Fear, uncertainty and misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine can lead to hesitancy in any community. Advocates serving homeless Chicagoans talk about the role trust plays in reaching this vulnerable population.

More than 224,000 renters in the Chicago area said they aren’t confident they’ll be able to pay next month’s rent, according to a recent survey. With the state’s ban on evictions ending soon, organizations serving the homeless anticipate an uptick in the number of people who need help.

Over the past year, a small group of people who are homeless have established a tent encampment in a small Avondale park. Similar encampments are all over Chicago, and as Illinois’ eviction moratorium nears its end, the number of unhoused people is expected to grow.

As the spread of COVID-19 sparked restrictions and closures across the U.S. a year ago, organizations serving the homeless were forced to balance their work with the goal of keeping staff members safe. Here’s how some Chicago providers have handled the pandemic — and how they’re dealing with the latest set of challenges.

This month’s deep freeze has left Chicago’s homeless residents in deadly peril. But housing insecurity is not just an extreme-weather problem, some advocates say, and the city needs to take a bolder approach to housing policy.

About two dozen volunteers of all ages took to the streets Saturday to distribute 120 care pages to people experiencing homelessness in Chicago. Meet the founders of The heARTS Project, the new nonprofit behind the effort.

Growing up in a family of 19 children, Jermaine Jordan learned both how to cook and to share. Today, he’s using those skills on a much larger scale at Healthy Hot Free Meals, a restaurant he opened in October.

Zac Lowing scours the beach for sea glass, but his work is about more than the sculptures he creates. Through his platform, he hopes to bring attention to the homeless community. 

Meet Elizabeth Morales, a 29-year-old teacher and community service organizer who is working to support local families and individuals struggling with food and housing insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic.

Chicago officials on Tuesday announced $8 million in grants for expanded mental health care services across the city, including for some of Chicago’s most vulnerable residents: those experiencing homelessness.

Painted fridges stocked with free, fresh food and drinks have been popping up across Chicago for the past two months. Find out how the Love Fridge project is helping those in need during the pandemic.

In a country that’s surpassed 5 million identified cases and 169,000 deaths, researchers don’t know why there appear to be so few outbreaks among the homeless. 

Advocates hosted a virtual candlelight vigil Wednesday morning to honor Aaron Curry, who was killed last month while living in Grant Park, and to call on the city of Chicago to dedicate an additional $100 million annually to housing resources. 

For many homeless people in Chicago, staying safely sheltered and isolated during the coronavirus outbreak simply isn’t an option. How one nonprofit is helping people in need.

A young Chicagoan is celebrating the season of giving year-round with his “blessing bags.” Jahkil Jackson tells us about his mission to help the homeless and his recent appearance on Marvel’s “Hero Project.”

More than 16,000 CPS students dealt with some form of homelessness last school year. Now, Chicago aldermen and a local nonprofit are calling on Mayor Lori Lightfoot to support what they believe could be an “immediate solution.”