Shine a Light 2010 Annual Report Our Mission
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Shine a Light 2010 Annual Report our mission The Night Ministry was created out of diverse religious traditions to build relationships with vulnerable youth and adults on the nighttime streets. Today, we build relationships in a variety of settings. Through these relationships and the provision of housing, health, spiritual, and social services, we seek to empower people of all ages to meet their own needs. Recognizing the uniqueness, dignity, and value of each person, we accept individuals as they are, in an affirming and compassionate manner. We call the larger community to the same mission. Dear Friends, Throughout Fiscal Year because there are many Often in life, we do not 2010, with the help of more lives to be touched. know how we impact others. supporters like you at our To ensure that The Night Rest assured, however, that side, The Night Ministry Ministry can continue through The Night Ministry, continued our mission of touching lives, this year you do make a difference in building relationships with we completed a strategic the lives of those whom society vulnerable adults and youth planning process, the results has often forgotten or ignored. on the streets and in our of which provide us with a This report highlights some shelters. roadmap to guide our work examples, and we hope you “This plan The involvement of our in the next three years. We will enjoy reading it. friends, in all of the ways they are establishing systems Our work still isn’t done. reaffirms Paul W. Hamann partner with us, truly has an for analyzing our program As long as there are people President what makes impact on those whom we results, and we are planning who need us, we will serve. These partnerships our next moves in order to continue reaching out to us a unique, and this work positively keep providing the most them. Thank you for joining important impact the lives of thousands effective services possible with us to help those in need William A. Goldstein to Chicago’s vulnerable in our community. organization: of people in our community 2010 Board Chair every year. populations. This plan Our focus on For example, a former reaffirms what makes those who are client of our shelter in us a unique, important Lakeview contacted The organization: Our focus on the streets at Night Ministry via Facebook on those who are on the night and our earlier this year. Six years streets at night and our ago, she was a homeless unconditional acceptance unconditional teen, out of options and of them, no matter who acceptance of needed a place to stay. Now, they are or where they are in she is a successful adult and their life. Such unequivocal them, no matter feels she owes that to The acceptance is the who they are or Night Ministry’s involvement cornerstone of our services; in fact, sometimes that where they are in her life. She wrote to thank us and to encourage acceptance is even service in their life.” us to continue our work, enough. 1 who we serve The Night Ministry exists to serve people experiencing homelessness or who are in danger of becoming homeless, and people who are vulnerable and experiencing hardship on Chicago’s streets. Many of The Night Ministry’s clients, because of fear, mental illness, poverty, or precarious living conditions, need a helping hand to utilize the healthcare and social support systems that can help them improve their lives. The Night Ministry serves youth and adults regardless of their religion, ethnicity, social status or sexual orientation. By educating and building the capacity of volunteers and partner agencies, we call others to join us in our work. our distinctive Through consistent presence, along with messages of acceptance and hope, The Night Ministry’s trained staff and volunteers build affirming and compassionate relationships with adults and youth who are homeless, tenuously approach housed, unemployed, or living in poverty. The Night Ministry meets individuals where they are. We listen and accept without judgment, working to establish safe and trusting relationships so that we can offer support, encouragement and comfort. We are prepared to provide health care, referrals to additional services, and youth shelter to those who seek them. The Night Ministry owns and operates two buildings as shelters for youth ages 14-20 youth shelter services who are experiencing homelessness. Youth come to our shelters for a variety of reasons: being kicked out of their home due to pregnancy, sexual orientation, or other reasons; family financial concerns, including home foreclosure; abuse and/or neglect at home; and mental health issues. Three programs are available: Our 32 shelter • The Interim Housing Program is 120 days and provides guidance and support to help youth secure safe and stable beds provided housing, return to school, achieve financial independence, and access medical care. 242 homeless • The Transitional Living Program serves young people youth with who most likely will not be reunited with family. It provides educational, employment, health and life skills support for 9,413 nights up to two years. This longer period allows young people the opportunity to structure a stable living situation once leaving in a safe, the shelter. warm bed in • Young women with or expecting children find services tailored to their needs at our eight-bed, eight-crib Response-Ability fiscal year Pregnant and Parenting Program. At-risk young mothers and their children who do not reside at the shelter also receive 2010. community support through this program, which is a federal demonstration project. 2 In fiscal year The Night Ministry’s 38-foot health outreach bus Health Outreach Bus delivers 2010, we made free health care, referrals, and other services at night to six over 73,000 Chicago neighborhoods on a regular schedule all year long, contacts with regardless of weather. The Bus families, adults serves youth, adults, and families with its specially equipped and youth from nursing station, hospitality area, and private counseling and HIV the Health testing room. Outreach Bus. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, 99,105 meals were served from the Bus to individuals out on Chicago’s nighttime streets. Youth Outreach Team staff made youth outreach more than 9,000 contacts with over 2,000 youth in fiscal year 2010. There are only 189 shelter beds in Chicago reserved for homeless youth. However, an estimated 2,000 youth experience homelessness every night in Chicago. The Night Ministry’s Youth Outreach Team is often the first helpful presence for young people on the street. To help them be safe and access supportive services that can help them stabilize their lives, the Team goes to neighborhoods where these young people congregate, such as Lakeview and Rogers Park. Through the Youth Outreach Team’s large blue van, which has been operating at night in Lakeview for more than ten years, and in conjunction with the Broadway Youth Center, The Night Ministry provides housing and job training referrals, education support, crisis intervention, hygiene supplies and meals. 3 All the residents of The Night showered with Ministry’s Lakeview Shelter are pregnant or parenting teens, so when the girls talked about wish- support ing they could have a baby shower, the staff decided to throw one for them. “I got onesies, bibs, lots of diapers,” explains Niaesha. “What I got at the shower was all that I had for her.” What the seven expectant mothers took away from the shower and their time at the shelter was, however, much more than material gifts: they were able to build a support network. “This shine a light program changes you as a person,” explains Niaesha. “I used to have a nasty, outrageous attitude because I’d been hurt so many times, but at the shelter, they’re here to help you, and it feels very good to have that support.” Niaesha is now studying to get her GED, and is confident that she will go on to pursue her dream of becoming a social worker. She and her daughter Nevaeh were accepted into The Night Minis- try’s long-term shelter, where she can work towards that goal while focusing on being a great mom and shining a bright light for Nevaeh to follow by example. “I love being a mom,” she says, “She’s perfect, and The Night Ministry has given me everything that I need to succeed.” 4 shine a light with a song When The Night Ministry’s Health Outreach Bus began making stops in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, there weren’t a lot of people coming to use the many services it was there to provide. Gerardo was one of just a handful of people who came regularly to get a meal, but one night when he was very ill, he realized how much more the bus offered. Nancy Schreiber, one of the Nurse Practitioners for the Bus, treated him and was able to give him the antibiotics he needed to get well. Gerardo was so thankful for the services he received that he decided to use his talents to give something back: rain or shine, for the last three years he has brought his mariachi band to The Night Ministry’s Pilsen Bus stop, where he plays for the clients and staff. With his music, he’s helped to shine a light on the services available at the Bus and encouraged other members of his community who are in need to use them. Now an average of 200 people come every time it makes its Pilsen stop. “I like coming here because they treat me very well,” Gerardo explains. “I like coming here because I get what I need here.” 5 Lorenzo Rowell was just eight years old when he became homeless.