O’Hare Outreach

Dedicated to assisting the homeless since 1990, Haymarket Center has found safe and affordable shelter for thousands of homless men, women and children suffering with substance use disorders.

The O’Hare Outreach Program of Haymarket Center was started in 1990 as an innovative approach to address the growing number of people experiencing homelessness and seeking shelter at O’Hare Airport. The program focuses on identifying individuals experiencing homelessness and addressing basic problems of alcohol and substance abuse, housing and establishing an income. Funded by the Chicago Department of Aviation and in Cooperation with the Department of Family Support Services.

Homeless person next to stairs

Program Components and Services

Haymarket Center’s O’Hare Outreach staff assesses the needs of the homeless at the O’Hare airport to provide:

  • Transportation to shelters, treatment facilities, and other housing options
  • Assistance and counseling in establishing social security income (SSI), food stamps (SNAP) and other services as needed
  • Detoxification services at Haymarket Center
  • Additional referrals are made to agencies that provide other social services and case management
  • Referrals for medical or psychiatric treatment
  • Assists clients in receiving items such as: state ID and birth certificates