The Oak Park River Forest Area Walk-In Ministry is a community-supported, volunteer-driven organization that works with clients who have immediate needs, with the ultimate goal of helping them reach self-sufficiency. WIM carries out its mission by listening compassionately to clients’ needs; addressing their immediate concerns, either by referrals to appropriate service agencies or through direct emergency services; and then empowering clients to seek solutions to their underlying issues. The long term positive impact to the lives of WIM’s clients include homelessness prevention, employment, education and access to affordable health care. WIM’s role as a centralized referral and emergency assistance agency also positively impacts the residents, faith communities, businesses and other social service agencies in Oak Park and River Forest by providing a place where people seeking aid can be referred to receive assistance from trained volunteers. Fair Oaks is one of the top 3 supporting congregations for WIM and was one of the churched that has been involved since WIM’s inception in 2005.

• WIM is open every day
• Volunteers met 733 clients representing 1461 individuals visits during FY 2009-2010
• Offers appointments outside of office hours for job searches and budgeting

For more information about the Walk-In Ministry please visit their website.