CHICAGO, Ill. – State Representative Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, and State Senator Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, will join Northwest Side organizations this Sunday to acknowledge and remember those lost prematurely to conditions related homelessness and to call for further action to prevent further loss in the future.
The Far Northwest Side Homeless Persons Memorial Service convenes on Sunday, December 21, at 4 p.m. at Friendship Community Place, located at 5150 N Northwest Highway, Chicago, IL, 60630.
“As our area continues to face the harsh conditions of winter weather, we must recognize that not everyone has access to stable shelter, warmth and care,” said LaPointe. “This service offers residents the opportunity to collectively grieve and honor our friends and neighbors who we’ve lost and provide the reverence their lives deserve. As we honor lives lost, we must also advocate for increased access to services and resources — such as shelters, stable housing, and mental health and recovery supports — that can and will prevent tragedies like these in the future.”
LaPointe and her office will participate in person and share their experiences working alongside homeless neighbors on the Far Northwest Side with attendees.
“In a country as wealthy as ours, no one should suffer being homeless and being left feeling alone,” said Martwick. “It is our duty as elected officials to make sure that we provide and promote services for those that are currently facing this hardship. Our district mourns the loss of our homeless neighbors throughout the year and we are left with a sobering reminder that there is still more work to be done to address the needs of our homeless population.”
“On the longest night of the year, December 21st, we will gather at Friendship Community Place for a Memorial to remember our neighbors who have died while living outside or in unstable housing,” said Pastor Shawna Bowman of Friendship Presbyterian Church. “We gather to hold their stories and lives, some known to us and some unknown, and to come alongside those who have loved and cared for them. If you know someone who has died while experiencing homelessness please come and share their name, light a candle and help hold their story.”
For more information, please contact Info@RepLaPointe.com or 773-647-1174.
Who: Office of State Representative Lindsey LaPointe, Office of State Senator Robert Martwick, Chicago NWS Homeless Outreach, Neighbors for Affordable Housing, Friendship Community Place
What: Homeless Persons Memorial Service
When: Sunday, December 21; 4 p.m.
Where: Friendship Community Place; 5150 N Northwest Highway, Chicago, IL 60630
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