Chicago, Ill. / Oct 1, 2025 – Deborah’s Place, one of Chicago’s oldest permanent supportive housing organizations, has announced a Homelessness Awareness Walk the morning of Saturday, Nov. 1. The organization’s staff, clients and supporters will walk 1.5 miles from the Rebecca Johnson Apartments in East Garfield Park to the Conservatory Apartments in West Humboldt Park, raising funds and awareness about compassionate, effective solutions to homelessness in Chicago. Mayor Brandon Johnson has issued an official proclamation recognizing the walk and proclaiming November as Homelessness Awareness Month.
In recent years, the number of Chicagoans experiencing homelessness has skyrocketed. A lack of affordable housing available and stagnating wages, combined with inflation across all economic sectors, have left tens of thousands of individuals and families sleeping on the streets or in shelters. Homelessness is cyclical, meaning that once someone becomes homeless for the first time, they are at higher risk of losing their housing in the future. At Deborah’s Place, however, 92% of those they serve maintain their housing year over year.
The walk takes place on the first day of Homelessness Awareness Month and aims to unite the community around the issue at a crucial time. “In this current political moment, we’re very excited about the opportunity to combine essential fundraising with community advocacy,” says Christy Smith-Hall, development director at Deborah’s Place. “People need to know that we have the power to end homelessness—it’s just a matter of allocating the resources to bring these solutions to scale.”
This family- and pet-friendly event begins at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 1, and will feature a performance by Chicago MC Pinqy Ring. Those interested in participating can register for $40 and learn more by visiting deborahsplace.org.