Deborah's Place

06/16/2026

Alderman Hopkins in the house! Thanks so much to 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins for stopping by our Old Town location to get a tour of the building and talk to staff and participants about our programs. What we do at Deborah's Place takes collaboration with everyone in the community, from our residents up to city government representatives. We were so excited to get to show the Alderman firsthand what we're all about!

05/28/2026

There are some things about homelessness—and women's homelessness in particular—that people just get so, so wrong. Not through any fault of their own, just because we get fed one story of what homelessness looks like, what causes it, and what it takes to find home again. Here's what I've learned through working at Deborah's Place with these women.

1️⃣ There are a LOT more people experiencing homelessness than you can see in your city.
In Chicago, the number of people experiencing homelessness is estimated to be as high as 58,000. Most of them are, essentially, invisible. In fact...

2️⃣ Women are especially likely to experience "hidden homelessness."
They're more likely to couch surf, or to hide away from public eye, where they might feel safer and less vulnerable to harm from others.

3️⃣The connection between Domestic Violence and homelessness? It's more complicated than you might think.
Yes, there are lots of cases of women becoming homelessness because of abuse at home. But becoming homeless (for any reason) also makes women more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

4️⃣ Supportive services + affordable housing (without arbitrary time limits) = healing and recovery.
Homelessness, even at the scale we see today, IS SOLVABLE. We know what works—we just need to be able to make these programs available to those that need them. That takes resources.

We need the support of our community now more than ever to help women end their homelessness and begin their next chapter. We're facing a ton of disinformation that does real harm to real people. You standing with Deborah's Place can help us push back and keep moving forward, toward a future where no one faces this on their own.

05/25/2026

Every woman who comes to Deborah's Place has already survived so much. That's only possible through what she already brings to the table: HER resilience. HER determination.
Once she gets here, she has a chance to heal, to consider what's next for the future, and to go out and get it—using that same strength that got her this far, plus the support of Deborah's Place.
Your support builds on this strength and makes amazing outcomes possible.

05/19/2026

This weekend's beautiful weather was the perfect opportunity to work with our neighbors in East Garfield Park for a community cleanup! Everyone deserves a safe, clean home—and we all have a part to play in making that happen. Thanks to everyone who helped out 💜 🗑️ 🤝

05/18/2026

Shoutout to our friends at Cushman & Wakefield, who provided our venue for Opening Doors 2026: What We Build Together! Their beautiful top-floor event space was the perfect stage for an evening of impact and community, set against a backdrop of the city we all love—and our attendees loved the accessibility, beauty, and functionality of the space. The generosity of CW as our sponsors made it possible for us to put our all into raising funds for the women we serve.

If you're looking for an event space, we can't recommend them highly enough!

05/14/2026

What are we building together? We're building home: not just the physical structure, but the emotional sense of safety. We're building a different type of family, one defined by shared experiences and solidarity. We're building a strong community of people who want to see a better world and are willing to work to make it reality.
Thank you to everyone who was a part of Opening Doors 2026: What We Build Together. Thanks especially to our sponsors:
Cushman & Wakefield
First Eagle Bank
Sammons Financial Group Companies
Lamb Insurance Services
Northern Trust
Beck Legacy Fund
Plexus
The Sciortino Charitable Fund
Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen

05/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who was a part of Opening Doors last night! Staff, volunteers, sponsors, program participants, and each and every donor: you are helping women to heal from homelessness. Like all the best things, what we're building is only possible in community.

The fundraiser is still open for donations, and we are 81% to our goal. Share it to help us accomplish it!

Join us in realizing our vision for the future of Deborah's Place at Opening Doors 2026: What We Build Together.

05/08/2026

05/06/2026

The Silent Auction is OPEN! Riot Fest passes are back, plus VIP sports tickets, theatre tickets, fine dining experiences, beauty treatments, and more! Bids are already beginning, so get in there while the getting's good.
The auction closes at 7pm this Thursday, May 7th. If you're attending Opening Doors 2026, you can take your prizes home with you that night, but you don't have to be present to win.

Treat yourself as you help support women as they recover from the experience of homelessness. We've worked hard to bring you the best Chicago has to offer, and there's something for everyone!Bidding ends at 7:00pm on May 7th.If you are not in attendance at our Opening Doors event and win a package,....

05/04/2026

The Silent Auction is OPEN! Riot Fest passes are back, plus VIP sports tickets, theatre tickets, fine dining experiences, beauty treatments, and more! Bids are already beginning, so get in there while the getting's good.
The auction closes at 7pm this Thursday, May 7th. If you're attending Opening Doors 2026, you can take your prizes home with you that night, but you don't have to be present to win.