Franciscan Ministry A Tale of Two Cities’ Franciscan Outreach (the franciscan way newsletter)
February 2nd, 2026
“As migration enforcement, the cost of addiction and economic distress dominate the headlines, Franciscan outreach to the poor continues as usual in both Chicago and Philadelphia, two great American cities with long traditions of friar service to the marginalized.
The two cities can be cold in the winter, both in the meteorological sense as well as emotionally for those seeking shelter and food in sometimes unforgiving atmospheres. But the Franciscan tradition offers a contrast."
Blanket Of Dreams Strives For Common Purpose In Divided Times (Journal & Topics)
November 18th, 2025
“I think the thing that hit me, we gave it to a women’s shelter and some to a men’s shelter, but it was 20 here and 20 there,” Collins said. “When we discovered Franciscan Outreach, at the time, they were dealing with over 200 homeless people a day, and it was like, ‘Wow, they really have a need.’”
Franciscan Outreach was started in 1963 by Fr. Phillip Marquard, a Franciscan friar. He started out by providing a halfway house on the West Side of Chicago for people who served their time in person but didn’t have anywhere to go. The organization has since expanded its services, opening three overnight shelters and offering supportive services by themselves and in collaboration with other West Side service providers.
City to invest $40 million to modernize shelters for unhoused people (Chicago Sun-Times)
July 23, 2025
“Robret Sparkman-Simpson is executive director of Franciscan Outreach, which operates four Chicago shelters that together served more than 3,500 people last year. The organization’s mission is to provide “shelter care and pathways to permanent housing” for vulnerable residents by “meeting them with dignity” and “wraparound” services.”
New 120-bed shelter planned for Chicago’s Little Village
December 2, 2024
“A major redevelopment project is underway in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, where a historic industrial building at 2508 W. 21st St. will soon be transformed into a 120-bed shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. Spearheaded by Franciscan Outreach, the project will breathe new life into the largely vacant 45,000-sq. ft. structure, addressing a critical need for shelter and services in the community.”
Funding Partially Approved For New 120-bed Shelter In Little Village
November 30, 2024
"Details have been revealed as funding has been initially approved for a new shelter at 2508 W 21st Street in Little Village. Located just east of the intersection with S Rockwell Street, the shelter will redevelop an existing industrial building sitting next to the elevated rail embankments. Efforts for the project are being led by Franciscan Outreach with LBBA serving as the architects."
Good Night Chicago
Franciscan Outreach joins the GoodNight Chicago movement to help bring backpack beds to our unhoused neighbors in need. A Chicago wide homeless program to provide emergency relief Backpack Beds to unsheltered people across Chicago.
Donate to help Chicago's Unsheltered Homeless Today
Chicago Department of Public Health Grant Funds Infection Control Measures
Franciscan Outreach receives shelter essential items including 235 new mattresses thanks to the Chicago Department of Public Health Grant Funds Infection Control Measures for Traditional Shelter Residents and our partners at Lawndale Christian Health Center, to learn more please see: Shelter Based Care Renovations
Franciscan Outreach receives Merit Grant from Impact Grants Chicago
A competitive, multi-step process that began last fall culminated this week at the Impact Grants Chicago 2024 Awards Celebration. Out of an initial 130+ applicants, Franciscan Outreach was proud to have been among the seven finalists for a 2024 Impact Grant Chicago award! Sharing the stage with the six other impactful nonprofit organizations was a true honor! Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you for doing the inspiring work you do!
FRANCISCAN OUTREACH AWARDED FUNDING FOR MEDICAL RESPITE PROGRAM.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – Franciscan Outreach is thrilled to announce being one of 17 Illinois agencies awarded funding from the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) for increasing access to medical respite care services for people experiencing homelessness. This initiative is funded by IDHS as part of Home Illinois: Illinois’ Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, which identified medical respite care as a key activity. Medical respite care is acute and post-acute care for people experiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover from illness or injury on the streets or in a shelter, but who do not require hospital-level care. It combines short-term housing with health services that allow individuals experiencing homelessness the opportunity to rest, recover, and heal in a safe and secure environment while accessing medical care and other supportive services. With this funding, Franciscan Outreach is pleased to share that we will begin offering medical respite care services in Chicago in 2024.