Lincoln Park Community Services Receives $100,000 Grant to Support Chicagoans Experiencing Homelessness

Lincoln Park Community Services (LPCS) has received a $100,000 grant from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust to support the organization's general operations and its ongoing work with Chicagoans experiencing homelessness.

Every day, LPCS provides critical housing, meals, case management and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness. The need for those services continues to grow, and the organization is serving more people across its programs.

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In the past fiscal year, LPCS provided interim housing to 333 individuals, with 87 guests moving into permanent housing, a 3.5% increase from FY25. This also showcases the number of people going to safe, permanent housing is more than 26%, where the national average is 16%.

LPCS's Drop-In program also saw a significant increase in the number of people seeking support. The program served 809 unique individuals, compared with 326 in FY25, and provided 7,800 meals, an increase of 1,700 meals over the previous year.

The organization's Emergency Overnight program welcomed 142 unique individuals, filled 1,757 beds and served more than 3,500 meals.

The $100,000 grant will help LPCS continue providing these essential services, including housing, meals, showers, laundry, street outreach, case management and connections to permanent housing and other resources.

"Every day, we see how important it is to have a place where people can come in, get a meal, take a shower, do their laundry and, most importantly, connect with someone who will listen and help them figure out what comes next," said Cheryl Hamilton-Hill, CEO of Lincoln Park Community Services. "This grant helps us continue doing that work, and we are incredibly grateful to the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust for supporting LPCS and the people we serve."

LPCS works with people at different points in their experience with homelessness. Some are working but cannot afford Chicago's rising housing costs. Others are facing job loss, housing instability or other challenges that have made it difficult to find or maintain a home.

The grant runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, and will provide flexible operating support, allowing LPCS to put funding where it is needed most.

"We are grateful for partners who understand that this work takes both compassion and resources," said Hamilton-Hill. "This support allows us to keep our programs running and continue being there for people when they need us."

About Lincoln Park Community Services

Lincoln Park Community Services (LPCS) provides comprehensive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Chicago. Through interim housing, permanent supportive housing, meals, case management, employment support, drop-in services and emergency overnight shelter, LPCS works alongside neighbors to help them move toward stability and long-term success. Learn more at www.lpcschicago.org.