Where can I help the homeless in the Chicago, Illinois areas for Christmas or any other time?

Question

I'd like to do something nice for the homeless this season. Well, it doesn't have to be on a holiday anytime would be great. What areas near Chicago or surrounding suburbs would the homeless frequent? There used to be a few people I helped with small items on the weekend at a local metra station. But I live in a residential area, so the township quickly stopped the homeless from hanging out there? I don't know where they went. I would like to provide needed items directly to them from my hands, while acknowledging them as individuals, rather than just donating items to a salvation army or catholic charity in an impersonal way.

Answer 1

Since some fairly well-off panhandlers masquerade being homeless, or some homeless turn around and buy alcohol or more drugs, I don't give money directly to them. The only time I did was when the temp. was dropping below zero in Minneapolis and this guy was trying to sleep on a stone bench. I gave him a $20 and told him to go find a warm place to sleep. He would have frozen to death.

Contact your American Red Cross for ideas to help serve. You may want to go to a homeless shelter and help serve meals, cheer someone up, listen to their stories , give hope and tell them that you care and will pray with them, contribute toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, female products, etc. ) to the shelter. They know who needs what because the people come there for assistance.

BTW there are areas of homeless on South Michigan Avenue but I wouldn't go there unless you want to get rolled.

As a final thought, there are many people in your suburb that need help. Housing is very expensive in the Chicago metro area. People may be choosing between rent/mortgage, prescription drugs and food. Not to mention any kind of decent Christmas. People are near bankruptcy with the economy the way it is; loss of a job or an illness preventing work, or high credit balances can force people out of homes. You may consider volunteering for a free credit advice program year-round, or contributing to the local food shelf program.

Answer 2

Those people that hang out at the train station, and they still do, live at P.A.D.S., and they are not nearly as homeless as the ones in the city, if you have to sit there waiting for a bus or train, you can't help but hear them talking.
Pacific Garden Mission is NOT in a "bad" neighborhood at all, it is next door to Jones prep high school, and you would be much safer on the expressway than on a side street getting there.
Some homeless people live down in lower Wacker drive, you can see their cardboard boxes all along the sides, during the day it is not dangerous, in fact very busy, that's where the loading docks are, delivery people coming and going constantly, and police making parking difficult, you could bring a couple loaves of bread and pack of bologna, hand out sandwiches, or what ever. They know where to go if they wanted to, there are lots of missions and churches that offer food, shelter, showers, clothes, but they're not allowed to drink or do dope there.

Answer 3

The Chicago Jaycees is a great organization that helps all sorts of different people in the city. Its a great place to belong. I moved away from the city and miss it terribly! A lot of the community service projects help children. They meet once a month downtown, and there are many different projects to get personally involved in. You should check them out.

http://www.chicagojaycees.org/

Answer 4

Check with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (http://www.chicagohomeless.org/IndexNew.asp). They are the largest homeless help agency in the city. It might be good place to start.

Answer 5

i dont know if its still there but there used to be a mission to help the poor it was on about the 700 block of south state street but if you go make sure you take archer ave because if you dont your name might be in the obituaries i love everyone on this earth but if your not careful you may see Jesus faster than you thought because if you dont know Chicago you can make one wrong turn and end up at a crack house and they will use you as a doorstop

Answer 6

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Answer 7

A project that you can do as an individual is called Project Hopebags. It involves placing a meal and a note of love in a plastic bag and handing it out to people on the corner.

Go to http://www.hopebags.com to learn more about it.

Answer 8

call either the ymca or the salvation army here.