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.
Deborah's Place
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For 40 years, we've opened doors of opportunity for women experiencing homelessness in Chicago.
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!
Opening Doors 2026: What We Build Together Join us in realizing our vision for the future of Deborah's Place at Opening Doors 2026: What We Build Together.
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.
Opening Doors 2026: Silent Auction 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.
04/24/2026
POV: you just added 30 units of permanent housing for women in Chicago who've experienced homelessness 😍 🏡 💃 🎉 ♀️
Yesterday was a celebration for our whole organization. Everyone had a hand in making this possible, and now 30 more women will have a safe place to live—not just tonight, but EVERY NIGHT.
Naming this program for Audrey Thomas, who served as our CEO for 18 years and made Deborah's Place the strong, stable, ambitious force for good that we are today, made perfect sense. We're so glad she joined us for the party 🧁
EDIT: Wow, this post is getting lots of attention! If you are experiencing homelessness in Chicago and in need of housing or other resources, your first step is to call 311 or visit a DFSS Community Service Center—they'll be able to add you to a housing waitlist and connect you with housing as soon as it is available. For more general information about Deborah's Place, visit our website! We're glad you're here 💜
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2822 W Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL
60612
Opening Hours
| Monday | 9am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |