Each year at Cornerstone, we have around 100 children staying with us through back-to-school season. It can be really hard for a child to be in school while living in shelter. Kids can be unkind to each other and to themselves, and sometimes the fear that your peers might judge you based off of your clothing, school supplies, or backpacks can be overwhelming.
We don’t want our kids to feel judged, anxious, or worried during school. We want them to feel confident, comfortable, and loved. One small but mighty step we take in that direction is to ensure that every child who stays with us receives a high-quality backpack, shoes, socks, underwear, and grade-appropriate school supplies.
In August 2026, we dispersed over 160 backpacks to children experiencing homelessness and in need. Around 95 of these backpacks went to kiddos at Cornerstone, and we had enough left over to share with our partners at Montrose Behavioral Health Hospital.
We had an amazing kick-off to the new school year, with axe-throwing, games, crafts, and treats made by our incredible partners at Cake4Kids. We want our kiddos to come into the school year feeling excited and supported by their community, ready to learn and engage – and what better way to do that than to celebrate with cookies and cupcakes?
A backpack gives a child a strong start this September. You can support a family all year.For $49 a month, about $1.60 a day, you can join the Home Team, our new community of monthly donors, and become the steady support families count on while they make their way home.
Below is a client story from successfully housed client Oswaldo. Names have been changed.
Oswaldo came to Cornerstone almost as soon as he first stepped foot into America, with a week’s stay sleeping at a police station in between. He speaks mostly French, but he’s in good company, as nearly half of our men’s program speak French. Many of them take EAL (English as an Additional Language) classes at Truman College, and when someone new comes to the program, they support one another in navigating a new city.
Oswaldo left his home country after experiencing extreme political violence. Oswaldo considers Cornerstone his first home in America. He says he was very happy with Cornerstone – he says “The staff respected me and treated me as a human. Everyone in the program is treated as equals – everyone.”
When someone moves to a new country, they lose so much of the support network they had before. Oswaldo was able to be regularly in touch with his family, thousands and thousands of miles away, through his phone – but in his present and immediate surroundings, everything was completely new, from the people to the places to the very words people spoke to him. Oswaldo’s case managers helped him get connected with Truman college to take English classes, and to start applying for housing. When Oswaldo told his case managers he wanted to get connected to a therapist, Cornerstone’s Medical Coordinator collaborated with a volunteer to find a French-speaking private practitioner – a woman who was so compelled by Cornerstone’s mission that she significantly lowered her rates for Cornerstone, and came on-site to meet with Oswaldo every week.
And finally, Oswaldo got the news that he had been accepted into housing. He was thrilled. Cornerstone helped him pick out supplies for his new home, and celebrated with him as he signed his new lease and moved out of our shelter.
The support system Oswaldo built while at Cornerstone continued to be there for him as he adjusted to living on his own. He and his therapist continued meeting together weekly at Cornerstone for several months after he moved out, to ensure that he still had mental health support during the major transition period from shelter to housing. He is still taking English classes across the street from Cornerstone at Truman College, and he visits Cornerstone often, to pick up any last pieces of mail and to speak with his friends and former case managers.
When we asked Oswaldo what he liked most about being housed, he told us that he loves having a quiet place to read. He reads all the time now, and he loves it. In the men’s program at Cornerstone, our volunteers keep a bookshelf stocked with books tailored to the interests of the readers in the men’s program (the biggest hits currently are historical narratives among the older men, comic books among the younger men, coffee table books with photos for those who don’t like to read as much, and crosswords for the men learning English) and people love it – but it can be a challenging place to really get settled into a book. When you walk onto the men’s program floor, you’ll probably experience a barrage of different noises happening all around you – the TV on, people making phone calls, chatting with one another, the buzz of an electric razor as people help one another cut their hair and shave, someone playing video games, someone studying for school – in all, there’s a lot going on. As much as Oswaldo enjoys coming for a visit, there’s something truly special about getting to go home to his own place and read to his heart’s content.
He dreams of one day bringing the rest of his family to join him in America. He wants to continue learning English, and to someday go to business school. “Cornerstone was my first home here”, he says. We’re honored to have been the place that welcomed Oswaldo into America, and we hope to be that place of refuge and rebuilding for many more years to come.
The Haven on Lincoln has reached a major milestone. On Thursday, May 7, 2026, Cornerstone Community Outreach joined with civic leaders, community partners, supporters, and neighbors to celebrate the ribbon cutting for this new transitional housing location at 5230 N. Lincoln Avenue.
Make a gift today to support The Haven on Lincoln.
The Haven transforms a former motel into a place of dignity, privacy, healing, and hope for individuals experiencing homelessness. With private rooms, supportive services, and a trauma-informed environment, The Haven is designed to help residents stabilize, connect with care, and move toward permanent housing.
Update: We continue to wait on the final occupancy approval from the State of Illinois before we can officially open the Haven on Lincoln. We know many people are eager for the Haven to open, and we are too. Hang in there with us and keep checking back here for the latest updates.
In the News
Block Club Chicago highlighted The Haven as a place offering “dignified privacy” for Chicagoans experiencing homelessness. That phrase captures the heart of this project. The Haven is not only about opening a building. It is about creating a resilient setting where people are treated with dignity and supported in their next steps toward home.
Chicago Sun Times “Lincoln Avenue’s once-notorious Diplomat Motel becomes stylish shelter for homeless people”
Urbanize Chicago “The Haven on Lincoln will remain dedicated to housing and supportive uses for the long term”
ReceptionLoungeIndividual RoomADA BathroomMedical Intake OfficeCase management officeDining RoomKitchenSenator Durbin and Andrew Winter
Help Prepare The Haven on Lincoln for Residents
The ribbon has been cut, and we are now preparing for resident move-in and early operations. Cornerstone is raising $92,500 to help support the care and services connected to each of The Haven’s 37 rooms.
That goal represents $2,500 in launch support for each room, helping provide staffing readiness, resident supplies, transportation, housing navigation, behavioral health connections, service coordination, and the early operating support needed as The Haven prepares to welcome residents.
Your gift helps provide launch support for:
Resident supplies and room essentials
Staffing readiness and early operations
Transportation to appointments and essential services
Housing navigation and landlord engagement
Behavioral health and healthcare connections
Meals, basic needs, and daily care
Service coordination as residents prepare for permanent housing
Every gift helps prepare The Haven to welcome residents with dignity, privacy, and support, moving The Haven from ribbon cutting to resident care.
Interested in Volunteering at the Haven, fill out our Interest Form
Background on The Haven on Lincoln
The Haven on Lincoln is a transformational redevelopment project for Cornerstone Community Outreach in partnership with the Chicago Department of Housing and Department of Family & Support Services, that will create dignified, non-congregate transitional housing for individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago.
Located at 5230 N. Lincoln Avenue, the Haven on Lincoln is the adaptive reuse of the former Diplomat Motel into a purpose-built environment designed for stabilization, healing, and transition to permanent housing. The project reflects Cornerstone’s commitment to housing as a human right and to creating spaces that are safe, calming, and supportive of long-term stability.
Images by Gensler, and Gensler, Site Design Group LTD, Project Sponsors.
Image by GenslerImage by Gensler
A Response to a Growing Need
Many individuals experiencing homelessness face complex medical, behavioral health, or age-related challenges that are difficult to address in traditional congregate shelter settings. The Haven on Lincoln responds to this need by providing private rooms and trauma-responsive design, allowing residents to rest, recover, and engage in services with dignity and privacy, on their path to permanent housing.
The Vision
The Haven on Lincoln is designed to feel like a place of refuge and renewal, not an institution. The project prioritizes:
Private, non-congregate living spaces
Thoughtful, calming design that supports recovery and wellbeing
Purposeful common areas for connection and services
Accessibility and safety throughout the building
Every element of the design supports stabilization and prepares residents for their next step toward permanent housing.
Integrated Care and Support
The Haven on Lincoln is part of Cornerstone’s broader system of care, strengthening the connection between healthcare and housing. The project is designed to support coordinated medical and behavioral health services and aligns with Cornerstone’s work to expand medical care and medical respite capacity. This integrated approach helps residents address underlying health and stability challenges while preparing for housing placement.
Part of a Larger Commitment and Community
The Haven on Lincoln is one of several major redevelopment initiatives advancing Cornerstone’s mission to end homelessness for each person we serve. Together, these projects reflect a shift toward non-congregate, person-centered environments that honor dignity, promote health, and create real pathways home.
Equally important, the Haven on Lincoln is embedded within a network of community partnerships that help ensure residents’ needs are met during their stay and beyond. Cornerstone works closely with healthcare providers, behavioral health partners, housing agencies, and community-based organizations to connect residents with medical care, mental health support, benefits, and permanent housing opportunities. These partnerships strengthen continuity of care, expand access to services, and support each resident’s progress toward stability and independence.
By combining purpose-built space with coordinated community support, the Haven on Lincoln is designed not only to provide shelter, but to serve as a bridge to long-term housing, health, and connection within the broader Chicago community..
The Work Ahead
As Cornerstone completes final readiness steps, our focus is preparing the building, staff, services, and partnerships needed to welcome residents well. This includes operational readiness, resident supplies, housing navigation, transportation, service coordination, and healthcare and behavioral health connections.
Creating a personal fundraising page and inviting others to give
Exploring partnership opportunities that strengthen care, housing pathways, and community connection
Contacting Executive Director Andrew Winter at awinter@ccolife.org
Together, we can help prepare The Haven as a place of stability, healing, and possibility for individuals working toward permanent housing.
The Haven on Lincoln has moved from vision toward readiness, and there are meaningful ways to help prepare this new model for the residents it will soon welcome.
Project Supporters
Alderman Vasquez -40th Ward Chicago Department of Family & Support Services Chicago Department of Housing Chicago Department of Public Health Illinois Public Health Institute Trilogy Thresholds ONE Northside Swedish Endeavor Hospital Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness and individual residents of the 40th Ward
As we enter into the new year, we thank everyone who has supported Cornerstone during the past few months. Our 2025 Annual Report is in progress, but in the meantime, we want to share good news from our Open the Doors, Light the Way campaign during the holiday season.
Between October 1st, 2025 and January 15th, 2026, Cornerstone’s supporters gave over $140,000 to open the doors and light the way for families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago. These dollars provided 237 people with food, shelter and care. We cannot do this work without our supporters. You make this possible.
Our longstanding Christmas traditions continued in December. At Cornerstone, we know the little things matter especially at the holidays. A person needs more than life essentials to thrive. With the help of hundreds of incredible donors and volunteers, Cornerstone’s clients received 1000+ gifts, including new coats for the men’s program, headphones for teenagers, and spa kits and robes for women just to name a few.
Many thanks to everyone who made Christmas at Cornerstone possible.
Help us continue this strong start to the year by donating now.
This past month, Cornerstone’s Cafeteria had its grand reopening!
After two months of nonstop construction, Cornerstone’s cafeteria has emerged from the dust better than ever before. With the hard work and financial support of Republic Services and Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago, we were able to elevate our cafeteria in a major way. See the photos below for a before and after!
At Cornerstone, we know that for homelessness affects so much more than just where you sleep at night. For many, homelessness comes with overwhelming feelings of powerlessness and inadequacy, and many people feel or are possibly even told that they are less worthy of good things. We at Cornerstone believe that every single one of our clients is worthy of experiencing good and beautiful things, and one of the ways we want to recognize that is by striving to make their cafeteria experience a dignifying one.
We aren’t stopping here, either. Our Dining With Dignity program includes upgrading our furniture, flooring, lighting, and sound ambiance in order to make this the best dining experience possible for our clients. Donate to Cornerstone Community Outreach to support this vision!
We’re proud to share Cornerstone Community Outreach’s Annual Report, highlighting the impact we made together over the past year. From families finding permanent housing to individuals receiving critical care and support, each story reflects our mission in action. We invite you to take a moment to explore the report and see how your support is changing lives every day.
Mark your calendars for an extraordinary evening of gratitude and community! On April 10th, from 6-9 PM at The Abbey, Cornerstone Community Outreach invites our cherished donors and volunteers to a celebration of shared commitment to transforming lives.
Since 1989, CCO has evolved from simply providing shelter to creating temporary homes where comprehensive, professional support helps guests rebuild their lives. This transformation wouldn’t be possible without you – our dedicated supporters who believe in our mission of “Accepting People” and “Providing Shelter.”
Each day, your generosity enables us to keep our doors open 24/7, providing not just shelter, but hope and pathway to permanent housing for families and individuals in need. Through our wrap-around services and personalized case management, we’ve helped countless guests transition into homes of their own.
As we gather to celebrate these achievements, we’ll also share our bold vision for the future and how you can be part of writing CCO’s next chapter.
Space is limited. Please RSVP today by clicking here. You will be redirected to Eventbrite to secure your place at this meaningful celebration.
“The shelter gave me a place and helped with doctors, food, and clothes. The team helped me with everything.”
– Sheila found refuge, training, employment, and permanent housing while at CCO
Dear CCO Supporter,
Each year, Cornerstone Community Outreach faces a gap in government funding for direct services, and this year is no exception. In 2024, we supported 592 individuals, offering safe refuge and wrap-around services to help reduce the devastating impact of poverty on the lives of CCO guests. While we continue to welcome and assist each person who comes through our doors, we need your support to extend our efforts during this ongoing funding delay.
This year the need is immediate for unique reasons. While we always rely on your gifts to close the gap in government funding, we are facing both a cash flow issue and a larger-than-normal budget deficit. Payments from the city and state have been delayed, and we have not yet been fully reimbursed for 2024 services. On top of that, city reimbursement rates have not kept pace with inflation. Recent political uncertainty in Washington, DC has put our current state and federal grant applications at risk.
Please consider making a gift in support of CCO’s critical work. Your partnership is vital to our efforts to address the urgent barriers unhoused people encounter. In order to ensure continuity of services for our population experiencing homelessness, we have set an ambitious goal to raise $500,000 by July 1. Your financial gift directly improves the lives of CCO residents like Sheila (pictured above), who found a safe place and strong support so her employment and housing dreams could become a reality.
Below is an example of the impact you can make with a gap-bridging gift to CCO:
$26 1 day’s housing, meals, and care for an individual (total cost: $52
$364 Two weeks’ housing, meals, and care for an individual (total cost: $728)
$1092 Two weeks’ housing, meals, and care for a family (total cost: $2,184)
$2,400Average quarterly cost for one person at CCO (total cost: $4,800)
$4,400Average quarterly cost for a family at CCO (total cost: $8,800)
Your gift will allow us to continue our mission of meeting unhoused people where they are, assisting with comprehensive support, and helping them find a home. Thank you in advance for your contribution.
If you would like to make a gift, below are the ways you can donate. Please reach out to me personally if you would like to discuss CCO and other ways to support our work.
Donate online by clicking the Donate button above
Call us at (872) 246-5324
Send a check to: Cornerstone Community Outreach, 4615 N. Clifton Ave., Chicago, IL 60640
Thank you again!
Sincerely,
Andrew Winter, Executive Director Cornerstone Community Outreach awinter@ccolife.org
Wrap-around services are a daily extension of the care shelter guests experience at CCO. Most shelter guests arrive with no income, support, and limited resources. Once guests enter CCO, immediate needs are met, such as meals, clothing, bedding, and hygiene items.
However, CCO’s wrap-around services go far beyond the immediate needs of families and individuals. The support needed for success is different for each person. A young mother with two children will have different needs than a senior with a chronic health condition. Case managers work alongside guests to create an individualized plan to link shelter guests with practical assistance that brings income, health, and housing stability.
Cornerstone needs your financial support to continue to provide services and shelter. Click here to donate today and make a difference in the lives of families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
Cornerstone would like to take the opportunity to thank all the donors and volunteers who were a part of Bringing the Happy to the residents at CCO. If you would like more information on how to be involved in 2024 please go to our Volunteer or Donations page! Thank you!
