StreetWise

Empowering individuals towards stability and self-employment.

StreetWise’s MISSION is empower the entrepreneurial spirit through the dignity of self-employment by providing Chicagoans facing homelessness with a combination of supportive social services, workforce development resources, and immediate access to gainful employment.

Why is it Important?

Approximately 45 million Americans live at or below the poverty line, with Chicago accounting for 1.3 million of them. The longer an individual remains economically disparaged, the more difficult it grows, increasingly, for them to break out of the poverty cycle–leading to homelessness, hunger, and often much worse. 

How do they do it?

Un- and underemployed individuals serve as vendors for StreetWise Magazine, personalizing the face of Chicago’s poor while also providing them with a viable income. By combining this opportunity for gainful self-employment with StreetWise’s supportive social services, they work to lead clients towards stable and self-sufficient lives. 

How you can #TravelKindly:

• Choose StreetWise as your choice charity when you book hotels with Kind Traveler
• Support StreetWise by donating unsed or needed items
• Volunteer at your local shelter or soup kitchen
• Donate to those in need: food, funds, and clothing make great gifts, as well as toys for children
• Collect your recyclables and give to the disadvantaged so they may utilize bottle laws

Local Hotel: James Hotel Chicago

   Chicago, Illinois