On June 20, 2024, we had a presentation about the Pacific Garden by Mission by Chris Ridgeway and Michael Kwiatkowski. Currently, this facility is the oldest operating shelter in Chicago. They typically have 600 guests overnight. These services are offered to men, women, and children; the shelter opened in 1877.

The shelter is a faith-based Christian organization. It provides training in various skills, with - as an example - guests obtaining a GED while there; therefore, the reason for services to guests in their "day" programs. Their goal is to ready guests to be able to be productive, to be able to support themselves.

Typically, the people who are served have suffered from addiction, homelessness (not just people on the street) and incarceration.

Pictured are our two guest speakers: Chris Ridgeway and Michael Kwiatkowski.