A homeless encampment in Chicago’s Humboldt Park is pictured in February 2024. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
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The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless estimates more than 68,000 people in Chicago are experiencing homelessness. That higher number includes people who are doubled up, or temporarily living in someone else’s home.

A naloxone kit from the Chicago Recovery Alliance is pictured in a file photo. The organization is among those working to deal with an influx in xylazine. (Kristen Thometz / Chicago Tonight)

Data from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office shows 146 opioid-related deaths last year where xylazine was listed as a primary cause, marking a 16.8% increase from 2021. Local harm reduction organizations have also seen an uptick in its use.

(Photo by @plqml // felipe pelaquim on Unsplash)

A key tenet of harm reduction is meeting people who use drugs where they’re at. The coronavirus challenged advocates’ ability to do just that, prompting them to think differently about how they provide and deliver services.

A Night Ministry volunteer serves lasagna to members of the Back of the Yards community.

Chicago Tonight rides along with the Rev. Faith Miller and the rest of the Night Ministry for a scheduled stop in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Jay Shefsky visits an upscale consignment shop on the North Shore that has generated nearly half a million dollars for charity by selling designer clothes, accessories and furniture.