“A Light in the City” since 1871

Since its founding more than 150 years ago, Fourth Church has always put a priority on helping persons in need in our city.

Today the two most prominent programs supplying this assistance are Meals Ministry and the Chicago Lights Social Service Center.

• We provide more than 49,000 meals a year (that’s almost 1,000 meals every week, at multiple venues, with no proof of need required);

• We make it easy for families to get preparable food (guests can regularly “shop” in our food pantry, which we stock with food from the Greater Chicago Food Depository);

• We provide clothes for those in need (we have a “Share Shop” for men’s and women’s clothes);

• We provide toiletries and personal necessities (our Social Service Center gives out thousands of items a year);

• We provide employment-skills training;

• We provide housing referral assistance;

• We support other aid organizations in Chicago;

• We offer a safe and warm place for under-resourced people to hang out during the day.

We also partner with other faith and community organizations — so that working together we can meet more needs than any one of us could alone.

Meals Ministry serves free meals six days every week:

Sunday Night Supper is served at Fourth Church from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in Anderson Hall with limited seating (entry is from the Michigan Avenue courtyard). Food is distributed in “to go” boxes.

Monday Night Supper is served at Catholic Charities on North LaSalle Street, between Huron and Superior Streets, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; wristbands to enter the dining room are distributed at 4:00 p.m. Both “to go” and limited inside seating options are available.
(Other organizations serve suppers at this location Tuesday through Friday, at the same time in the afternoon.)

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, bag lunches are served at Fourth Church between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Anderson Hall, with limited seating (entry is through the glass doors by the Michigan Avenue courtyard). Guests can also take lunch to go.

On Fridays, sandwiches (to go only) are available in the Commons (near the restrooms) from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (not available after 11:30 a.m.). Entry is through the glass doors by the Michigan Avenue courtyard.

How you can help support Meals Ministry

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The Chicago Lights Social Service Center

Social services are provided through the glass doors by the Michigan Avenue courtyard on Tuesday through Friday mornings, with check-in from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. (The glass doors open at 9:00 a.m. for those who wish to wait indoors.)

Provisions available include toiletries, clothes, and food.

How you can support the Chicago Lights Social Service Center

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For other ways to help, please see the pages on volunteering, on donating items, and on giving.