Deborah's Place

09/10/2026

September 10th is World Su***de Prevention Day.
Stable housing is su***de prevention.
Having a safe place to live ripples out into every part of your life. It has the power to turn desperation into hope, especially when it's paired with supportive services. When you come to Deborah's Place, you're part of a community that values you, that uplifts you, that wants you to succeed.
There is so much worth living for—and with a stable foundation, it's easier to see. We all deserve that.

09/08/2026

When we received a donation of a literal TRUCKLOAD of bras a few months ago, we knew they wouldn't go to waste. Our participants took what they needed, and now the women at Sarah's Circle are getting what they need too! We really do believe that there's enough to go around—it's all about how you get it to the people who need it.
Women helping women 🤝🥰👯

THANK YOU to our partner Deborah's Place for their recent donation of over 12 boxes of brand-new bras to our clients! We are so grateful we have you as part of our community and network!

09/07/2026

Deborah's Place non-negotiables. We don't compromise on these (among other things).

09/04/2026

🔥 Stay cool, Chicago! 🔥

DFSS’s Cooling Centers will be open TODAY, Friday, September 4, during standard operating hours.

📌 For a full list of citywide cooling center locations, visit 🔗 chi.gov/cooling
📌 For shelter placement, to find the nearest cooling center, and for well-being checks for seniors and unhoused neighbors, please contact 3-1-1.
📌 During hours of operation, residents can also find relief at Chicago Public Library locations, City Colleges of Chicago main campus locations and Chicago Park District fieldhouses located throughout the city.
📌 Also, the Chicago Police Department 's 22 district stations are available 24 hours for relief from the heat, and to be connected with a shelter.

For more information on how to stay cool in warm weather, a list of all DFSS cooling centers and other resources, please visit DFSS’s cooling centers page 🔗 chi.gov/dfssextremeweather

09/02/2026

Welcome to the Deborah's Place Board of Directors, Lisa Gunderson! As a Certified Chief of Staff, she brings experience in leadership and governance to her work on our Board, and a leadership approach that pairs authority with empathy, creating environments where people feel respected, connected, and empowered to contribute. Outside of work, she's a mom of two and enjoys traveling, exploring coffee shops, gardening, and finding simple ways to bring people together. We're thrilled to have her on our Board!

09/01/2026

Help us out?
We need to restock our shelves of hygiene and cleaning supplies. Swipe to see the complete list ➡️
When a woman moves into Deborah's Place, she usually comes with nothing more than what she can carry. A few bags of clothes, documents, some treasured items. After a long time (often years) of living transiently, Deborah's Place offers stability: an apartment with a closet, with a bathroom, with a kitchen.
Laundry detergent, paper products, and more help her make that transition with confidence and dignity. All donated items must be full-size and new. Learn about how to donate, including drop-off instructions, here: https://www.deborahsplace.org/donate-2/in-kind-donations-2/

08/31/2026

It's amazing how quickly the unimaginable becomes mundane. While Katie was housed, she could never have imagined sleeping outside. But when she lost her apartment, it was only a matter of time before her tent on Lower Wacker was completely normal, complete with familiar faces and her own routine. It was hard too, of course—loud, vulnerable to the weather and to strangers—but it was the best option she had at the time, and so she took it.
It took six months from the time she got on the waitlist until she was home at the Conservatory Apartments, but she says the wait was worth it. "Here, it's a community. We take care of each other." With the support of her newfound community and Deborah's Place staff, she's making progress to return to her work in home care, which she feels passionately about. Employment and self-sufficiency are within reach for the first time in many years.
Housing isn't the end of the journey. It's the beginning, the foundation that makes everything else possible. A whole world opens up when you find a baseline of stability.
Hundreds of women at Deborah's Place are housed and healing. Hundreds more have already moved on to more independence and the next chapter of their journey. Katie's healing, and her bright future, are possible because people like you give to Deborah's Place.

08/31/2026

08/28/2026

Please join us in welcoming Sheryl Markov to the Deborah's Place Board of Directors! We're so grateful to benefit from her expertise and experience as Head of Demand Generation and Performance Marketing at Northern Trust. She's passionate about applying her professional experience to mission-driven work and is committed to advancing our impact for women experiencing homelessness in Chicago. Welcome to the Board, Sheryl!

08/27/2026