D12 Police Station Migrant Support Response Team
Want To Get Involved? It's Easy!
There are many ways to volunteer including meal prep, meal and donation deliveries, Pilsen Food Pantry Volunteering, and basic needs donations.
Open the spreadsheet to sign up to deliver ice and water or a breakfast, lunch or dinner! We'll show you how!
Join our chat to get up to the minute information, questions answered, as well as urgent need requests.
We've got a great distribution process in place! It's effective and equitable - learn more!
Donate to the Pilsen Food Pantry which is a 501c3 and choose the pull down menu "Texas Border Migrant Aid" to direct your giving.
About Us
We are the 12th District Police Station Migrant Support Team - a network of volunteers meeting the needs of recently arrived asylum seekers and migrants sheltering at the 12th District Police Station on Blue Island and Racine.
Since August of 2022, thousands of migrants have arrived in Chicago - most via buses sent by border states and some on their own by bus or plane. Recently, due to lack of available shelter space, these men, women, and children have been sent to police stations and other very temporary shelters while they wait for space in other more appropriate facilities. Most of their immediate needs are being met by community-organized volunteer networks.
There are no services at the police station – no food, no showers, no microwave or hot water, nothing – it is just a place for folks to wait until a shelter bed becomes available at one of the refugee shelters around the city. We are a network of volunteers and have organized to meet needs for food, bedding, and supplies as well as connecting folks to medical services and showers when possible. We are part of a network of volunteers serving at every district across the city.
Resources
Police Station Response Info for New Volunteers This document has some great basic information but in our particular district, we handle procuring and distributing meals a different way. If you’re interested in getting involved with the meals team, join the D12 What's App Chat.
A comprehensive article is being maintained by Block Club Chicago and has links about all of the services spanning across the city, not just the District 12 Police Station in Pilsen. Please read it here: Here’s How To Help The Latest Wave Of Migrants Coming To Chicago.