Overview of Cathedral Shelter of Chicago
Today, Cathedral Shelter continues to serve some of the most vulnerable members of society.
Restoring hope. Preventing homelessness. These values have inspired Cathedral Shelter since our inception 92 years ago.
Cathedral Shelter was founded in 1915 as a storefront mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, providing food and clothing to the hungry, homeless, and poor. In 1920, we began offering substance abuse treatment. Today, Cathedral Shelter continues to serve some of the most vulnerable members of society. All are poor. Most are not only currently or formerly homeless and recovering from addiction; they also lack a high school diploma or GED and are chronically unemployed. Many have been incarcerated, typically on drug-related charges.
We offer a variety of programs and services to help our clients overcome the formidable obstacles they face to self-sufficiency. Our recovery services include both Higgins House and outpatient addiction recovery services. Higgins House, opened in 1953, is the state’s first residential treatment facility for men in recovery and among the first in the nation. Outpatient addiction recovery services include both individual and group counseling for substance abuse.
Cathedral Shelter’s other programs and services include Cressey House, one of the few supportive housing programs in the Midwest that allow homeless men and women to live with their children while in recovery. Our pantry distributes food and other items to the general public and the homeless. Work Transitions services help our clients find a job by offering computer training, employment-related workshops, and other services. Second Chance Thrift’s voucher service provides free clothing, furniture, and household items to people in need. Our Christmas Basket program provides Christmas gifts to individuals, families, and seniors who cannot afford to buy presents.
Second Chance Thrift, in addition to running a voucher service, sells a wide variety of merchandise, including clothing, household goods, furniture, jewelry, shoes, music, and books. Sales from the thrift store help fund our programs and services.
These are some of the many ways we pursue our mission to restore hope and prevent homelessness for the most vulnerable members of our community. If you share our vision and would like to help, please consider donating or volunteering. We welcome both financial and in-kind donations such as food, clothing, and furniture. We have a variety of on-site volunteer positions, and opportunities are always available to hold a drive.
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To learn more about the history of Cathedral Shelter, please see How Cathedral Shelter Got Its Name.
Please note: Cathedral Shelter is not an overnight homeless shelter.