On a brisk morning in late October 2025, the city streets of Fresno and Chicago tell two very different, yet interconnected, stories about the ongoing fight against homelessness in America. In Fresno, the Poverello House stands as a beacon of hope, serving about 3,000 meals a day and offering temporary shelter to those in need. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, a group of determined students in Chicago are rolling up their sleeves—sometimes quite literally, in subzero temperatures—to deliver basic health services and dignity to the city’s unhoused population through Northwestern Streetside Health.
At the heart of both efforts is a simple, unwavering mission: to treat every person with dignity and respect. For Poverello House, that mission has been the guiding light since its founding in 1973. “Our aim is to end homelessness, one person at a time,” said CEO Zack Darrah, reflecting on decades of service that have seen the nonprofit expand with the help of local partners, generous donations, and crucial federal funding. The organization’s impact has been profound—helping individuals struggling with addiction, mental illness, or unemployment find their way from hardship to shelter and, eventually, permanent housing. “Maybe struggling with addiction, mental illness, can’t find a job and go from that place into shelter and permanent housing,” Darrah explained to KFSN.
But 2025 has brought a new set of challenges. Over the past year, Poverello House has faced a dramatic decrease in funding, most notably after a letter from FEMA informed them that no federal support would be forthcoming. “We are facing cuts in our food budget of over 50%, and government dollars are no longer available that have supported our food program for decades,” Darrah revealed. The consequences have been swift and severe: 800 shelter beds have been lost, and the organization has been forced to make significant changes to its budget. “We have eliminated a lot of the things we provide here, but we have also done things differently. We are being asked to serve more people with less resources to do so,” he said.
Despite these hardships, the spirit of Poverello House remains unbroken. Darrah and his team have turned to the community, appealing for new partners and support to continue their work. There’s a sense of gritty determination in Darrah’s words: “We started this work at Pov house with pb and j sandwiches and if we have to do that again, we will.” The message is clear—the fight isn’t over, and hope is not a resource they’re willing to cut.
Across the country, a different but equally passionate team is tackling homelessness with a hands-on approach—one hygiene kit, one shower, and one warm coat at a time. Northwestern Streetside Health, founded in the winter of 2025 by seniors Christopher Axline and Lauren Wang, sprang from a realization that the homeless population in Evanston and Chicago needed more than just awareness—they needed direct, tangible support. “I thought we could really make a good, tangible impact on our community, and so I agreed to be co-founder with her, and from there, we just kind of dug our heels in and hit the ground running,” Axline told The Daily Northwestern.
The organization’s model is simple but effective. All of the items distributed at their events—hygiene products, clothing, food, and beverages—are donated by the community. In the spring of 2025, the group packed hygiene kits and partnered with ShowerUp Chicago to create mobile shower pop-ups for the homeless. These shower trailers, which can be transported throughout the city, provide a rare opportunity for unhoused individuals to enjoy a free, hot shower—a basic comfort that most people take for granted.
Medill sophomore and Member Development and Communication Chair Supriya Akella emphasized the importance of growing the organization’s ranks. “Anyone who wants to be there (is welcomed). The more help we have, the faster it goes and the more kits we can pack,” Akella said. The sense of community is palpable, with students from various disciplines coming together to assemble kits and distribute them at events. “We had a few clubs on campus that were directed towards awareness for homeless people in the area, but Streetside Health is the only club that actively works with the homeless population,” noted Publication Chair Jules Johnson.
Winter in Chicago is notoriously brutal, and the group’s commitment has been tested by the elements. On days when the wind chill plummeted to negative 30 degrees, the team adapted by focusing on distributing warm clothing, beverages, and food instead of showers. “When it was too cold for showers one day, negative 30 degrees with windchill, they focused on passing out warm clothing, beverages and food,” Axline recalled. Their flexibility and resilience have allowed them to continue supporting the homeless, regardless of the weather.
The partnership with ShowerUp Chicago has proven invaluable, with joint events in Evanston during the spring and plans to resume in November 2025. At some events, Streetside Health packs up supplies and walks the streets of Evanston and Chicago, offering donations and shower kits to anyone in need. “We are trying to, through every one of our events, make sure that we’re actually trying to achieve our goals of having a positive impact on the unhoused in Evanston and Chicago,” Axline said, underscoring the organization’s commitment to its mission.
Looking ahead, Axline is hopeful that the organization will continue to grow, both in membership and in the scope of its activities, even after the founders graduate. “We are always trying to grow not only our membership, but also what we do,” he said. The focus remains on providing general health support and maintaining a positive, hands-on presence in the community.
Both Poverello House and Northwestern Streetside Health illustrate the multifaceted nature of the fight against homelessness in America. One is an established institution grappling with the harsh realities of funding cuts and increased demand. The other is a grassroots, student-driven effort that brings youthful energy and adaptability to the streets. What unites them is a deep-rooted belief in the dignity of every individual and a refusal to give up, even when the odds seem daunting.
As the cold sets in and the challenges mount, these organizations remind us that hope, compassion, and community support are as vital as any government grant. Whether it’s a hot meal in Fresno or a warm coat in Chicago, every act of kindness helps to chip away at the seemingly insurmountable problem of homelessness—one person at a time.
