programming.

La Casa Norte
Humboldt Park, West Side

With more than 22 years of service to its community, La Casa Norte has grown to reach more than 19,000 homeless and low-income youth and families annually. Its innovative facility combines 25 permanent supportive apartments with programming space, a Nourishing Hope food pantry, and a Howard Brown Health clinic, allowing residents to meet multiple needs under one roof.

KAN-WIN
Des Plaines, West Suburbs

KAN-WIN was formed in 1990 in response to the growing need for domestic violence services in Chicago’s Korean American community. Today the organization serves a diverse Asian American immigrant population via a host of free programs, including a 24-hour multilingual hotline, legal advocacy, and transitional housing.

Margaret’s Village
Englewood, South Side

A community pillar since 1974, Margaret’s Village provides transitional housing for women, children and families. Two shelters offer a combined 100 beds and an array of onsite services that holistically support each resident in meeting their goals.

Strategic Leadership to End Homelessness

To truly end homelessness, it will take a strong, well-resourced service delivery system and deep systemic solutions that ensure change is lasting. To help achieve this, the Trust plays an active leadership role with several philanthropic and public-private coordinating councils: the Steering Committee of Chicago Funders to End Homelessness, the Flexible Housing Pool, and Continuum of Care. In the years ahead, we plan to deepen and refine our funding strategies so that we can help our partners even more effectively drive change on an issue that affects so many lives in our region.