Chicago City Wire

This weekend, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson participated in several community events and activities across the city. On Saturday, he joined the “Pack the Place in Purple” homelessness awareness walk in Garfield Park. The event was organized by Deborah’s Place, which is recognized as Chicago’s largest provider of permanent supportive housing for unaccompanied women. The walk marked both the start of Homeless Awareness Month and celebrated Deborah’s Place’s 40th anniversary.

“Today we are not only coming together to walk to raise awareness about homelessness in Chicago, we are coming together to show our support and love for each other,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson prior to the walk. “It is quite fitting that today is the first day of Homelessness Awareness Month because homelessness is not just a housing crisis; it is a human crisis. That is why walks like this one, and every act of solidarity, outreach, and compassion moves us one step closer to ending homelessness in Chicago.”

Chief Homelessness Officer Sendy Soto added: “We are proud to stand with our homeless neighbors and continue to fight for their dignity, safety, and self-determination as they continue on their housing journey. As Homelessness Awareness Month begins, we recognize the important role that the City of Chicago plays in the lives of our homeless community and are committed to advancing opportunities to help them realize their dreams.”

Following the event, Deborah’s Place received a proclamation from Mayor Johnson declaring November as Homelessness Awareness Month in Chicago.

Later that day, Mayor Johnson attended a community meeting with residents from West Englewood alongside Alderman David Moore (17th). The discussion focused on his Protecting Chicago Budget proposal. This visit was part of an ongoing tour where Mayor Johnson seeks direct feedback from residents about budget investments affecting local neighborhoods.

"I am proud of the budget proposal that my administration has put together in collaboration with residents, budget experts, and a cross-section of leaders from labor, business, philanthropy, City Council, and the community,” said Mayor Johnson during the meeting. “I have promised to invest in the people of Chicago—without breaking the backs of working Chicagoans—and this budget proposal keeps this promise for another year.”

Mayor Johnson also canvassed door-to-door with volunteers in both the 17th and 18th wards before joining staff at Nourishing Hope Food Pantry in Ravenswood. His visit coincided with concerns over federal reductions to SNAP funding under recent policy changes by former President Donald Trump’s administration—a move that has affected families throughout Chicago. At Nourishing Hope Food Pantry, he toured facilities and helped distribute food boxes during a giveaway event.

As part of his Protecting Chicago initiative, resources have been made available online at Chicago.gov/SNAP for those impacted by SNAP benefit changes.

On Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field, Mayor Johnson attended “The Rematch” rugby match between Ireland and New Zealand’s All Blacks—the national teams who previously competed at Soldier Field in 2016 when Ireland achieved its first victory over New Zealand after more than a century. Prior to kickoff he met players and coaches from both teams.

At an official welcome reception hosted earlier by the city along with the Chicago Sports Commission—which included athletic leaders as well as government representatives from New Zealand and Ireland—Mayor Johnson stated: “Chicago is a sports town. We are glad that your rematch this weekend will add another chapter to our city’s story... Holding this game at Soldier Field is a testament to Chicago’s vibrant spirit and our ability to bring people from all around the world together.”

The rugby match drew tens of thousands of fans and contributed tourism revenue through hotel stays and related spending. Recent major sporting events such as Premier League Summer Series matches, NHL Winter Series games, and NASCAR street races have also attracted visitors while supporting economic growth locally.

Tourism continues contributing significantly; last summer saw record numbers with over 3.56 million hotel room nights booked—a 4.3% increase compared with 2024—and O’Hare International Airport reported its busiest summer ever with more than 24 million passengers passing through between June-August.

On Sunday morning Mayor Johnson visited Imani Community Development Corporation Food Pantry on South Side where he discussed challenges facing food banks due to federal government shutdowns while reiterating efforts by his administration aimed at supporting SNAP recipients during uncertain times.

“While Donald Trump uses the food security of our residents as a political bargaining chip, we’re coming together as a city to support our neighbors during this uncertain time,” said Mayor Johnson. “We believe in building a Chicago where no family is worried about where their next meal may come from. My administration is committed to working with community organizations across Chicago to make sure SNAP recipients and their families continue to receive the support they need while mitigating the harm posed by Trump’s cuts.”