The Night Ministry

By George Martin Four years ago I heard about The Crib, one of the Youth Housing Programs run by The Night Ministry. At the time, the organization I had been volunteering with was shutting down. With my decades of experience as a volunteer coach with young people from different neighborhoods throughout Chicago and my involvement in feeding homeless individuals, I thought The Night Ministry might be a good fit for me. And it has been. I’ve done everything from serve meals alongside the Health Outreach Bus and volunteer at The Crib to paint the Open Door Shelter in West Town and outreach with the Street Medicine Team. I’ve brought resources like a fridge and television to The Crib and water, tents, and socks to clients of the Street Medicine Program. I stay engaged with The Night Ministry because I see firsthand the impact its services have on the clients whom we serve. In my professional life I have been able to generate support for the mission of The Night Ministry from my colleagues. While it is rare that I can truly capture in words exactly what the organization’s services mean for our clients, I do assure my colleagues of the extraordinary work The Night Ministry is doing on the streets of Chicago every day.
Some of those efforts pay off by changing the trajectory of someone’s life. Other times we may just be able to give someone a moment of peace. One evening, I was providing meals with the Health Outreach Bus in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. A young woman, perhaps 15 or 16 years old, with a thousand-mile stare, approached us. When I asked her if she would like something to eat, I got no reply. I did my best to assure her she could take her meal and walk away, with no strings attached. It took a little while, but she finally took some food. She didn’t smile, but her eyes had a less heavy look as she walked away. George Martin is Senior Vice President at Penserra Securities LLC. To learn about volunteer opportunities, visit www.thenightministry.org or email volunteering@ thenightministry.org. ◊

I started as a volunteer, then a temporary employee and 16 years later as a full time employee. The Night Ministry is innovative while keeping a focus on the financial components of operating a non-profit. It has been awe inspiring to watch how many of the new programs started as a seed of a discussion that ends up being a full fledged program with The Night Ministry. In my role I interact with volunteers of all ages and background it is amazing to see how much compassion there is for individuals experiencing homelessness.

The Night Ministry stands out in Chicago for its innovative and compassionate services that have supported individuals most in need since 1976. I first came in to contact with The Night Ministry over a decade ago and have remained inspired by their work ever since. The Night Ministry is a one of a kind organization doing tremendous good for the members of our society that have the hardest time accessing services.

Everyone I have encountered from The Night Ministry is passionate and driven to make a difference in our community. I find their work inspiring and I have no doubt that my donation is going to a great cause!

I started as a volunteer and quickly joined the Associate Board b/c I saw firsthand the work that The Night Ministry does with youth in Chicago who are experiencing homelessness. I saw how TNM met the youth where they were in life which gave them the confidence to keep pushing forward each day.

The Night Ministry is an incredible Chicago-based non-profit that does unparalleled work benefiting our city’s most vulnerable. I am so proud to volunteer with them and support them financially - and seeing how responsible they are with their meager resources makes me even more enthusiastic to give to them. This is a top notch organization and the work they do makes an incredible difference.

I have heard of The Night Ministry for years, but it wasn't until recently that I had the opportunity to fully understand the scope of their work and how they consistently touch the lives of so many. From assisting those with a place to stay, to meeting those who choose to live on the streets, their non judgemental approach with their desire and ability to meeting people where they are in their lives to provide support and assistance is unwavering. The Night Ministry is one of the few organizations if not the only, who consistently visits the homeless encampments offering street medicine and human connection regularly and is known for treating everyone with integrity and purpose. This is truly an organization with a long track record and consistency that makes me incredibly proud to be from the Chicago area.

Living in Chicago for 15 years, I always saw The Night Ministry popping up in different areas around the city, and always had such great respect for the work they do. However, it wasn't until we had the amazing opportunity to work with TNM on digital project where I really got to know this organization on a much more detailed level. The staff and volunteers are inspired and passionate about what they do, and that's evident in the work they do every single day. Working with them professionally was beyond rewarding, and can testify that this group walks the walk. TNM truly makes the world a bit of a better place, and I'm proud to have them as a neighbor, client, and friend.

I was introduced to the Night Ministry years ago by a friend. I was able to engage some mentored high school students by distributing meals in the Humboldt Park community along side the medical van. It was love at first sight, they had a great time and so did I. Since then I've supporting the Night Ministry through ComEd/Exelon every since. Hats off to the Night Ministry and all that they!!!

The Night Ministry is among the most well run non-profits I have been affiliated with in my seven years working with non-profits. The impact the organization has is unmatched in Chicago's campaign to end homelessness.

The Night Ministry inspires me every day! I believe in the mission wholeheartedly, and can see the difference it makes in the lives of diverse Chicagoans. As far as I can see, no other nonprofit does what The Night Ministry does - the emphasis on mobile health outreach (on foot and in medical vehicles), nighttime services, housing for youth, all with an open-hearted nonjudgmental spirit...are just a few things that make this nonprofit so special and worthy of support.

I personally have seen them help individuals turn their own lives around. Love their idea of being just present in peoples lives. No judgements. They help so many kinds of homeless people from children to seniors, from health to food and shelter. One of a kind! Everyone working there is someone special.

The Night Ministry is a wonderful organization that helps individuals that are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless through vital programs like Health and Youth Outreach, Youth Shelter, HIV testing services, and referral programs to other social service agencies.

After hearing about The Night Ministry when I was in my 30's with little kids, I decided I had to do something to help this organization when I had more time. I have since volunteered on the bus, at their Spring benefit and at The Crib and I am the one who has reaped the rewards from this organization! Well run and a rewarding organization with which to work.

Have Volunteered in many different ways. The Night Ministry (TNM) delivers an open ear and hand to those who are in dire need in Chicagoland.
Clients come from all over the city and suburbs. I personally have the pleasure of working with staff that qualify as angels. TNM
is reliably present with people, places and times. Better than any I have seen for homeless in Chicago. TNM helps people at the most basic of levels. "Successful clients" have told me TNM referrals helped them change their own lives. Health Out Reach Bus w/ nurse practitioner, Shelter, Food, Counseling....see 6 min video my fellow volunteer and I produced of just one of their services in Chicago.

Pregnant and Parenting Program RAPPP
http://youtu.be/3D7FPbRVxks

see tremendous kindness every time and a lot of little steps of personal growth for individuals who are in trouble maintaining the basics. The Night Ministry is consistently present for those in need.

I have volunteered with the Night Ministry at three of its outreach bus stops. Health care, counseling, and other services are provided to so many people who wait in line patiently because they have no where else to turn. Volunteers provide food and companionship alongside the outreach bus. I cannot count the number of times clients have stated that the Night Ministry saved them by providing food, services, and shelter when they needed it most. The Night Ministry staff are caring and kind. They have become the surrogate family for many youth who have no other family. Its a very worthy organization!

I first came to The Night Ministry as a communications staff person. I worked there for about 8 years. I saw so much caring help and compassion from program staff and volunteers while providing free health care on Chicago's nighttime street from a specially outfitted bus. Everyone needs to feel they belong somewhere and when I would go out with the Bus, it always amazed me the way the bus visitors always called it "their bus" and they looked out for staff. It was like a little sanctuary around the bus - with laughing and companionship.

Program staff and volunteers helped homeless youth on the streets, in afternoon drop-in programs, and at their shelters in Chicago for homeless youth who are not wards of the state. Homeless youth are not always angels, but they are always in need of listening, guidance, food, help with practical matters and shelter. Homeless youth with children of their own need even more. Staff and volunteers provide that with a sense of humor and kindness.

I no longer work at The Night Ministry, but I am a donor now. They do critical, important, very human work and I am proud to have played a tiny part. Staff and volunteers show the proverbial "Holiday spirit" all year round with caring and assistance for those who have so very little. The other thing I love about The Night Ministry is that there isn't any judgment for those they serve and no proselytizing.

I began my relationship with The Night Ministry as a donor, but have worked here since 1997. I began my work here as an outreach worker with youth on the street and in one of our short-term housing programs, and I can truly say that we changed lives ... by providing safe space, opportunities for self-development, and skills leading to self-sufficiency.

The Night Ministry is an amazing organization that works with people who are homeless and in particular many at risk youth. They offer meaningful and life-changing volunteer experiences. They are one of the only agencies in Chicago doing significant work with youth who are homeless or marginalized. They offer such great hospitality to those who need it most.

I have worked for The Night Ministry for over 9 years and have become increasingly more proud of the work that we do in Chicago with populations that are underserved and at-risk. For homeless youth, while we provide them with immediate survival needs (food, clothing, and shelter), we also provide services that help them transition to independent living and become self-sufficient. We also provide point-of entry healthcare in a mobile setting to low-income and uninsured individuals of all ages, targeting six neighborhoods identified as having high concentrations of people in need. We are happy to be celebrating our 35th year in operation.

I am a past volunteer and current staff member of The Night Ministry. The organization, which has been helping the community for over 35 years, connects with Chicago's vulnerable youth and adults to provide
self-care supplies, free healthcare, housing, referrals to resources, and various other supportive services.

I had several very positive volunteer experiences before becoming full-time staff here. I highly recommend getting involved with The Night Ministry and giving back to the Chicago community!

This is a hugely valuable organization with several missions -- including a "Health Bus" that goes to underserved areas in Chicago and reaches people in need of, but without access to, health services. Truly remarkable. http://www.thenightministry.org/001_programs/030_ohm/002_services/001_health_services/