Become a Dream Maker
Think about what a mattress can mean to someone who has spent months sleeping upright in a car, on a cot in a room with 60 strangers, or on concrete.
Opening in Fall 2026, Franciscan Outreach's newest shelter brings to life a bold vision first imagined in 2023. More than a new building, it will expand our ability to provide immediate safety, personalized support, and new pathways to stability and permanent housing for years to come.
As the building takes shape, one of the most immediate ways supporters can help is by purchasing a mattress. With 36 beds on the congregate side, and 84 beds on the non-congregate side, we have 120 chances for donors to contribute and help us create a place of rest, dignity, and recovery for our guests.
The first night on a real bed, with clean sheets and a safe place to rest, is the first night the body finally lets go and rest becomes possible. Everything our case managers do afterward starts from that night.
Become a Dream Maker Today!
More about the new shelter
Inspired by lessons learned from COVID, when emergency shelters across the country recognized the need for private spaces to reduce the spread of illness and support recovery, Franciscan Outreach saw an opportunity to expand what shelter can accomplish.
The new model brings two complementary approaches under one roof: congregate shelter, with shared sleeping spaces that keep our doors open to anyone in crisis, and non-congregate shelter, with private rooms that create a bridge to permanent housing. Together, this first-of-its-kind approach gives guests the flexibility to receive the right environment and level of support at every stage of their housing journey.
After the purchase of the building, a groundbreaking, and a year-long transformation of a 45,000 square foot facility, this landmark project will help shape the future of homeless services in Chicago.
Thank you for standing with us as we prepare to open the doors.
