The Inner Voice, Inc.

04/01/2026

Hello everyone.

There are a couple of easy ways to support the work we all do here at Inner Voice every day. Consider both!

Today is the last day in our Winter Walk Chicago fundraiser with donations being accepted until midnight tonight!

Whether it's $10 or $50, these funds allow our team to continue to support those at risk of homelessness and allow so many to take steps to a path of stability . If you have the means, and you can donate, please click on the link below and show Team Inner Voice some love. We're asking everyone to consider making a tax deductible donation. Invest in the work we do every day. Every dollar counts! Link below:

https://fundraisers.winterwalk.org/teams/team-inner-voice-stepping-up-and-out-for-chicago

Another way to support us with a few swipes and clicks on an app is listed below:

Today is the last day to vote for Inner Voice in the Target Circle program. You don't have to go into the store to shop and you can just use your APP if you are a Target Circle member.

I've included some steps below on how to do this, and every vote counts. I took all of my points in my account and just used them to vote for Inner Voice. Takes a few swipes and clicks and it doesn't cost you a thing. Just a little bit of your time to vote for Inner Voice and Target turns those votes turn into dollars for us.
Let me know if you have any questions about Winter Walk donations or Target Circle.

Go to the Target app
Click on My Target
You should see a pop up that says "Support Nonprofits with your community votes and click it
From there, you will see a list of nonprofits so scroll until you see Inner Voice and choose us
Use what number of votes you're allowed where it says Enter number of votes (everyone may have a different amount of votes they can use).

Vote and then that's it!

Easy Peasy. Thank you!

Inner Voice supports people experiencing homelessness as they work toward stability, self-reliance, and a place to call home. Founded in 1984, Inner Voice serves individuals and families facing housing insecurity through a holistic continuum of care; from emergency and transitional housing to suppor...

02/24/2026

With a subscription to Dowd's e-newsletter, I am continually impressed with his ability to write with impact and shine a light things that are often overlooked. Today, I received the following in my inbox, and I thought it was worth sharing. Thank you Dowd of Empathy Studios

My grandfather’s father died when my grandfather was a young child.

He was raised in desperate poverty by his mother and aunt during the great depression.

My grandfather’s favorite joke (though it was true) was:

“During the Great Depression, I wore hand-me-down underwear from my older siblings. I only had sisters.”

From those humble beginnings, my grandfather served in two wars, put himself through college, became an electrical engineer, raised a family, and retired with a healthy 401(k) and homes in Illinois and Florida.

My grandfather's story is the kind of American story we love to tell — a man who overcomes adversity through hard work and perseverance to build the life he dreamed of.

Except…that’s not the whole story

That version of my grandfather’s success is technically true.

It also leaves out so much it borders on mythology.

My grandfather was born healthy — no disabilities, no conditions that would have overwhelmed the family's already-threadbare resources.

His mother was stable, without mental illness or addiction.

She had her sister to lean on when things got desperate.

Then there's the GI Bill, which paid for his college degree. Had my grandfather been African-American, or a woman, or gay, there's a good chance he would have been denied those benefits entirely. No degree. No engineering career. No Florida home.

Change any one of those facts and the story likely ends differently — and earlier.

In fact, I could fill pages with the factors outside his control that quietly paved my grandfather’s road to success. Remove any single one, and you get a different man living a different life.

What is my point?

It’s NOT to minimize my grandfather’s hard work.

He did work his butt off to overcome poverty and build the life he did.

It is fashionable right now to choose one of two narratives and reject the other as the enemy:

Personal responsibility – Our choices—like working hard and planning carefully—shape our future.
Structural factors – Some people are born with advantages that make failure unlikely while others face disadvantages that make success impossible.
People argue about which is true, as if it is only one can be.

Both are true. They always have been.

Yes, personal responsibility matters.

And so do structural forces — family stability, environmental conditions, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia.

The circumstances you are born into are not a minor footnote.

My grandfather worked hard and he caught breaks he didn't earn and didn't ask for. Holding both of those things at once isn't weakness or political correctness.

It's just honesty.

Peace,

Ryan

We agree Ryan, and see it every day in the work we do. This is a link to just some of the success stories that have come out of the work we do with individuals that have fought their way back with hard work and hope, with the support of Inner Voice, from some dark places and are thriving.

Inner Voice currently employs 61 full-time staff members. Inner Voice has a long history of employing individuals with lived experience. Learn more here.

02/18/2026

Rest In Peace Reverend. We are going to continue to keep hope alive.

02/09/2026

Yesterday, Team Inner Voice joined a crowd of hundreds of people that came together to walk shoulder to shoulder as a community focused on ending homelessness in Chicago. Having this many individuals come together to provide support for people experiencing homelessness is proof that "human to human" is the most powerful connection on earth, and that together we have the power to end stigmas and change lives. A big shout out to our team members, donors and supporters.

The fundraiser remains open until March 31st, and we appreciate you sharing our fundraiser, or donating if you can, to help us reach out goal Every dollar counts, and we are truly grateful for your support.

As a reminder, 100% of the funds you raise go directly to Inner Voice, to help us continue to provide aid to those in need during the coldest months of the year. Here is the link to our fundraiser:

https://fundraisers.winterwalk.org/teams/team-inner-voice-stepping-up-and-out-for-chicago?fbclid=IwY2xjawP29kNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDcm5TdkFZNGJGWUVzUlZoc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHm5nG0gh3Zvl5IEuWzymNXswZS2KSn1LWWdmcXLtP8qDaDWSY6iqVmMFNYc0_aem_Nb1RkeOBrFDAK6o7RmUWag

You can see that we are about there; only $905 more to go! Let's keep the momentum going!

02/05/2026

This Sunday, Inner Voice will be walking at Winter Walk Chicago alongside staff, board members, supporters, and people with lived experience to shine a light on homelessness during the coldest month of the year.
Winter Walk brings housed and unhoused neighbors together to raise awareness, build community, and demand change, and 100% of funds raised through our team page will support Inner Voice and the people we serve.
If you’re able, please consider supporting our team or sharing this link to help spread the word: https://fundraisers.winterwalk.org/teams/team-inner-voice-stepping-up-and-out-for-chicago

02/03/2026

This Sunday, Inner Voice will be walking at Winter Walk Chicago alongside staff, board members, supporters, and people with lived experience to shine a light on homelessness during the coldest month of the year.

Winter Walk brings housed and unhoused neighbors together to raise awareness, build community, and demand change and 100% of funds raised through our team page will support Inner Voice and the people we serve.

If you’re able, please consider supporting our team or sharing this link to help spread the word: https://fundraisers.winterwalk.org/teams/team-inner-voice-stepping-up-and-out-for-chicago

01/19/2026

"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter."

01/10/2026

12/31/2025

It’s not too late to make an impact this year! Your donation to Inner Voice, Inc. will help us start 2026 strong and ensure Chicagoans have access to food, housing, and the support needed for a brighter future. Because everyone deserves a place to call home.

Donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-make-a-difference-20112

12/31/2025

Every new year is a chance to turn the page, carrying forward what matters and leaving space for what’s next.

Wishing everyone a hopeful start to the year ahead. We are grateful for your support.

www.ivchi.org

12/08/2025

6 more hours to double your donation AND your impact for individuals and families rebuilding their lives after a period of homelessness.

A generous donor has agreed to extend matching funds until tonight, Monday, December 8, until midnight. If you have already donated, thank you. If you have been meaning to, but thought it was too late, you can still do so. Donate today and double your impact.
Thank you for your support and in making a difference in the lives of so many. You can donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-change-lives-giving-tuesday--2025