Information & Resources

Locations & Hours

  • Built in 2019 on the site of La Casa Norte’s original Humboldt Park office, our state-of-the-art community center houses a food pantry, medical clinic, youth drop-in, administrative and case management offices, community room, and Pierce House — 25 units of permanent supportive apartments for youth and youth-led families.

    LCN Community Center & HQ

    Address: 3533 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: Mon.- Fri., 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
    Contact: 773.276.4900 | info@lacasanorte.org

    El Mercadito | Food Pantry

    Address: 3533 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: Mon., Wed., & Fri., 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
    Contact: 773.525.1777
    More Info: here

    Howard Brown Health | Medical Clinic

    Address: 3533 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: Mon., Wed., & Fri., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    Hours: Tues., 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    Hours: Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
    Contact: 773.388.1600
    More info: here

    Casa Corazón | Youth Drop-In Center

    Address: 3533 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    Ages: 16-24
    Contact: 773.276.4900, x 241

  • El Mercadito | Food Pantry
    Address: 3533 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: Mon., Wed., & Fri., 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
    Contact: 773.525.1777
    More Info: here

  • Howard Brown Health | Medical Clinic
    Address: 3533 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: Mon., Wed., & Fri., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    Hours: Tues., 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    Hours: Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
    Contact: 773.388.1600
    More info: here

  • Casa Corazón | Emergency Shelter #1
    Address: 1736 W. 47th St., Chicago, IL 60629
    Hours: 24/7
    Ages: 18-24
    Capacity: 30 beds
    Contact: 773.276.4900, x 253
    Back of the Yards

    Casa Corazón | Emergency Shelter #2
    Address: 1940 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: 24/7
    Ages: 18-24
    Capacity: 10 beds
    Contact: 773.276.4900, x 290
    Logan Square

    Casa Corazón | Emergency Shelter #3
    Pregnant & Parenting Youth
    Address: 1942 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: 24/7
    Ages: 18-24 (and clients’ young children)
    Capacity: 5 private rooms
    Contact: 773.276.4900, x 292
    Logan Square

    Non-Congregate Shelter | Coming in spring 2025!*
    Hours: 24/7
    Ages: 18-24
    Capacity: 41 private rooms
    *More details to follow
    Humboldt Park

  • Casa Corazón | Youth Drop-In Center #1

    Address: 3533 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
    Hours: Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
    Ages: 16-24
    Contact: 773.276.4900, x 241
    Humboldt Park

    Casa Corazón | Youth Drop-In Center #2

    Address: 1736 W 47th St, Chicago, IL 60629
    Hours: Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
    Ages: 16-24
    Contact: 773.276.4900, x 251
    Back of the Yards

  • La Casa Norte Community Assistance Office & Illinois Welcoming Center
    Address: 2523 W 47th St, Chicago, IL 60632
    Hours: Mon. & Thur., 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.*
    Contact: 773.276.4900, x 233
    Brighton Park

    *Mon., Wed., & Fri. from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., the community assistance team works from La Casa Norte’s Humboldt Park community center (3533 W North Ave).

    Más información acerca de nuestro Centro de Bienvenida: aquí.

Agency Details

  • EMAIL

    General inquiries | info@lacasanorte.org

    Donation inquiries | donate@lacasanorte.org

    Media inquiries | media@lacasanorte.org

    Food pantry-specific volunteer inquiries | volunteers@nourishinghopechi.org

    All other volunteer inquiries | volunteer@lacasanorte.org

    PHONE

    Main line | 773.276.4900

    Community assistance office | 773.276.4900, x 233

    Shelter #1 - Back of the Yards | 773.276.4900, x 253

    Shelter #2 - Logan Square | 773.276.4900, x 290

    Shelter #3 - Logan Square | 773.276.4900, x 292

    Drop-in #1 - Humboldt Park | 773.276.4900, x 241

    Drop-in #2 - Back of the Yards | 773.276.4900, x 251

    El Mercadito food pantry - Humboldt Park | 773.525.1777

    Howard Brown Health clinic - Humboldt Park | 773.388.1600

  • MISSION
    La Casa Norte's mission is to serve youth and families confronting homelessness. We provide access to stable housing and deliver comprehensive services that act as a catalyst to transform lives and communities.

    HISTORY
    La Casa Norte began operations in 2002 as a two-person team working from a small West Side storefront. Now in our 23rd year and with a staff of 92, we are one of Chicago’s largest youth-focused social service agencies.

    Through years of development and recalibration, La Casa Norte has honed a Housing First, Continuum of Care service model that is bilingual, trauma-informed, culturally competent, and impactful. We deliver a coordinated network of youth drop-ins, emergency shelters, and supportive housing programs (short term, transitional, and permanent) – all supplemented with 1:1 case management and holistic services.

    By alleviating the immediate stressors of housing and food insecurity, clients are able to dedicate the emotional bandwidth needed to successfully pursue academic goals, increase employability, develop financial literacy, address mental health, and plan for the future. These are, in their totality, life-long lessons that position clients to not only secure permanent housing and stable employment, but to thrive there.

    IMPACT
    In 2019, La Casa Norte served 5,000 clients; in 2024, we served nearly 22,000.

  • EMERGENCY SHELTERS
    Casa Corazón | Emergency Shelter #1
    Casa Corazón | Emergency Shelter #2
    Casa Corazón | Emergency Shelter #3
    Non-Congregate Shelter | Coming in spring 2025!

    DROP-IN CENTERS
    Casa Corazón | Youth Drop-In Center #1
    Casa Corazón | Youth Drop-In Center #2

    HOUSING PROGRAMS
    Transitional Housing | Solid Ground
    Rapid Re-Housing | Flexible Housing Pool
    Rapid Re-Housing | Keep Empowering Young Adults to Succeed
    Permanent Supportive Housing | Pa’lante
    Permanent Supportive Housing | Solid Foundations
    Permanent Supportive Housing | Pierce House

    OUTREACH PROGRAMS
    Community Assistance | Illinois Welcoming Center

    SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
    Case management
    Food pantry
    Medical clinic
    Workforce development
    Academic scholarships
    Mental health services
    Peace Academy
    Art therapy
    Health care
    Extracurricular excursions for youth
    Digital & financial literacy workshops
    Transportation assistance
    Parenting classes
    Health & sexual education classes
    Peer mentorship

  • ANNUAL REPORT
    2024 Annual Report coming soon!
    2023 Annual Report here
    2022 Annual Report here

    FINANCIAL REPORT
    2023 Form 990 here

  • SOCIAL MEDIA
    La Casa Norte Facebook
    La Casa Norte Instagram
    La Casa Norte LinkedIn
    La Casa Norte Threads
    La Casa Norte Twitter/X
    La Casa Norte YouTube

    NEWS MEDIA
    Read up on LCN media spotlights here.
    For media inquiries, email media@lacasanorte.org.

    BLOG
    Check out La Casa Norte’s blog, which features agency updates and client testimonials.

  • Jan. 1 | New Year's Day

    Jan. 20 | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

    May 26 | Memorial Day

    July 4 | Independence Day

    Sept. 1 | Labor Day

    Nov. 27 & 28 | Thanksgiving       

    Dec. 24 | Christmas Eve

    Dec. 25 | Christmas Day

    Dec. 31 | New Year's Eve

    These closures do NOT impact La Casa Norte's 3 emergency shelters for youth ages 18-24, which operate 24/7, 365 days a year.

  • ANGELINA | Rapid Re-Housing
    Read interview: here

    MAJOR | Solid Ground
    Read interview: here

    LILIANA | Community Assistance
    Read interview: here

    ANTHONY | Solid Ground
    Read interview: here

Get Involved

  • May 22 | Education Luncheon

    July 17 | Hope for Homes Day

    Oct. 12 | BOA Chicago Marathon

    Oct. 24 | Gala ¡Esperanza!

    Dec. 2 | GivingTuesday 2025

  • La Casa Norte actively engages volunteers in our work. Volunteers pitch in to assemble hygiene kits for youth at our emergency shelters, prepare lunches, cook meals, distribute food pantry donations, and help organize clothing drives.

    LCN VOLUNTEER IMPACT DAYS
    La Casa Norte holds quarterly Volunteer Impact Days at our Humboldt Park community center (3533 W North Ave), bringing together volunteers from across Chicagoland looking to give back.

    Groups of 20-30 volunteers assist with projects such as painting, planting flowers, preparing bagged lunches, and assembling hygiene kits. Activities are organized and facilitated by LCN’s volunteer coordinator and require little to no training.

    2025 Volunteer Impact Day Dates:

    March 25 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    June 24 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    Sept. 23 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    Dec. 9 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

    Interested individuals and groups can sign up here or email volunteer@lacasanorte.org.

    EL MERCADITO FOOD PANTRY
    Volunteers are greatly needed at El Mercadito food pantry, located on the first floor of La Casa Norte’s Humboldt Park community center (3533 W North Ave) and managed by Nourishing Hope.

    Mondays | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and/or 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
    Wednesdays | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and/or 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
    Fridays | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and/or 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.

    Register for a volunteer shift here.

    QUESTIONS?
    For La Casa Norte volunteer questions and inquiries, email:
    volunteer@lacasanorte.org

    For volunteer questions about El Mercadito food pantry, email:
    volunteers@nourishinghopechi.org

  • ONLINE
    To make a donation online, click: here.

    BY MAIL
    ATTN: Development
    La Casa Norte
    3533 W North Ave
    Chicago, IL 60647

    AMAZON WISH LIST
    Link to wish list: here.
    Items purchased go directly to youth and family clients experiencing homelessness in Chicago.

    QUESTIONS?
    Email donate@lacasanorte.org.

  • La Casa Norte's Next Generation Board is a group of enthusiastic young professionals committed to helping community members in need. Over the past 11 years, the members of this associate board have served as dedicated ambassadors who support our mission through fundraising, networking, volunteerism, and advocacy. 

    To be considered, please submit an interest form.

  • Interested in working at La Casa Norte? Join our collaborative team working to end homelessness!

    Click here to view current job openings.

  • Stay up to date on all things La Casa Norte by subscribing to our monthly newsletter at the bottom of this page.

Housing Programs

  • TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

    Solid Ground
    Location: Humboldt Park (exact location disclosed upon placement)
    Eligibility: Unhoused male-identifying youth ages 18-21
    Capacity: 16 private bedrooms
    Placements via: Chicago Coordinated Entry System

    RAPID RE-HOUSING

    Keep Empowering Young Adults to Succeed
    Location: Citywide scattered-site apartments
    Eligibility: Unhoused young adults ages 18-30 who are concurrently navigating a positive HIV diagnosis
    Placements via: AIDS Foundation of Chicago

    Flexible Housing Pool
    Location: Citywide scattered-site apartments
    Eligibility: Unhoused youth and families of all ages
    Placements via: Chicago Coordinated Entry System

    PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

    Pierce House
    Location: La Casa Norte’s Humboldt Park Community Center
    Eligibility: Unhoused youth ages 18-24 and youth-led families
    Capacity: 25 apartments
    Placements via: Chicago Coordinated Entry System

    Pa’lante
    Location: Citywide scattered-site apartments
    Eligibility: Unhoused youth and families of all ages
    Placements via: Chicago Coordinated Entry System

    Solid Foundations
    Location: Citywide scattered-site apartments
    Eligibility: Unhoused youth and families of all ages
    Placements via: Chicago Coordinated Entry System

  • In addition to emergency shelters and daytime drop-in centers, La Casa Norte offers a variety of transitional, rapid, and permanent supportive housing programs.

    All La Casa Norte housing placements (transitional, rapid, and permanent) are made via Chicago’s Coordinated Entry System.

  • The Coordinated Entry System (CES) is designed to ensure that all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access to the service system, no matter where or when they present for services.

    For this reason, La Casa Norte does not make housing placements through direct referral; instead, all placements must come through the Coordinated Entry System.

    A key feature of CES is that it coordinates housing and homeless assistance to prioritize those with the most severe service needs. This allows individuals/families experiencing or at risk of homelessness to be quickly identified, assessed, referred, and connected to housing and homeless assistance based on their unique needs and background.

  • STEP 1: LOCATE AN ACCESS POINT

    ACCESS POINTS are official locations that administer Coordinated Entry System (CES) housing assessments.

    A list of in-person Access Points can be found here.

    STEP 2: COMPLETE A HOUSING ASSESSMENT

    Coordinated Entry System housing assessments must be administered by a SKILLED ASSESSOR – a trained professional who can officially administer and process CES housing assessments.

    The CES housing assessment was created to identify the right program to meet each applicant’s unique needs. Typically, the assessment process takes 20-30 minutes.

    STEP 3: WAIT TO BE MATCHED

    After administering a housing assessment, a Skilled Assessor will enter the information into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Put simply, this is an online database that centralizes information (e.g., available housing units, applicant eligibility, etc.).

    Though each applicant's individual wait time will vary, the process of matching a person/family to a housing program is as follows:

    Each time a program vacancy occurs, housing providers (like La Casa Norte) alert the Coordinated Entry System. Once alerted, this system blindly assesses and subsequently identifies the most suitable program candidate based on information gathered in the CES housing assessment. The identified applicant's contact information is then shared with the housing provider, who reaches out directly to the applicant. If, after speaking, the applicant and housing provider are in agreement as to the suitability of the placement, the move-in process may soon begin!

    QUESTIONS?

    For more information, please contact the Coordinated Entry Call Center at 312.361.1707 (M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

  • The Coordinated Entry System is designed to ensure that all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access to the service system, no matter where or when they present for services.

    For this reason, La Casa Norte does not make housing placements through direct referral; instead, placements must come through the Coordinated Entry System.

  • To be eligible for La Casa Norte's housing programs (transitional, rapid, and permanent), clients must be 18 years or older. If you are younger than 18, please consider reaching out to one of the organizations listed below.

    EXTERNAL RESOURCES
    360 Youth Services | Housing Programs (ages 13-24)
    IDHS | Homeless Youth Provider Agencies List (ages 12-24)
    Mercy Home | Youth Residential Program (ages 12+)
    The Night Ministry | 120-Day Interim Housing Project (ages 14-20)
    PRCC | El Rescate Transitional Living Program (ages 12-18)
    Shelter, Inc. | Housing Programs (ages 14-24)
    Youth Outreach Services | Housing Programs (ages 16-24)

  • Yes; although 18- to 24-year-olds are the focus of much of La Casa Norte's housing programs, our Pa’lante permanent supportive housing program serves adults and families of all ages, with scattered-site apartments throughout Chicago.

Rental Assistance

Volunteers

  • La Casa Norte actively engages volunteers in our work. Volunteers pitch in to assemble hygiene kits for youth at our emergency shelters, prepare lunches, cook meals, distribute food pantry donations, and help organize clothing drives.

    VOLUNTEER IMPACT DAYS
    Each year, La Casa Norte holds quarterly Volunteer Impact Days at our Humboldt Park community center (3533 W North Ave) to bring together volunteers from across Chicagoland looking to give back. Groups of 20-30 volunteers assist with projects such as painting, planting flowers, preparing bagged lunches, and assembling hygiene kits. Activities are organized and facilitated by LCN’s volunteer coordinator and require little to no training.

    Volunteer Impact Day dates in 2025 are as follows:

    March 25 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    June 24 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    Sept. 23 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    Dec. 9 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

    Interested individuals and groups can sign up here.

    QUESTIONS?
    For La Casa Norte volunteer questions and inquiries, email:
    volunteer@lacasanorte.org.

    For food pantry-specific volunteer questions and inquiries, email:
    volunteers@nourishinghopechi.org.

  • 2025 VOLUNTEER IMPACT DAY DATES

    March 25 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    June 24 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    Sept. 23 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
    Dec. 9 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

    Interested individuals and groups can sign up HERE or email volunteer@lacasanorte.org.

    QUESTIONS?
    Email: volunteer@lacasanorte.org

  • Volunteers are greatly needed at El Mercadito food pantry, located on the first floor of La Casa Norte’s Humboldt Park community center (3533 W North Ave).

    VOLUNTEER SHIFTS
    Mondays | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and/or 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
    Wednesdays | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and/or 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
    Fridays | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and/or 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.

    Each shift can accommodate up to 10 volunteers. Volunteers distribute food to clients, stock shelves, unload deliveries, and sort donations. For safety and ease of movement, closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing are encouraged.

    Nourishing Hope (formerly Lakeview Pantry) manages El Mercadito, and you can register for a volunteer shift here.

    QUESTIONS?
    Email volunteers@nourishinghopechi.org.

Donations

  • ONLINE
    To make a donation online, click here.

    BY MAIL
    ATTN: Development
    La Casa Norte
    3533 W North Ave
    Chicago, IL 60647

    QUESTIONS?
    Email donate@lacasanorte.org.

  • La Casa Norte is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.

    Upon successful completion of payment, you will receive an emailed donation receipt from donate@lacasanorte.org. Please retain this receipt, as it will serve as your official record to claim the donation as a tax deduction.

    We also encourage you to mark donate@lacasanorte.org as safe to prevent it from ending up in your spam or junk folder.

  • Yes, La Casa Norte’s Amazon wish list can be found here.

    All items purchased go directly to youth and family clients experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Chicago.

    Currently, our most pressing donation needs are socks, underwear, and toiletries.

  • La Casa Norte is not currently able to accept used clothing donations. We appreciate your understanding.

  • La Casa Norte is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization; our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 36-4041525.

External Resources