Franciscan Outreach

11/11/2020

Today we honor our Veterans, past and present, who have sacrificed so much to help safeguard our basic human rights.

Today we also remember that far too many U.S. Veterans are confronting homelessness, food insecurity, and are in need of vital services. In 2019 around 37,000 Veterans were homeless in the U.S., and 560 Veterans experienced homelessness here in Chicago.

Franciscan Outreach has always made it a priority to help our Veterans. Since January, we have assisted over 80 service members within our communities, and we will continue to be an ally, an advocate, and a champion for Veteran services. #VeteransDay #veterans

11/09/2020

We are excited to report that last week, 41 guests of Franciscan Outreach participated in All Chicago's Accelerated Moving Event (AME) as a part of their Expedited Housing Initiative (EHI).

We are hopeful through this new initiative all participating guests will be matched to Rapid Re-housing units very soon!

11/03/2020

Many thanks to our dear friend Chef Michael Airhart from Taste for The Homeless for making our guests a delicious, warm breakfast.

While the focus of the world has shifted elsewhere today, we know we can always count on Michael to be an advocate for individuals who are confronting homelessness and to be a beacon of hope for the entire community.

Michael, we are truly grateful for all you do!

10/20/2020

Individuals experiencing homelessness have the Right to Vote!

2013 Illinois Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act states “A person experiencing homelessness has … the right to vote, register to vote, and receive documentation necessary to prove identity for voting without discrimination due to his or her housing status.”

In order to register to vote, you must bring two forms of identification, including one that shows proof of residence or a mailing address.

The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless has noted that “a homeless person can provide a letter from a drop-in center, shelter, or the person in whose home they are living doubled-up. The letter must confirm that the named person has permission to use their address for the purpose of registering to vote.”

Please use the template below to help make sure that everyone can exercise their right to vote and have their voice heard. #vote
#righttovote

10/15/2020

“On behalf of the entire organization and the board of directors, it was my honor to present our staff at Franciscan Outreach with a plaque to our Frontline Heroes for their unwavering commitment, dedication, and compassion exhibited over the past several months. Our staff answered the call during a global pandemic and never hesitated to help some of our most vulnerable neighbors. We are eternally grateful to them and this plaque will hang proudly on the wall at our Harrison Street Shelter. Thank you to our Frontline Heroes!”

Executive Director, Richard Ducatenzeiler

10/07/2020

Congratulations to the Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity (CHHRGE) on receiving this year’s System Impact Award from All Chicago.

We are truly grateful for this group’s commitment and efforts towards containing the further spread of COVID-19 across our programs and communities.

From what began as a simple conversation between Franciscan Outreach and a medical team from RUSH University Medical Center on ways to contain the virus quickly expanded to include daily calls and a consortium of providers.

We would like to acknowledge some of our key medical partners RUSH, Lawndale Christian Health Center, and UI Health for their excellent provision of health care services to our guests.

We are so proud to be a part of this collaboration and its amazing effort; as it is a testament to what can be accomplished if we all work together.

10/06/2020

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of Philip Doran, a devoted and kindhearted board member of over 25 years. Phil always held true to our mission: he served compassionately and empowered others immensely. His commitment and unwavering dedication to Franciscan Outreach will be greatly missed, but we will continue to follow Phil's legacy of helping our most vulnerable neighbors. Our sincerest condolences to the Doran and Scanlan Families.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=philip-a-doran&pid=196827523&fhid=2596

10/01/2020

Last weekend, Franciscan Outreach participated in Chicago Police Department's 11th District Gospel Concert and Resource Fair. Our team provided information on essential services; ways to stay involved; distributed masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. Additionally, our incredible team also offered 10-minute Naloxone training, which is a critical resource in the fight against opioid overdose and helping to save lives.

07/22/2020

Franciscan Outreach sends a HUGE thank you to our friends at Dearborn Wholesale Grocers - Wholesale to the Public for donating 100 cases of Arnish Farm Raised Chicken to help provide our guests who are experiencing homelessness with healthy nutritious meals. Now more than ever - we need this support. Thank you!

06/19/2020

Franciscan Outreach Celebrates Juneteenth!
Even with social distancing in place, our staff and guests are able to enjoy and celebrate this day with good food and fun!

06/11/2020

Rush University

Franciscan Outreach values the strong 30-year partnership we have with Rush University. During this COVID-19 crisis, they answered our call for help and stepped in to provide critical medical assistance for our extremely vulnerable guests.

A group of #RushMedicalCollege students, led by Assistant Professor Joseph Hennessy, MD set up a program to screen residents for #COVID19 at Franciscan Outreach homeless shelter. During their time with the residents students quickly recognized additional needs and went above and beyond to assist with finding primary care doctors, scheduling medical appointments and raising money and donations to obtain a supply of books for the shelter. Read more about their efforts: http://ms.spr.ly/6182TYBni

06/11/2020

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

Please watch the press conference recording from today, June 11, 2020.

We apologize for the technical difficulties this morning in streaming our press conference. You can find a recording below.

CHHRGE is calling on the city to:

▪️ Shield high-risk individuals in apartments, funding at least 1,750 rental subsidies with supportive services, bridging to permanent solutions, allowing high-risk individuals to move from congregate settings into their own units and reduce the risk of infection.

▪️ Maintain the number of shelter beds that existed in Chicago pre-COVID, with additional space to social distance

▪️ Create a Chief Homelessness Officer within the Mayor’s office to coordinate a homelessness strategy across multiple departments in the City of Chicago.

Thank you to our speakers:
Dr. David Ansell, Senior Vice President for Community Health Equity at Rush University Medical Center
Dr. Evelyn Figueroa, Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Peter Dobrowolski, guest at Pacific Garden Mission
Dr. Thomas Huggett , Family Doctor and Medical Director of Mobile Health at Lawndale Christian Health Center
Carolyn Ross, President and CEO of All Chicago
Sherri Allen Reeves, Associate Director of Matthew House Chicago
Richard Ducatenzeiler, Executive Director of Franciscan Outreach

Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity (CHHRGE) is a group of public health experts and homeless providers, working together to address the devastating impact of COVID-19 on people experiencing homelessness in Chicago.

06/11/2020

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless had some difficulty with live streaming the press conference. They will provide a recording of the press conference and we will share it on our FB page.

We are having issues streaming the press conference. We will post a recording of the press conference after it is complete.

06/11/2020

Join Richard Ducatenzeiler this morning, Thursday, June 11 at 9:30 a.m., for a live-streamed press conference on the CCH FB page. Go to Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. The press conference is calling on the city of Chicago to expand housing and services for people experiencing homeless who are jeopardized by COVID-19. The event will be hosted by Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity (CHHRGE), a group of public health experts and homeless providers, including Franciscan Outreach who are working together to address the devastating impact of COVID-19 on people experiencing homelessness in Chicago.

06/11/2020

06/11/2020

05/22/2020

New COVID-19 outbreak at homeless shelter raises concerns for some still staying there

The Chicago Sun-Times interviews a Franciscan Outreach guest and Executive Director Richard Ducatenzeiler as it draws attention to at-risk people experiencing homelessness and concerns for their safety as the city's isolation hotels are filled to capacity.

Hotel used to "shield" medically at-risk homeless people from virus is operating at capacity.

05/20/2020

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) provides monetary relief in the wake of this COVID-19 pandemic, including funding to address homelessness and housing. Franciscan Outreach encourages Illinois state legislators to prioritize funding to support our most vulnerable neighbors.

05/07/2020

Commentary: Imagine being homeless during COVID crisis. How Chicago can help.

An Op-Ed in the Chicago Tribune, by Heartland Alliance Health and the Center for Housing and Health, spotlights opportunities the City of Chicago has through new federal CARES Act coronavirus-relief funding, which is to provide millions of dollars designated to address homelessness.

At a time when staying at home has been equated with staying alive, perhaps few Chicagoans face greater peril from the coronavirus crisis than those experiencing homelessness.

05/05/2020

Giving Tuesday Now - Franciscan Outreach

Please be part of #GivingTuesdayNow and stand with Franciscan Outreach during this COVID-19 crisis. With your help, we can continue to protect the health and safety of our city’s most vulnerable residents.

On #GivingTuesdayNow, please continue to stand with Franciscan Outreach and our neighbors in need as we do everything we can to protect their health and safety.

04/23/2020

Doctor Treats Chicago’s Homeless at Hotel During Coronavirus Crisis

The Wall Street Journal features Franciscan Outreach and our community partner, Dr. Thomas Huggett with Lawndale Christian Health Center. The guests at our shelter are regularly monitored for Covid-19. If they are at high-risk, as having underlying medical conditions and are over 60 years old, they are able to stay at a Chicago hotel where they are isolated and protected.

https://www.wsj.com/video/doctor-treats-chicagos-homeless-at-hotel-during-coronavirus-crisis/027C53BA-AECD-49BF-8FFD-649AD3CC6BFB.html

As shelters see an increase in Covid-19 infections, Dr. Thomas Huggett, who usually treats patients at a hospital on Chicago’s West Side, is working and sleeping at a hotel set up to test homeless people suspected of having the illness. Photo: Joe Barrett/The Wall Street Journal

04/22/2020

Franciscan Outreach is deeply grateful for all who are making face masks during this crisis for the hundreds of men and women we serve each day who are experiencing homelessness. This beautiful image is of more than 150 handmade face masks made from surgical wraps. Our thanks to Anna Garras, operating room nurse, from Midwest Orthopaedic Consultants for making and delivering these much needed face masks!

04/16/2020

Homeless during a pandemic

See the Chicago Reader article focusing on what's being done to help people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article mentions the work Franciscan Outreach is doing to protect the health and safety of our guests.

Chicagoans without shelter face the tough choice between the streets and shared air.

04/04/2020

A Video Message From Richard Ducatenzeiler

Watch Richard Ducatenzeiler's message, providing a Franciscan Outreach COVID-19 update. There are a number of ways that you can help Franciscan Outreach provide relief to men and women experiencing homelessness during this crisis. Although we cannot get together at this time, we can "Gather for Good" for our neighbors in need. Please check out this flyer and share with others: https://bit.ly/Gather-for-Good

https://youtu.be/HOh7FFTXQSo

Richard Ducatenzeiler, Executive Director, Franciscan Outreach speaks on the current COVID-19 crisis and lets you know how you can help.

04/02/2020

Franciscan Outreach is so grateful to Rush University Medical Center for working together with our direct service staff every day during this COVID-19 crisis to screen our guests so we're able to minimize the risk of infection and transmission. The Rush team included three physicians and five medical students who participated in the screenings today.

03/27/2020

Keeping the homeless sheltered and safe during COVID-19 spread

Chicago Catholic features Franciscan Outreach and our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We're now serving more men and women 24/7 at four shelter locations.

https://www.chicagocatholic.com/chicagoland/-/article/2020/03/26/keeping-the-homeless-sheltered-and-safe-during-covid-19-spread

Every night of the year, Franciscan Outreach serves 382 men and women at three shelters throughout Chicago. The homeless are one of the most vulnerable populations during the COCID-19 pandemic and trying to keep them healthy and protected has called for new ways to serve them, according to Richard D...

03/13/2020

With the growing concern regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Shamrock Shuffle has been canceled for March 22, 2020. Franciscan Outreach has canceled the Run, Walk & Hops for the Homeless day of events on March 22, 2020 as well. It is our highest priority to ensure the health and safety of all those associated with Franciscan Outreach. Please keep the health and well-being of the hundreds of men and women we serve each day in your thoughts as we manage through this difficult time. Thank you!

01/20/2020

Early this morning and during dinner volunteers from Rush University celebrated MLK Day by serving meals to hundreds of men and women who are experiencing homelessness and are staying at our shelters on Chicago's West Side. We're very fortunate to have this ongoing support from Rush volunteer students and faculty. Thank you!

01/07/2020

Advocates for the Homeless Explode Some Myths About the Problem & Solutions - At Issue on WBBM Newsradio - Omny.fm

Listen to WBBM Newsradio interview with Franciscan Outreach Executive Director Richard Ducatenzeiler and Doug Schenkelberg of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. They talk about issues people who are homeless face and what is being done about the problem.

https://omny.fm/shows/at-issue-on-wbbm-newsradio/advocates-for-the-homeless-explode-some-myths-abou

Political Editor Craig Dellimore talks with Doug Schenkelberg, the head of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and Richard Ducantanzeiler,  Director of the provider Agency Franciscan Outreach about the depth—and variety—of homelessness. They also talk about what the City is doing…and what ...

01/05/2020

Milt's Barbecue for the Perplexed is a strong supporter of Franciscan Outreach and the men and women we serve each day. They've selected Franciscan Outreach as their Charity of the Month this month. They're asking people to fund Welcome Home Kits to help people transitioning from homelessness to housing. https://franoutreach.org/welcome-home-kits/. Thank you Milt's!

Good afternoon friends and fans, I hope you are all ready to rock and roll this new year. I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your past support and to introduce to you our latest recipient of our Community Gift of the Month for January: Franciscan Outreach. We have had a long-standing relationship with this organization, and while we come from different religious backgrounds we all stand in support of the same goal: to help those less fortunate than we.

You can read all about their work on their website (https://franoutreach.org) and you can read about our specific fundraiser this month (https://franoutreach.org/welcome-home-kits/). These Welcome Home Kits are a great way to help directly. You can purchase items directly and mail to Franciscan Outreach (address on the linked page), purchase on their wishlist on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1HDWV4VMEW5MZ/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?_encoding=UTF8&type=wishlist) or donate the value (https://secure.franoutreach.org/np/clients/franciscanoutreach/donation.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&campaign=91).

Please feel free to reach out to us or them with any questions regarding the fundraiser. Thank you all, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

12/03/2019

It's #GivingTuesday! You can make a difference!
Help Franciscan Outreach guests who are transitioning from homelessness to housing with a Welcome Home Kit! Visit https://franoutreach.org/welcome-home-kits-2/.