Housing shelter at Saint Bartholomew in Portage Park expected to open this month

by BRIAN NADIG

At no cost to the city of Chicago, a family housing shelter at the former Saint Bartholomew school and convent in Portage Park on Chicago’s Northwest Side could open in a couple of weeks.

The city has released the following statement: “The city of Chicago, Cook County, the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Zakat Foundation have come together to establish a new family shelter at Saint Bartholomew Catholic Church (St. Bart’s), leveraging philanthropic resources to support new arrivals in need.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the archdiocese is leasing St. Bart’s to the city at no cost, and the city is subleasing the property to the Zakat Foundation, an international humanitarian agency with experience in providing refuge to displaced individuals and families.

A total of up to 350 migrants reportedly could be housed at the former Saint Bartholomew School, 4910 W. Addison St., and the nearby parish convent, 4933 W. Patterson Ave.

The school, which consisted of two separate buildings, closed last year. The city’s lease does not include use of the school building (known by many as “the junior high”) at 4941 W. Patterson Ave., only the structure along Addison in addition to the former convent.

The Portage Park parish merged in 2021 with the Saint Pascal and Our Lady of Victory parishes to form the new Our Lady of the Rosary Parish. The Saint Bartholomew Church, 3601 N. Lavergne Ave., and Saint Pascal Church, 3935 N. Melvina Ave., remain open, while the Our Lady of Victory Church, 5212 W. Agatite Ave., closed in late 2021.

“This initiative represents a remarkable example of what can be achieved when the public, private, and nonprofit sectors collaborate towards a common goal,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a news release. “My administration’s Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights brought together an intergovernmental and an interfaith coalition to the table to work out this agreement. I’m proud to work in partnerships with the Archdiocese, Cook County, and the Zakat Foundation as we work to support those in need.”

“The Archdiocese of Chicago is pleased to partner with the city of Chicago, Cook

County and the Zakat Foundation to provide these much-needed services for migrant families that have recently arrived to our city,” said Betsy Bohlen, chief operating officer of the Archdiocese of Chicago. “We are grateful to the parishioners of the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish for providing space and support to establish this new family shelter at the Saint Bartholomew’s Parish site.”

"The family shelter at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church is a testament to the resilience and empathy of our community," said Alderwoman Ruth Cruz (30th). “I look forward to assisting the Zakat Foundation, Cook County, and the archdiocese  in providing these vulnerable families with a safe place and the necessary resources to create a new life for themselves.”

Cook County is overseeing the construction of shower facilities and performing other minor renovations necessary to accommodate the families at this site. 

The Zakat Foundation will assume all operational costs, including logistics and staffing for the shelter, according to the mayor’s office.

“Adhering strictly to the city of Chicago’s Shelter Operation Guide, the foundation will offer comprehensive wrap-around services to ensure the well-being and comfort of the families. Additionally, the Zakat Foundation is coordinating with Chicago Public Schools to facilitate the enrollment of students, guaranteeing that education remains a priority for young residents,” the news release stated.

Preparations to open the shelter are underway, with the official move-in set for mid- April, according to the city.

Earlier this year some city officials indicated that the city had no plans to open additional shelters, but last month Cruz maintained that the use of Saint Bartholomew was still a good possibility and that she believed the project would ultimately move forward. “There is communication between all parties,” she said in March.

Initial plans had called for migrants to start being housed on the parish campus in January. In late January, the parish announced that while the project was delayed, efforts to bring the shelter to fruition were still in the works, with the goal of figuring out how to best “humanely” house families on the campus.

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