The Night Ministry provides housing, health care, and human connection to Chicago residents experiencing homelessness or poverty, and it raised nearly $245,000 to support its lifesaving services through a special five-week campaign this spring.
The organization launched the Illuminating Human Connection campaign in lieu of its annual Lighting Up the Night awards dinner and auction. The Night Ministry was unable to hold the benefit event, which raises critical funding for its programming, because of the pandemic.
The Night Ministry is known for its Health Outreach Program, which brings free health care, food, and supportive services directly to families and individuals where they live, and its Youth Housing Programs, which provide safe shelter for young people struggling with housing instability.
Underpinning all these programs, which together serve more than 5,670 people each year, is human connection, the relationship building and sustaining through which The Night Ministry engages its clients.
“If housing and health care are what The Night Ministry does, then human connection is how we do it,” said Paul W. Hamann, president & CEO.
Throughout the Illuminating Human Connection campaign, The Night Ministry highlighted stories about the importance of relationships in fulfilling its mission while encouraging its community of supporters to share with their networks about the agency’s work.
Many supporters created online fundraisers on behalf of the agency to spread the word and to generate donations. Others reached out to their family, friends, and colleagues through email, phone, or personal contact.
“We are so grateful to all of our Illuminating Human Connection sponsors and donors,” said Christy Prassas, vice president of Philanthropic Engagement. “Their support is helping ensure that our outreach staff are on the streets and the doors of our shelters are staying open.”
Make It Better Media Group provided a $10,000 matching grant for Illuminating Human Connection. Funds raised by the campaign go directly to support The Night Ministry’s programs and the people the organization serves.
Donate today to help The Night Ministry continue its critical outreach.
Sponsors of the Illuminating Human Connection campaign included the Joseph and Bessie Feinberg Foundation, Dave and Nicole Berger, Anne and Bill Goldstein, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hillegass, The Dover Gratitude Fund, BMO Harris Bank, and Make It Better Media Group.
For more information about The Night Ministry, visit thenightministry.org or call 773-784-9000.
