The SportsWise Team discusses the potental sale of the White Sox.
Cover Story: Street Medicine
Local homelessness advocacy groups, including Chicago Street Medicine and The Night Ministry, provide medical care to those who need it most by coming to them.
Inside StreetWise
Get to know StreetWise vendors "Money-Making" Michael Moore and Ruben Garcia.
The Playground
ON THE COVER: The Night Ministry van stops in the Loop (Kathleen Hinkel photo). THIS PAGE: Julia Bergguist, Dr. Kevin Boblick and Dr. Hasan Al-Hameedi, doctors and medical students working with Chicago Street Medicine, discuss a care plan for a patient who attended the Loyola Chapter of Chicago Street Medicine’s pop-up clinic at the CTA Forest Park Blue line station on Thursday, April 17 (photo by Maizie HummelLogee). DISCLAIMER: The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.
Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher
Suzanne
Julie
Ph: 773-334-6600 Office:
S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Compiled by Dave Hamilton
Absurd Comedy!
‘Queen for a Day’
American fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick, known to the world simply as Halston, is down on his luck. He's packing up his chic-as-hell Olympic Tower office for reasons he doesn't want to discuss. To make matters worse, Elizabeth I is knocking on his door. Yes, Elizabeth I, whose reign as Queen of England spanned 1558 to 1603. But it's 1984 in New York City. All that time spent at Studio 54 might be starting to catch up to Halston's brain. Elizabeth I demands he make her a new gown to die in, by the end of the day, even though he seems to be in the midst of a breakdown. He agrees, and the pair moves forward with the design of a lifetime. That is until Halston has to help his best friend, Liza Minnelli, with her new act. Running July 9 - August 3 at Bramble Arts Loft – The Berry, 5545 N. Clark St. Tickets are $35 at handbagproductions.org
Showtunes Near You!
‘Broadway in Your Backyard’
Porchlight Music Theatre presents the return of its FREE summer concert series “Broadway in your Backyard,” July 14 - 23. Now in its fifth year, it has become one of Porchlight’s most popular offerings with thousands of people enjoying Porchlight favorite artists performing hits and beloved songs from the Broadway and Hollywood musical song books including “Hello, Dolly!,” “Hamilton,” “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” “Toy Story,” “The Wiz” and others. The 2025 “Broadway in your Backyard” season is at 6 p.m. in: Berger Park - Waterfront Cafe, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., July 14; Northcenter Town Square, 4100 N. Damen Ave., July 15; Ping Tom Memorial Park Pagoda, 239 W. 18th St., July 16; Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave., July 21; Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave., July 22; Washington Square Park, 901 N. Clark St., July 23. For more information go to PorchlightMusicTheatre.org
Shakespeare Near You!
‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ One of William Shakespeare’s early comedies performed FREE in Chicago parks. It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. Their subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies leads them to break their oath. The play draws on themes of youthful love and desire, reckoning and rationalization, and reality versus fantasy. The schedule is: July 18-20 at Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.; July 25-27 at Winnemac Park, 5100 N. Leavitt, and August 1-3 at Touhy Park, 7348 N. Paulina. Fridays & Saturdays start at 6 p.m., Sundays start at 2 p.m.
Take an Art Walk!
‘Flowering Grecian Urns’
Artistic flowers are blooming in Greektown Chicago this summer, with the neighborhood’s new outdoor art exhibit, “Flowering Grecian Urns,” on display through May 2026. Inspired by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers, the large Grecian urn sculptures are decorated in a floral and vine relief, and vibrantly hand painted. Participating artists include 17 local professional and emerging artists, as well as student teams from two high schools and 12 Greek schools across Chicagoland. They can be found within walking distance of each other throughout the Greektown neighborhood along South Halsted Street from Madison Street to Van Buren Street. FREE.
A Song for You!
‘Twisted Melodies’ Flashback to 1979, when singer/composer Donny Hathaway was a soul music icon, known for R&B hits and duets with Roberta Flack. “Twisted Melodies” is a one-man show that immerses us in a day with the brilliant artist who seeks solace in the music that has always been his salvation. Powerful renditions of songs like “More Than You’ll Ever Know,” “The Ghetto,” and “The Closer I Get to You” illuminate the enduring power of his talent. Tickets are $35+ for the production that runs July 10-August 10 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. northlight.org or 847.673.6300.
Travel the World!
World Fair US
Spanning six regional pavilions—Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South America—World Fair US brings together over 80 countries through live music, dance, crafts, cuisine, and fashion. This one-of-a-kind, family-friendly celebration offers a rare chance to discover global traditions without leaving the city. Whether you want to savor biryani from Pakistan, admire intricate ceramics from Spain, dance along to a mariachi band from Mexico, or shop handwoven baskets from Ghana, there’s something for everyone, no matter your age or interests. Open 3 - 10 p.m. daily through July 28 at SeatGeek Stadium, 7000 S. Harlem, Bridgeview. $17 admission.
CollectedCon 2025
Soul Baring!
‘Sex, Race & Jesus’ “Sex, Race & Jesus” is a story of trial and triumph. Writer R.C. Riley takes a journey through three relationships: with their body, their soul and their higher power. This introspective and raw show is a depiction of intimacy intertwined with personal revelations and powerful convictions. July 11 & 12 at 8 p.m. at Steppenwolf Theater, 1700 N. Halsted St. Tickets are $23 at steppenwolf.org/lookout
Shop 'til You Drop!
Shop Black Fest Chicago
Shop Black Fest is pulling up to Midway Plaisance Park, 1130 Midway Plaiasnce, in Hyde Park on Friday, July 12 from 2-7 p.m. It is a one-of-a-kind celebration of Black culture, community, and entrepreneurship. Enjoy delicious food from Black-owned food trucks, bounce house fun for the kids, line dancing, live DJ sets, over 40 Black-owned vendors offering fashion, skincare, art, wellness products, and more. FREE admission. More information at shopblackfest.com/chicago
The Magic of Toys!
Attention toy enthusiasts and creative minds! CollectedCon is the ultimate designer toy convention at Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom, 600 E. Grand Ave., July 12 (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.) and 13 (11 a.m. - 5 p.m.). This is a chance to check out original art, handmade products, and production toys from artists around the globe. Tickets are $30 daily or $50 for the weekend at collectedcon.com
Walk & Learn!
Ikebana Walk
The Japanese Culture Center, in partnership with the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce and Japanese Arts Foundation, is hosting an Ikebana Walking Exhibition July 12 and 13 in the Southport Corridor (3300-3700 North). Ikebana instructors, artists, and students will install flower arrangements from two different schools of ikebana taught at the center; Ikenobo and Ohara Ryu. In addition, there will be ikebana-themed, avant-garde Japanese calligraphy and origami flower arrangements on display at participating locations. FREE.
New white Sox Ownership?
John: Let’s talk about the Chicago White Sox being potentially for sale.
Russell: The Jerry Reinsdorf era started in 1981. Previous owner Bill Veeck was my man, but Reinsdorf had one good year to me: 1983, when they won the division for the first time since 1959, but couldn’t make it to the World Series. They spent money that year, bought players like Greg Luzinski, Carlton Fisk, Ron Kittle. One year. Don’t know why they didn’t keep it intact. After that, it was all downhill. Then 2005 was a good team too, they won the World Series, took care of business.
Allen: The White Sox have proven they can win and can go to the World Series, which is important to the South Side of Chicago. Everybody gives up on the White Sox, but I am not. This guy Justin Ishbia -- give him a chance. It’s not enough to be the owner of
the White Sox; you have to be willing to invest to make it a championship team. Maybe it is time to sell. We need some players, we need some fans. We need everything.
John: The process itself starts in 2025 and 2026; Ishbia already owns a minority stake in the Sox and would make investments as a limited partner, according to ABC7. Then, from 2029 to 2033, Reinsdorf can sell the controlling interest to Ishbia. After 2034, the choice to buy flips to Ishbia. Ishbia was looking at the Minnesota Twins, but did not like what they have to o er. So I think Jerry Reinsdorf pulled him aside and said, “would you like increased interest in the team and eventually ownership in 2034?”
I think they want to make an agreement because there’s a big 78 project that’s laying out there at Roosevelt and Clark. Reinsdorf feels if they can get
the framework, there would be not only the ballpark, but hotels. I think he wants to keep the White Sox in Chicago.
Russell: He should still sell the team. I am a White Sox fan but I am tired of every year, last place: last year, this year. They’re 25 games out of first place and it’s not even July. Get better players; players don’t like Chicago because they’re too cheap. The Yankees, every year a good team, Minnesota. Everybody’s improving. They need to get free agents, start winning.
Allen: I agree with Russell. Even if you don’t sell the whole team, sell controlling interest. This is what Jerry has. We need to bring some new flavor so they can take it somewhere.
John: I wish they sold to somebody from Nashville, because the economy in Chicago is not
what it was in 1988. It’s a Cubs town, though Justin Ishbia might prove me wrong.
I think the reason they would want to keep it in Chicago is the 78 Project. Rate Field is outdated and the way they built it, I think they dropped the ball. It could have been like Baltimore's Camden Yards, like Seattle with the Mariners or Milwaukee. The latter two both have a retractable roof, only open in the summer months and closed when it’s cold out so that you don’t have any rainouts and wasted days.
Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com
Vendors (l-r) Russell Adams, A. Allen and John Hagan chat about the world of sports.
The importance of Vaccines for seniors
The immune system’s purpose is to protect you from harmful substances and germs that enter the body. As people get older, their bodies don't fight off infections as well as they used to for a number of reasons. Their immune systems get weaker. Vaccines help make the immune system stronger to keep people healthy. A vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way to protect the body against diseases before coming in contact
• er healing times.
Vaccines can stop serious diseases and infections that affect older people. For example, the flu, pneumonia, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), COVID and shingles can make anyone sick, no matter their age. These illnesses can be more severe in older adults. Vaccination can help prevent serious illnesses that can lead to costly treatments and hospital stays. Many of these vaccines may not stop you from getting a specific illness but can possibly lower how dangerous the symptoms are and/or lead to short-
• • about getting sick. that seniors should think about getting:
When seniors get vaccinated, they are less likely to spread diseases to others. This lowers the risk of spreading in many different locations, including the home and community. This is very important in places like nursing homes and retirement communities, where many people live close together. Vaccinations can help prevent illness so that seniors stay healthy. Good health means being able to continue doing the things they enjoy. Being healthy means they can enjoy social activities, travel, and spend time with family and friends without worrying
It is important to see a healthcare provider yearly for a general checkup. Seniors often need to be seen more often to manage their ongoing medical conditions. As part of a plan to stay healthy, these are some vaccines
• Flu Vaccine:
• Pneumonia Vaccine: type of bacteria.
• Shingles Vaccine: chicken This prevents
• Tdap Vaccine: shot every 10 years.
The flu vaccine is updated yearly based on the most common types of flu strains. Some flu vaccines are made especially for people ages 65 and older, giving them extra protection. Protects against pneumonia and other serious infections caused by a certain Shingles is related to chicken pox. If you had chicken pox as a child, you may be at risk of getting shingles later in life. This vaccine prevents shingles and its painful complications. Protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Get a booster
Vaccine: Stay
• COVID-19 Vaccine: Stay up to date with the latest COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. Protects against this virus, which can cause serious lung infections.
• RSV Vaccine: illnesses and to
Vaccinations are very important to keep seniors healthy. Vaccines protect against serious diseases and illnesses so that seniors stay active and independent. It's important for older adults to get the recommended vaccines based on their medical conditions and risk factors. Talk to your healthcare provider to know if and when you need these vaccines.
Dr. Marina Claudio is a board-certified family physician who has been in practice since 2003. She is currently a Medical Director at Molina Healthcare of Illinois/Wisconsin. She's a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and completed her residency in Family Medicine at the UIC/Advocate Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency Program.
HOW LOCAL HOMELESSNESS PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE WITHOUT
by Maizie Hummel-Logee & Eleanor Lusciatti
On a bitterly cold January night, Dr. Theresa Nguyen kneels alongside a man hunched over on a folding chair within a makeshift treatment area at the CTA Forest Park Blue Line station. He says that the numbness in his fingers has worsened and, under his mittens, reveals discolored blistering skin indicating possible frostbite, which, left untreated, could lead to amputation.
In a traditional medical setting, this stage of frostbite would warrant immediate hospitalization. But Nguyen knows that many of her patients avoid hospitals, fearing judgment and reporting that they have been treated poorly in the past.
Nguyen’s breath forms small, misty clouds in the cold as she offers to arrange for the patient to be taken to the ER, but he declines due to past medical experiences. Instead, Nguyen pulls out her medical kit and begins to clean the impacted fingers, wrapping them in a dressing and giving him a week's worth of antibiotics and care instructions until she returns the next week. This is street medicine, bringing healthcare services to people experiencing homelessness by meeting them where they are. Street medicine aims to break down the barriers that keep unhoused individuals from accessing care, bringing medical professionals directly to patients rather than expecting patients to navigate a complex healthcare structure.
“We are an outreach service, an arm of the healthcare system trying to reach somebody that is having trouble
navigating our system,” says Dr. Qi Charles Zhang, an emergency medicine physician and the director of Medical Education at Chicago Street Medicine.
This form of medical care began in the U.S. in 1992, led by Dr. Jim Withers and his passion for his patients in Pittsburgh. In the years since, a national network of providers across 85 U.S. cities, 15 countries, and five continents has emerged to provide Street Medicine. This discipline differs from traditional medical practices as it is centered around showing up where the patient lives rather than having them travel to a clinic or hospital. By operating in this way, doctors and other medical providers can provide a wide range of basic medical services in untraditional spaces, with fewer limitations.
The need is great in the city of Chicago: at any one time, there are as many as 76,375 people experiencing homelessness, of whom an estimated 31,333 are living in a shelter or on the street, according to the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness.
Both populations struggle to obtain medical care, due to a distrust of the medical system and lack of insurance. Other barriers are a lack of consistent transportation, secure storage for personal goods, and communication devices.
From left: A medical student at Loyola takes a patient's vitals at the CTA Forest Park Blue Line station during the Loyola Chapter of Chicago Street Medicine’s pop up clinic on April 17 (photo by Eleanor Lusciatti). Julia Bergguist, Dr. Kevin Boblick and Dr. Hasan Al-Hameedi, doctors and medical students working with Chicago Street Medicine, discuss a care plan for a patient who attended the pop up clinic (photo by Maizie HummelLogee). Various medical supplies used to treat illness and injury at the CTA Forest Park Blue Line station during the Loyola Chapter of Chicago Street Medicine’s pop up clinic (photo by Maizie Hummel-Logee).
HOMELESSNESS ADVOCACY GROUPS ARE CARE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES
AN 18-YEAR DEATH GAP
These barriers can lead to dire consequences, as seen in the life expectancy for unsheltered individuals, which is nationally around 56 years compared to their sheltered counterparts at around 74 years, an 18-year difference. The practice of street medicine looks to reduce this disparity.
Several organizations practice street medicine. Between them, they are able to provide not only basic medical care, but they also run small mail services (a way for those without an address to receive important documents), assist patients in navigating the social services system, connect to temporary housing, and provide harm reduction tools.
Street medicine responds to the dilemma presented by hospitals when caring for unhoused patients, “It’s kind of this traditional brick-and-mortar form of health care that doesn't work for everybody,” said Timothy Jostrand, president of Chicago Street Medicine (CSM). “It works for the people who can afford it and works for the people who can get to it.”
CSM, a nonprofit organization founded in 2016, operates through four medical schools in Chicago: the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Loyola University. Each institution covers a part of the city and its nearby neighborhoods.
CSM relies entirely on donations and volunteers, with 600 volunteers serving approximately 4,000 patients annu-
ally. They deliver care through what they call “street runs,” which are visits where teams of medical students, residents, and at least one attending physician provide care directly on the street.
Consistency is key to this approach. Teams visit the same locations at regular times every week to slowly build trust with the unhoused people who gather there. Often, they bring along other organizations to cover a larger scope of care, like Revive and Street Samaritans, who can provide case management and social services. “They can plug into our street runs because that’s where our patients feel comfortable, on the street,” Jostrand says.
Rather than simply handing out resource papers, CSM will facilitate direct handoffs to these partner organizations. “We really try to avoid just tossing people into the black hole of the social services system,” Jostrand said.
In 2024 alone, CSM completed 320 street runs involving over 4,500 individual encounters, both clinical (administering medical services) and non-clinical (providing resources). Since 2021, CSM has documented a total of 11,713 patient encounters. The organization has also worked with migrant arrivals, who made up 20% of their total patients in 2024.
Nguyen, an Emergency Medicine physician at Loyola Medicine, co-founded Loyola Street Medicine, a chapter of CSM, alongside Dr. Kevin Boblick in 2020, and she now serves as the organization's director.
CTA IS THEIR SHELTER
The organization began focusing on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) stations after a revealing discovery. The 2021 Point-in-Time Count, an annual government-run assessment of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness at a given time, revealed that nearly half of Chicago’s unsheltered homeless population was using the CTA as their primary means of shelter. The team now consistently works at the Forest Park Blue Line station, the terminal of that line, every Thursday from 8 p.m. to midnight.
At Loyola University, Nguyen is the director of the Center for Community and Global Health. Her mission there is rooted in social justice and fighting for health equity for underserved populations. She describes the program as a “clinical classroom without walls” for medical students. They learn to build trust with marginalized patients, practice resource-limited medicine, and understand homelessness as a health determinant.
Data collected by Loyola Street Medicine shows that the most common complaints they treat are wound care (20%), musculoskeletal issues such as back and joint pain, including arthritis (17%), and podiatry needs (14%). Exposure to extreme weather, inadequate rest, and limited access to bathroom facilities are just some of the realities of homelessness that are reflected by these physical challenges that present when living without stable shelter. After starting Loyola Street Medicine, Nguyen created an inpatient consult service at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood that follows patients throughout their hospital stays. When someone the team has encountered at the CTA station or any unhoused person is admitted, the street medicine team serves as their hospital advocate and collaborates with those working in and out of the hospital on a plan for post-discharge care. This helps them to connect directly with a comprehensive set of resources for when they leave the hospital.
While CSM and its Loyola chapter represent newer and more institutionally led approaches to working with unhoused populations, organizations like The Night Ministry have been working in the Chicagoland area for over four decades.
Founded in 1976, The Night Ministry, a local Chicago organization started by the Rev. Tom Behrens, has become a staple of the street care community. Beginning in 1988 as an effort to improve community social services and outreach with youth shelters and counseling, their providers saw a need for direct health services, resulting in the creation of their medical outreach bus. By 1989, they had incorporated the street medicine approach into their wide range of already existing services.
STREET KNOWLEDGE INFORMS OPERATIONS
Tedd Peso, director of strategic partnerships at The Night Ministry, explains that even once the street medicine team was assembled, the logistics of bringing care to these populations had to be determined. To begin the task of identifying locations of those in need, The Night Ministry leaned on the knowledge of the outreach workers they partnered with to know the places people gathered and frequented.
This intimate community knowledge is an essential tool. “When the street medicine program first started, we identified two or three locations where we knew that people were living on the street,” Peso said. But as populations shifted due to new developments or harassment, they had to adapt. “As people moved or transitioned out of those spaces, or as the spaces were lost to either construction projects or other reasons, we would just track where people were going,” Peso says.
As circumstances change, The Night Ministry and its staff have evolved to meet the needs of the community mem-
bers, and so have their services. One such example can be seen in their response to treating sheltered vs. unsheltered patients. “We [The Night Ministry] provide all these services through our health outreach bus, so that’s the free medical care, case management, and hospitality services,” Peso explains. The vehicle is a little smaller than a city bus and has an exam room, service window, and small seating area.
Soon it became clear that the bus alone was not enough. “What we realized was that the folks coming to the bus tended to have housing, it just wasn't very stable or wasn't sufficient to fit their needs, and so we created a program to better respond to folks who are on the street, and that's our street medicine program,” Peso said.
Mirella Rodriguez, a case manager with The Night Ministry for over 10 years, said the organization doesn't look to push those experiencing unsheltered homelessness who wish to remain outdoors. “We just try to help people wherever they are in their journey,” she said, “and whether or not they want to be housed or just want to receive whatever services we have.”
At 8:30 p.m. on a Thursday evening in April, a makeshift clinic was set up at the Forest Park Blue Line station. Cloth partitions separated the exam area, which could accommodate three patients and a handful of medical students at a time, from the rest of the room, which was humming with activity. Nearby tables were stacked with hot dinners, information on transitional housing and harm reduction kits, and staffed by volunteers and members of several area organizations, including Chi Care and The Night Ministry.
As the rumble of an arriving train is heard above, a line three deep forms before the carts of medical supplies have even arrived. A steady stream of patients come and go for the rest of the night.
AN IMPERFECT REALITY FOR HEALING
Upon introduction to a patient, a basic workup is done by a med student looking for a way to provide some relief to a multitude of injuries and illnesses, many of which are related to asthma or sores due to poor circulation and friction. Some patients knew what they needed, had experience with Loyola’s team and their system, and some did not. Both categories were met with a team that combined not only their medical knowledge but also their lived experiences to quickly and creatively assess and treat this often underserved community.
Collaboration is key for this operation. Not only were the volunteers crossing language barriers and addressing not only physical but also mental health concerns, they dealt with the ever-present issue of limited ability for their patients to access clean, safe places to rest or accessible washing facilities while healing from the issues they presented with.
One man with weathered shoes, thinned out at the heel, removed his socks to reveal swollen and red pressure wounds on his feet and ankles from poor circulation. He was advised that the best course of treatment outside of what they could give him was clean, warm water every night. “I’m trying,” he exclaimed, throwing his hands up and shaking his head.
The unfortunate reality of street medicine is clear here: so many of the medical issues they are presented with again and again are the result of systemic issues, which will require large-scale change nationwide. In the meantime, these providers continue to show up, again and again, to clean and re-dress his wounds, give him something for the pain, and advise him to stay vigilant about hydration, especially as the weather begins to warm.
“Street medicine is really tough in that sense,” Jostrand said. “Most of the time, you do have to continue to go out
From left: Julia Bergguist, A medical student at Loyola, takes note of a patient interaction at the CTA Forest Park Blue Line station during the Loyola Chapter of Chicago Street Medicine’s pop-up clinic on Thursday, April 17 (photo by Maizie HummelLogee). The Night Ministry’s Mobile Health Care Clinic sits near the intersection of 54th and Halsted on Wednesday, April 9 (photo by Eleanor Lusciatti). The Night Ministry’s Mobile Health Care Clinic provides a bagged lunch and basic medical care to those experiencing poverty and homelessness in the neighborhood (photo by Maizie Hummel-Logee).
Preserving Chicago’s Heritage, one
and provide care on a regular basis to start to see it pay off for your patients.”
While community-led care is being administered by private organizations, the city has been working to provide both financial and political support to keep these efforts going. A big part of this commitment played out last April, when the City of Chicago announced that the inaugural position of Chief Homelessness Officer would be held by Sendy Soto. This move comes after the state’s appointment of Christine Haley for the statewide position in 2021. “Bringing everybody together has probably been one of the biggest and best experiences of my life,” Soto said.
In the midst of all these different approaches, one goal is clear: “There is a common ground that people do deserve a safe and warm place to sleep, despite all of our different ways that we think we can get there,” Soto said.
“My role is to work with community partners, to work with advocates, other policymakers, to try to ensure that we build on a foundation, or build a foundation that truly can increase the opportunities to not only safe shelters, but affordable housing,” Soto said.
Together, over the past 49 years, these organizations have learned and grown with Chicago, finding new and more effective ways to treat patients and provide lifechanging support. Even then, they aren't able to address the full scale and scope of the need.
Many unhoused people still don't receive proper care, as these teams have only so many people and hours available to provide care. They are limited to caring for those who choose to receive their services. The street medicine team is also limited by the supplies they can carry or fit into the van. This does not allow for many major medical interventions that may become necessary when an issue worsens, the need for surgery, rehabilitation, or intravenous antibiotics.
Despite these limitations, the impact of street medicine in Chicago is profound. By meeting patients in their spaces, these organizations are making a visible impact. These teams show that sometimes the most revolutionary medical intervention is simply to show up, again and again, where traditional systems have failed.
Maizie Hummel-Logee and Eleanor Lusciatti are Chicago-based photojournalists. Maizie’s multimedia work focuses on telling the stories of local communities in impactful ways. Eleanor is passionate about documenting the history and experiences of communities whose stories often go untold, and is currently Director of Photography at The Columbia Chronicle. This piece was created in a Solutions Journalism class taught by Columbia College Chicago professor Sharon BloydPeshkin. Both Maizie and Eleanor look forward to continuing using their work to create meaningful change and to uplift communities.
Meet StreetWise legend, 'Money-Making' Michael Moore
by Lauren Packard
Where do you sell StreetWise: “I have two locations that I like to sell at. Diversey & Clark near the Trader Joe’s, and Fullerton and Sheffield near DePaul University. I’m usually out there in the evenings three days a week but once the weather gets nicer I’ll be out more.”
How’d you get started with StreetWise: “Well for years, my brother and I had a booth over at the old Maxwell Street market and sold oils, incense, jewelry, all sorts of stuff. But in 1994, they closed it so the university could expand. I needed a job, and I knew sales was something I could do. One day I saw a vendor selling StreetWise downtown, and I asked him about it. And I’ve been a vendor since that day in 1995, 30 years ago.”
Favorite part of StreetWise: “I love all of it, but especially my customers. I’ve been able to meet so many great and interesting people from everywhere. A couple of years ago I was able to meet Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and she bought a magazine from me! I also met Ronnie Woo Woo, the Chicago Cubs’ famous #1 fan back in the 1990s.”
What are your favorite parts of Chicago: “There’s so many beautiful parks and things to do around the city. Buckingham Fountain, Lincoln Park, and the old theatres and movie houses are some of my favorite things
What advice would you give people: “I’d like to think I’m a patient and outgoing person, I’ve worked hard to get to where I am now. Just treat people with kindness. It’s so important that you always try to keep the sunny side up even when it gets hard. You gotta believe in yourself and love yourself always; don’t rely on other people to do that for you.”
StreetWise resident artist & photographer: Ruben Garcia
by Lauren Packard
Where do you sell StreetWise: “I sell at the corner of Madison & Wells from 6-11 a.m., Monday through Friday. I’m also starting to sell at Roosevelt & Clark from 7-10 a.m. on the weekends.”
How did you get started at StreetWise: moved to Chicago in August of 2022 and I was homeless at the time. But one day in November of that year, I was walk ing downtown and saw another vendor, Keith Hardiman, selling magazines. I asked him about it, and it sounded like a good op portunity. So I went down to the office to get started as a StreetWise vendor right after that, and I’ve been here ever since!”
What is your favorite part of StreetWise: “There’s too many things to name all of them. I really love the freedom of it. I can dress how I want, choose my own hours, and my locations. I also love my customers too. I’m so blessed and grateful for them and StreetWise as a whole. It’s so great being able to get out and meet new people when I sell my maga zines.”
What are your favorite parts of Chicago: “Just the fast-paced environ ment of it. The rush of people, the busy ness, there’s always something going on and I love it. You can always meet someone new or see something unexpected. I also just love walking around the city and taking it all in.”
What are some fun facts about yourself: “I’m an avid reader and a self-taught photographer and artist. My photography is usually of the city architecture, fashion, or whatever catches my eye, really. A lot of my art consists of cartoon-style drawings with markers and sharpies. Also, I love music. Scorpions is my all time favorite band; I don’t even know how many times I’ve seen them live at this point!”
