Last week on Giving Tuesday, we held our packing event for our Winter Clothing Drive. We are proud to announce that with the support of the community as well as the hard work of our Associate Board, we were able to serve over 100 individuals this Winter with essential items such as hats, gloves, coats, scarves, and blankets.
Along with the help of our Associate Board, this event was also successfully conducted through the assistance of the Unsheltered Housing Initiative (UHI), which helped navigate which items were most in demand, and how they would be distributed.
With over 20 volunteers helping us give back to the community until the very end of our clothing drive, this event served as a great representation of the desire to come together to support our community, and the impact that can be made by doing so. Whether you were someone that contributed through donation or volunteering, or you were an individual who received this assistance, we are happy to have you as part of our community and we hope that you continue with us as we strive to make homelessness history.
Thank you for our donors and volunteers for making this event possible!
From the beautiful setting at the University Club to the heartfelt remarks by our President and CEO, Carolyn K. Ross, the morning was filled with connection, purpose, and hope. Carolyn reminded us that when our city faces stress, our neighbors with no place to call home feel it most deeply. At this critical time, as federal resources remain uncertain, it’s our moment to step forward together.
And you did step forward. We raised over $400,000, smashing this year’s fundraising goals for the event! Thank you! Every dollar helps us open more doors to safe housing and provide the critical resources needed to make homelessness history.
Keep scrolling for a quick recap of the day’s events!
Highlights
Stone Award
Winner: Shana Hayes, VP and Chief Social Impact Officer, Northern Trust
We had the pleasure of awarding this year’s Stone Award to Shana Hayes, VP and Chief Social Impact Officer at Northern Trust. Shana was chosen as this year’s recipient for her constant efforts to combat homelessness. Under her guidance, Northern Trust continues to deepen its legacy as a responsible corporate citizen—enhancing access to vital resources, empowering individuals to reach their fullest potential, and nurturing pathways to sustained financial success.
Shana thanked her family for their support and spoke about how they influenced her work in improving the community and helping our neighbors in need.
Key to Hope Award
Winner: Ogden Management
The Key to Hope Award recognizes an outstanding property partner whose collaboration with All Chicago helps provide safe, stable housing for our neighbors in need. This honor celebrates the vital role our partners play in opening doors, building community, and advancing our shared mission to end homelessness in Chicago.
Ogden Management was chosen as this year’s recipient for their empathy and compassion when dealing with tenants that they house through All Chicago. They’ve allowed individuals the room to grow and sustain themselves, which was a huge positive influence on their success.
Speakers
Carolyn Ross
CEO, All Chicago Making Homelessness History
Carolyn Ross, CEO of All Chicago, started proceedings for us. She spoke about the especially difficult times that we are currently facing as a country, and how it is most important for All Chicago to step up as an organization in these moments.
She also spoke about the positive impact that we’ve had as an organization over the past year that we hope to continue. This includes supplying 1.162 households with emergency funds, and enrolling over 600 people for services through expanded street outreach.
Natalie Y. Moore
Award Winning Author & Journalist
As our guest keynote speaker this year, we had Natalie Y. Moore Author and journalist. She spoke about the the increased struggle of the less fortunate during difficult times and how the people with the least typically suffer the most. This highlighted the importance of our contribution in this moment and why we should feel a responsibility to help our neighbors in times of need.
Paddle Raise
Over $150,000 raised!
This year’s edition of the paddle raise was a resounding success. With the help of our great host and a generous $50,000 math from the McCormick Foundation, we were able to crush our goal and raise over $150,000 from the paddle raise. This brought our total funds raised for the day over $400,000. This is stunning and will contribute directly to our community and ensuring that Chicago is a better place for everyone who lives here.
Thursday, October 16, 2025 8:00 am-10:00am Chicago University Club
Every year, our All Chicago community gathers to celebrate our collective achievements and renew our commitment to a future where everyone has a place to call home.
All Chicago plays a crucial role in our community by providing emergency financial assistance, fostering community partnerships, managing data analytics for our partners, and offering essential training and research support.
We look forward to seeing you at this inspiring event. Enjoy a delightful breakfast, connect with fellow supporters, and hear powerful stories of how we are making a difference together. Your presence and generosity help ensure that we can continue our mission to end homelessness and build a stronger, more compassionate community.
Learn more and get tickets by pressing the button below!
Shana Hayes, Senior VP, Chief Social Impact Officer at Northern Trust Bank
We’re honored to present the 2025 Norman H. Stone Award to Shana Hayes for her tireless work pursuing solutions to the problems facing our communities, including homelessness, and her fostering of collaboration and collective impact in addressing these issues.
Shana Hayes is Senior Vice President and Chief Social Impact Officer at Northern Trust, where she leads the firm’s global philanthropic strategy and advances community development investment initiatives. Under her guidance, Northern Trust continues to deepen its legacy as a responsible corporate citizen—enhancing access to vital resources, empowering individuals to reach their fullest potential, and nurturing pathways to sustained financial success.
This year’s Key to Hope Awardee is Ogden Management Group!
The Key to Hope Award recognizes an outstanding property partner whose collaboration with All Chicago helps provide safe, stable housing for our neighbors in need. This honor celebrates the vital role our partners play in opening doors, building community, and advancing our shared mission to end homelessness in Chicago.
What sets them apart is their commitment to second chances, often going beyond standard screening practices to ensure housing is a foundation for stability, not a reward for perfection.Their compassion, reliability, and alignment with the Housing First approach make them a model for property management partners everywhere.
Thank you, Ogden Managment Group!
Introducing Our Keynote Speaker for BWAC 2025:
Natalie Y. Moore
Natalie Y. Moore is a senior lecturer at Northwestern University, award-winning journalist, author, and playwright known for her reporting on race, housing, and segregation in Chicago. A longtime reporter and editor at WBEZ, her work has been featured on NPR, Marketplace, the BBC, and in outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, and The Guardian.
She is the author of The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation, which won the 2016 Chicago Review of Books Award and was named a best book of the year by Buzzfeed. She is also co-author of The Almighty Black P Stone Nation and Deconstructing Tyrone.
Moore has received numerous honors, including the Studs Terkel Community Media Award, the 21st Century Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation, and a Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. She was named Best Journalist by the Chicago Reader in 2017 and received an honorary doctorate from Adler University.
Also a playwright, her Jeff Award-winning play The Billboard premiered in 2022. She is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists.
At the 2025 Breakfast with All Chicago, Moore will draw on her expertise to explore the systemic causes of homelessness and housing inequity.
Local leaders in the Chicago faith community gathered on July 30 to discuss homelessness and how their churches, temples and mosques can offer effective help for people experiencing homelessness. The meeting, which brought together over 60 faith leaders, was organized by All Chicago Making Homelessness History and Bishop Shirley Coleman of the Spiritual Wholistic Ministries of Love & Faith. The attendees discussed their own churches’ work to help those experiencing homelessness, and expressed their desire to coordinate resources.
Bishop Coleman urged the attendees to act as “pastors to the whole of our community,” including people experiencing homelessness. “It was important to bring together the community because truly charity starts at home and it starts at our church,” Coleman said. “I had not seen the community of faith brought together to address homelessness from a faith-based perspective in this way. As servants, we must lead with compassion and hope, and that’s what our unhoused neighbors need, especially in this time.”
A panel of leaders discussed their organizations’ experiences working to address homelessness, weighing in on the challenges they have faced and sharing advice and insights about how the faith-based community can work together to be as effective as possible. Nicole Bahena, Vice President of Community Partnerships at All Chicago, noted that the faith-based community are often the first responders for people experiencing homelessness, just as they are in so many crises in the community.
Sherri Allen-Reeves, Executive Director of the Phoenix Foundation, painted a clear picture of the history of disinvestment that has exacerbated homelessness, including the closing of mental health centers, the lack of support programs for people dealing with substance use, and the lack of truly affordable housing. She noted that the Phoenix Foundation has found it essential to build partnerships with organizations such as Street Samaritans and Ch-Care to provide essential expertise. “You have to find the partners, the organizations who can help you.”
Matt DeMateo, the Chief Executive Officer of New Life Centers, discussed his organization’s work to address homelessness. New Life Centers has a range of programs for people experiencing homelessness, and ran seven shelters during the influx of new arrivals in 2023 and 2024. He cautioned that this work is demanding, and advised attendees to look for partnerships with other churches, temples, mosques and organizations rather than trying to go it alone. “If you go it alone, this work can burn you out fast. Find the people doing the work already, because we know how to get things done,” DeMateo said.
Dr. Shelia Martin, Executive Administrator of the Wholistic Alliance, talked about treating people with dignity and respect. “When we are working with people experiencing homelessness, we greet them by their name, as Mister or Miss, just as we would anyone in our community. That means something.” Martin also noted how crucial it has been to make connections to other organizations that offer different services so that referrals are easy. “We serve primarily single men experiencing homelessness, but we had to learn about other places that work with families. That connection is crucial.”
During a Q&A session, many attendees expressed a desire to learn more. “We want to do more, but we need to know what resources there are,” noted one participant. Some attendees spoke of their own personal experience of homelessness and urged compassion and respect. “You don’t know how much a welcoming smile and an open heart can mean,” said Martin.
Bishop Coleman noted that this meeting is the beginning of something larger, and she and All Chicago’s President and CEO Carolyn K. Ross committed to continuing the conversation. “Now we have come together, and we have a foundation to build on. We know there is a desire to do more, and to work together. We will be listening to feedback from everyone who attended today, and reaching out to expand our network,” said Coleman. “This is the beginning of something.”
On Thursday, June 26, 2025, the All Chicago Associate Board is hosting their inaugural fundraiser to support solutions that end homelessness in our city – and we want YOU there.
Join us on Thursday, June 26 from 6pm until 8pm at Industrious, 171 N. Aberdeen Street, 4th floor.
Day 1 Families Fund grants $96.2 million to 32 nonprofits across the country to provide shelter for children and families in need
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHICAGO – All Chicago Making Homelessness History, the organization responsible for leading a system of more than 100 partners that work to address homelessness through Chicago’s Continuum of Care, today announced that it has been selected to receive a $5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund—the largest private grant in All Chicago’s history. Launched in 2018 by Amazon founder and executive chair Jeff Bezos, the Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to provide shelter and hunger support to address the immediate needs of young families.
“This grant allows us to extend the impact of the Expedited Housing Initiative, a program developed during the pandemic to find a more efficient way to rehouse people experiencing homelessness,” said Carolyn Ross, CEO of All Chicago Making Homelessness History. “The grant helps us as we strive to move beyond a short-term emergency response to a long-term system change that secures a home for the families and individuals facing homelessness.”
This one-time grant will allow All Chicago Making Homelessness History to provide its partners on the frontlines with funds and resources to extend their housing services and support for families. This will include building on its state-of-the-art Expedited Housing Initiative, which has rapidly rehoused more than 1,200 Chicago families and individuals in the last year through Accelerated Moving Events that allow families to find and select a home, complete applications and obtain furniture all in one day. Through this and other efforts of its partners, All Chicago plans to help an additional 350 families divert from homelessness over the next year.
“With the help of All Chicago, I had a better thing to look forward to. It didn’t even take two months; just that fast. I got a two-bedroom apartment. I am able to invite others over now. It’s support. It’s help. It’s housing,” said Leonard McGruder, a participant in the Expedited Housing Initiative.
All Chicago Making Homelessness History was selected as a Day 1 Families Fund grant recipient by an independent advisory board comprised of homelessness experts with experience in policy, advocacy, racial equity, child welfare and housing and service delivery, as well as firsthand experience in homelessness.
This year, the Day 1 Families Fund issued a total of $96.2 million in grants to 32 organizations across the country. The 2021 Day 1 Families Fund grant recipients are: ACLAMO; Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches; Alabama Rural Coalition for the Homeless, Inc.; All Chicago Making Homelessness History; AACI (Asian Americans for Community Involvement); Building Changes and Africatown International; Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa; Colorado Coalition for the Homeless; Covenant House Alaska; Destination: Home; Doorways; Family Life Center; Family Service League; Friends of the Family; Homeless Action Network of Detroit; Homeward; LifeMoves; Lubbock Open Door; Mesilla Valley Community of Hope; Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter & Services; Mississippi United to End Homelessness; Newcap, Inc.; Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA); Portland Homeless Family Solutions; Project Community Connections, Inc.; Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP); Sacramento Steps Forward; SHELTER, Inc.; Texas Homeless Network; The Link; Tri- County Community Action Agency, Inc.; and Union Station Homeless Services.
“With the help of All Chicago, I had a better thing to look forward to. It didn’t even take two months; just that fast. I got a two-bedroom apartment. I am able to invite others over now. It’s support. It’s help. It’s housing,” said Leonard McGruder, a participant in the Expedited Housing Initiative.
The Bezos Day One Fund made a $2 billion commitment to focus on making meaningful and lasting impacts in two areas: funding existing non-profits that help families experiencing homelessness, and creating a network of new, non-profit tier-one preschools in low-income communities. The Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to provide shelter and hunger support to address the immediate needs of young families. Since 2018, the Day 1 Families Fund has issued 130 grants totaling more than $398 million to organizations around the country working to combat homelessness and help families gain housing support and stability. The vision statement comes from the inspiring Mary’s Place in Seattle: no child sleeps outside. For more information, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.
About All Chicago Making Homelessness History
All Chicago Making Homelessness History is dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness across Chicago through four signature approaches: Emergency Financial Assistance, Community Partnerships, Data Analytics, and Training and Research. We provide critical financial assistance to people experiencing an emergency that could lead to homelessness or other crises. We convene key stakeholders and drive collaboration to lead Chicago’s city-wide response to ending homelessness. We manage a citywide database to collect and analyze data on people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness and the services they receive. We provide our partners with trainings, tools, information and research to address homelessness more effectively.
Media requests should be directed to Hank Sartin, Director of Communications at All Chicago, at hsartin@allchicago.org or 872-291-1278.
Destinee Miguest is a remarkable individual whose diverse career and unwavering commitment to various causes have made her an influential figure in the fields of mental health/social work. Currently serving as the Clinical Director of Richard J. Daley’s Wellness Center, Destinee has consistently demonstrated her passion for making a positive impact in the world. Destinee’s educational journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The Ohio State University. She further honed her expertise by earning a Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in Alcohol and Drug Addictions from Loyola University Chicago.
Throughout her professional life, Destinee’s path has been marked by diversity and commitment. She has held roles as a Title IX Coordinator for the Office of Inspector General and Chicago Public Schools, a Forensic Social Worker for Cook County Jail, a Clinician for Timberline Knolls Residential Facility, and a Statutory Social Worker within New Zealand’s Child services system. Each of these roles has allowed her to apply her skills and knowledge to address pressing issues at the intersections of race, mental health, and law. Destinee’s friends and colleagues consistently describe her with three words: tenacious, loyal, and intentional. These qualities are at the core of her character and drive her relentless pursuit of positive change in the world.
Bailey Foster is a recent Master’s of Urban Planning & Policy graduate from the University of Illinois Chicago. She is currently a Development Intern at Preservation of Affordable Hosing (POAH) which she began through the Illinois Housing Council’s Emerging Leaders Internship program in May. Bailey is committed to advancing her career in affordable housing development to pursue housing justice for all.
Margaret Pelka (she/her) joins the All Chicago Associate Board with 15 years of experience having built world-class, customer success and sales teams in the EdTech industry. Margaret is an empathetic leader who is committed to authentic, equitable talent development and coaching that gives everyone a voice in an organization. Most recently, Margaret served as the SVP of Customer success at Learnship where she led the global Customer Success Team to strengthen customer loyalty and enable business growth. She holds a certificate in organizational leadership from Northwestern University and TEFL certification through Oxford Seminars. She earned her bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and has been dedicated to making the city of Chicago her home ever since.
Cache’ Binion is deeply committed to advancing financial literacy and urban development invulnerable communities, focusing on closing the socioeconomic gap with innovative strategies tailored to younger generations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with double minors in International Business and Finance, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Criminal Social Justice, specializing in Policy Analysis and Formation.
As she continues to grow, she’s broadening her scope to include both philanthropy and politics. she is passionate for service, networking, and cultivating professional relationships that align with her political aspirations. Her long-term goals include reshaping how our community and nation approach punishment and education for children and young adults.
Cache’ is a strong advocate for community-based events, human rights, and socialism, actively supporting the Chicagoland area and its communities since childhood. She finds joy in connecting with like-minded individuals and is committed to working toward her vision of becoming Chicago’s youngest and wealthiest female philanthropist.
Melvin D. Craig III (He/Him/His) is an experienced young professional currently serving as the Administrative Coordinator at Chicago Loop Alliance. In this role, he provides executive support to the CEO and CFO, manages office operations, assists with financial audits, and supports grant writing efforts. He holds an associate degree in general studies from Pierpont Technical & Community College and a certificate in grant writing from DePaul University. Hailing from Gary, IN, Melvin currently lives in the Lakeview neighborhood. Melvin joins the Associate Board as Founding Member, excited to bring a unique perspective to the table.
Ms. Ross serves as the President & Chief Executive Officer of All Chicago Making Homelessness History. During her tenure, she has brought together public and private sector leaders, nonprofit leaders, service partners, and leaders with lived experience to prioritize collaboration and system-level impact in Chicago. She has worked with key stakeholders on numerous innovative strategies to address homelessness and secured additional resources to support the tremendous work of community partners during the pandemic to secure housing for our most vulnerable residents.
She has years of experience working in the field of human services, focusing specifically on the causes that often lead to homelessness and developing strategies to help build community capacity. Ms. Ross currently serves on the Illinois Community Advisory Council on Homelessness, the Racial Equity Roundtable on Black Homelessness, the Illinois Commission to End Hunger, the 211 Metro Chicago Advisory Board, and the Chicago Continuum of Care. She completed Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program and is a graduate of DePaul University.
A gift of appreciated securities to All Chicago eliminates the capital gains tax that would be due upon selling the stock and gives you tangible tax savings and benefits while also supporting our mission.
Contact the Development Team at giving@allchicago.org to learn if this is the right option for you.
Leave a lasting legacy by including All Chicago in your end-of-life financial and/or estate plans. Planned giving is a smart, practical way to invest in All Chicago’s long-term financial stability while caring for yourself and your loved ones.
Contact the Development Team at giving@allchicago.org to learn more about planned giving and if this is the right option for you.
Your gift helps fuel All Chicago’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness through our four signature solutions: emergency financial assistance, fostering community partnerships, leveraging data analytics, and advancing training and research initiatives.
Monthly giving is a simple, sustainable way to support our neighbors in need. Visit our donation page and select “Recurring Gift” in the gift type to set up automatic gifts. Help us carry out our mission every day and make a big impact all year round.
Chicago Rents has teamed up with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) to connect property partners with tenants with housing vouchers. Benefits include:
Long-Term Subsidies – CHA’s programs allow property partners to build long-term relationships with their tenants.
Timely Payments – CHA will make timely payments using direct deposit, allowing rent to be deposited straight into your account.
Teaming up with housing partners across the city, Chicago Rents is proud to offer the CoC Housing Identification (CHI) program to property partners. Benefits include:
Multiple Program Options – Chicago Rents will make your units available to a wide variety of programs. If your unit is selected, you will have the opportunity to see if the program is a good fit for your needs.
Housing Assistance – Programs will assist with case management, rental payments, and issues that may arise.
* All Chicago is not the paying entity for the CHI Program
Combining rental assistance with case management services, the Expedited Housing Initiative (EHI) connects property partners with tenants and supplies rental assistance as needed. Benefits include:
Tenant Case Management – Tenants receive supportive services for the duration of the lease from trained staff.
Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund – In case of damages, property partners can receive funds to repair units.
Timely Payments – Chicago Rents will make prompt payments with the option of direct deposit, allowing rent payments to be deposited straight into your account.
Foundation Enterprises, LLC Testimonial
Our mission at Foundation Enterprises, LLC is to provide high quality, affordable housing and superior customer service to our residents in the pursuit of uplifting families, neighborhoods, and communities. This lines up with All Chicago’s mission and has been the basis for our strong partnership. Providing great service and quality affordable housing to help end homelessness goes beyond the individual and can be a great catalyst for change in Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities.
WHB Management Testimonial
Chicago Rents keeps me well-informed with updates as they occur, and they are very responsive to any questions or concerns around the process. I especially look forward to the Advisory Council meetings. It’s an opportunity to learn from others and provide feedback to Chicago Rents. All Chicago is an excellent organization to work with and I would recommend it to others interested in working with them.
Marblestone Testimonial
Above all, I think the staff at All Chicago, particularly Erik, Susanna, and Hal have been welcoming and super helpful to navigate around the issues that come up. They have always tried to work through problems that arise in a fair and respectful fashion. They have allowed our business to help owners who want to keep units occupied and invest in the greater mission of ending homelessness. One unit at a time!
Financial Incentives
Chicago Rents can provide financial incentives for qualifying units in tight rental markets. Please contact your Landlord Engagement Coordinator to learn more and find out if your units are eligible.
Making a Difference in Your Community
You can be a part of the solution for ending homelessness for your neighbors in Chicago!
Filled Vacancies
Chicago Rents connects property partners with tenants and supplies rental assistance as needed.
Property Partner Support
With Chicago Rents, you will have a Landlord Engagement Coordinator help onboard your units, advertise your units free of charge, and assist you throughout the tenancy.
Guaranteed Rent
Property partners are guaranteed rent payments from Chicago Rents. If a tenant is unable to pay their portion, Chicago Rents will aid in making prompt payments as long as the tenant is eligible with the program.
Referral Program
If you successfully refer a colleague to work with Chicago Rents, you will be entered in a quarterly raffle to win a $50 gift card! To be entered, the successful referral must note that you referred them, onboard with us, and have one unit available to be shown at an Accelerated Moving Event (AME).
Rental Assistance without Case Manager
These programs offer long-term housing subsidies with an income-based tenant portion.
Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV): A long-term housing voucher in collaboration with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) similar to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.
Rental Assistance with Case Manager
This program offers rental assistance and supportive services, ensuring housing stability and providing connections to community-based support.
Expedited Housing Initiative (EHI): A rental subsidy program that guarantees 100% of rent is paid for the duration of a 12-month lease, with dedicated case managers supporting the tenant in attaining long-term housing stability.
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