The Night Ministry Completes Its Move into Its New Headquarters

The Night Ministry, a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides housing, health care, and human connection to individuals struggling with homelessness or poverty, has finished the transition of its home office and other key operations into a renovated building in the Bucktown neighborhood.

“Our move to 1735 North Ashland is about enhancing the services we provide to Chicago’s homeless population as well as supporting efficiency and innovation in our programs," said Paul W. Hamann, The Night Ministry's President & CEO.

The Bucktown building serves as home base for the agency’s central administration and its Health Outreach Program, which was located in the Ravenswood neighborhood for 17 years. The Health Outreach Program brings free health care, food, supplies, and supportive services to underserved communities across Chicago, ranging from South Shore to Rogers Park, and directly to individuals living on the streets throughout the city. All of these are provided through the agency’s Health Outreach Bus and Street Medicine Team and not at 1735 North Ashland itself.

“In Bucktown, The Night Ministry has onsite parking for our Bus and Street Medicine Van when they are not in use, which was not available in Ravenswood. This, along with expanded storage capacity and workspaces for staff, is increasing efficiencies across the Health Outreach Program,” said Hamann.

1735 North Ashland also provides an enhanced office environment for The Night Ministry’s central administration, with upgraded technology and more collaboration spaces among the improvements from the organization’s previous headquarters.

The Night Ministry occupies the first three floors of 1735 North Ashland, which were renovated by Bulley and Andrews from plans designed by Wheeler Kearns Architects. Approximately 60 employees of The Night Ministry work out of the location, although many are currently following a staggered schedule that alternates between onsite and remote working as part of The Night Ministry’s COVID-19 health and safety procedures.

The building also houses The Crib, The Night Ministry’s overnight shelter for young adults ages 18 to 24 that serves as an intervention point for many young people who are entering homelessness for the first time.

The Crib began operating in 2011 in the basement of a church in Lakeview. Space limitations in that location, where shelter guests slept, ate, and recreated in a 900-square-foot-room which had experienced flooding during heavy rains, prompted the agency to include the relocation of the program as a top goal in its current strategic plan. The same strategic plan also called for addressing the challenges The Night Ministry faced in its Ravenswood headquarters.

The Crib now features separate dining and recreating areas and a dorm room along with multiple showers and washrooms and expanded laundry facilities.

“At 1735 North Ashland, we are providing guests of The Crib an experience that is more dignified and offers more opportunities for them,” Hamann said.

“Because we have more space, guests have more privacy when they meet with staff and, in the future as we move through COVID-19 phases, we can offer more of the activities that help our guests build life skills and the foundations for independent living,” Hamann said.

The Crib, which operates between the hours of 9 pm and 9 am, is not expanding capacity at the new location but is keeping the bed count to 21 people per night. “We feel it is not only a good fit for the space, but the right number to provide individualized services to the young people who stay with us,” said Hamann.

Volunteers play a vital role in the mission of The Night Ministry, with individuals and community groups lending their time, talents, and resources to help the organization serve Chicagoans in need. While volunteer opportunities have been limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamann said The Night Ministry is looking forward to welcoming new volunteers from the neighborhood when restrictions loosen.

“We are excited to engage the Bucktown and Wicker Park communities in The Night Ministry’s mission, whether they are preparing and serving meals at The Crib or providing hospitality at our Health Outreach Bus,” he said.

The Night Ministry launched a capital campaign to help cover both the costs of renovating 1735 North Ashland and increased operating expenses it is incurring in the new location.

For more information about The Night Ministry, please visit www.thenightministry.org.