Volunteer Opportunities
Thank you SO MUCH for your commitment to ensure our neighborhood is welcoming and kind to our newly arrived neighbors staying at the American Islamic College on Marine and Irving Park and at the 19th Police District. Our office has been overwhelmed by the support in the best way! Read below to find out ways to support the American Islamic College Shelter, the second largest family shelter in the city, and the 19th Police District where many new arrivals first land.
At this moment, the city is not coordinating any volunteer efforts and so mutual aid networks and support groups have emerged in neighborhoods where newly arrived migrants are staying. Our office has been working to identify current needs of shelter residents, systems and processes that we can set up to funnel supplies and other avenues of support. While the 46th Ward Office first convened the volunteer groups to support the AIC Shelter, they are largely run by dedicated volunteer leaders.
Our office knows that the migrant/housing crisis will continue to evolve and grow. We say migrant/housing crisis because it's impossible to disconnect the crisis of thousands of new neighbors join our city with no warning with the persisting crisis of lack of affordable and low income housing available. We expect the number of people coming into Chicago to increase in the coming months, check out this Sun Times article for more info. We are committed to meeting this moment grounded in values of community care, adaptability and resourcefulness. Its going to take all of us working together to move through this crisis, thank you for your support.
American Islamic College Shelter
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Supplies Sorting
Weekly project of sorting and delivering supplies collected at the 46th Ward Office throughout the week. This group meets every Friday from 3-4:30pm and some Wednesdays. You do not need to be able to attend every Friday in order to sign up!
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AIC Trash Brigade
Weekly group of neighbors picking up trash around the AIC shelter with shelter residents and shelter staff. This group meets every Sunday at 10am at the Irving Park entrance of the AIC Shelter at 640 W Irving Park.
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Community Building
This group is in progress, we discussed ideas to build community with the AIC shelter and this group will lead the planning of a Coat Drive at St Mary of the Lake School in late October
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Physical Donations
Our ward office is a drop off location for essential supplies. These supplies are shared with new arrivals and our houseless neighbors through direct drop offs to the shelter and through a free store in our office. Please review the list below to make sure we can accept the item you want to donate
19th Police District Mutual Aid
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Meal Support
We need assistance from residents to drive meals purchased by donations to the police station.
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Volunteer Support
There are a variety of different ways volunteers can work to give their time to support our new neighbors. Please sign up to share different ways you are able to support.
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Physical Supplies
We are providing the new arrivals with a variety of essential items to ensure that they have access to some of their most basic needs. Here is an up to date list of what we are accepting with the drop off sites listed. The police station is not a drop off site.