story

It began with a break-in, of all things. One cold, winter day, our founder discovered his truck with a window smashed. Someone had obviously broken in, but nothing was missing aside from a blanket, which he later saw at a nearby homeless encampment. Shaken and deeply moved, our founder made it his personal mission to support his neighbors experiencing homelessness. As a recovering alcoholic, he understood firsthand the importance of relationship-led outreach, and prioritized building trust and rapport with individuals on the streets of Chicago’s south side. He didn’t stop at asking them what they needed to survive – he asked what they needed to thrive, to get back on their feet, to get clean, get sober, get mental health assistance… you name it.

While The Orange Tent Project (Feeding People Through Plants) are perhaps best known for their 2022 clash with the city regarding the removal of the ice fishing tents, we are grateful to report that we are actively cooperating and collaborating with the city to address our shared goal of ending the cycle of homelessness. To date, The Orange Tent Project has built more than 200 insulated shelters, distributed over 10,500 hot meals, transitioned seven neighbors into housing, and connected with countless other nonprofit partners to expand our reach across Chicago.

Through our relationship-led tent building and meal distribution initiatives, our team is able to not only connect individuals to housing programs, but also bridge the gap between the street and their new home by providing a warmer, more stable place to stay and reliable, high-quality meals while they wait. Our expansive network of partner organizations allows us to continue introducing neighbors to additional resources that may help get them back on their feet, including legal assistance, public benefits access, additional housing opportunities, emergency services, and more.

In response to feedback and requests he received from these neighbors, our founder began replacing run-down, dilapidated summer tents (which stood no chance against the often-fatal Chicago cold, nor the sweltering summer heat) with sturdier ice fishing tents (which are designed to hold in heat and withstand high winds, but which also provide much-needed shade in the summer). He began collecting clothing donations and handing them out to the neighbors in need, and he coordinated with local restaurants and other nonprofits to provide hot meals. Perhaps most importantly, he connected individuals experiencing homelessness to countless resources, including addiction rehabilitation and mental health services, emergency care, housing programs, and more.

The orange tents are not a permanent solution; they were never meant to be. Rather, the purpose of the insulated structures is to meet one of the most basic needs of Maslow's Hierarchy while individuals experiencing homelessness await housing placement. The Orange Tent Project believes, in accordance with research on Social Determinants of Health, that shelter, sustenance, and physical safety are vital first steps to addressing larger obstacles such as drug addiction and mental illness. Due to the high demand and strain upon housing programs, the reality is that many of our neighbors experiencing homelessness face several weeks on waitlists for placement in a housing program.

The Orange Tent Project envisions a world in which the services we provide are no longer necessary — that is, a world with affordable and accessible housing, food security for all, universal health care and rehabilitation services; a world in which we care for one another as neighbors. Until then, we’ll be showing up for our neighbors experiencing homelessness with hope, human connection, and empowerment – one tent, meal, and person at a time.