Lazarus House in St. Charles: how to help this season

If someone in Batavia, Geneva or St. Charles loses their housing this winter, there is a shelter on Walnut Street in St. Charles they can call. Lazarus House has been doing that work since 1997, and it runs on neighbors who show up.

What Lazarus House does

Lazarus House provides safe shelter, food and support services for men, women and children. It serves people connected to Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and western rural Kane County by address, job, school district or immediate family.

Its programs include an emergency shelter, a women and children's day center, transitional living, rent and utility assistance, and a Food Only program that hands out ready-to-eat food at the door for people who come up short on food after paying their bills. The organization describes its mission as offering hospitality, food, safe shelter and education, and it is openly faith-based.

The shelter is currently serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to about 60 to 80 people a day, according to its website.

How you can help this season

Bring dinner. Lazarus House needs individuals, groups and families to cook a meal at home and bring it in hot and ready to serve. Guests eat dinner at 6 p.m. Sign up through the volunteer calendar on the Lazarus House website.

Pack sack lunches. You can make up to 20 sack lunches off-site and drop them off. The suggested lunch is a sandwich, chips, fruit, a cookie or granola bar, and a drink.

Stay overnight. The shelter needs an overnight volunteer every night. Overnighters must be 21 or older, the shift runs 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., and you get a private room and bathroom. You are only woken if there is an emergency.

Shop the urgent needs list. The list on its website, dated the week of Oct. 12, 2026, includes bottled water, large nitrile gloves, full-size disposable aluminum deep pans, all-purpose cleaning spray, 33-gallon black garbage bags, tall kitchen garbage bags, toilet bowl cleaner, disinfecting wipes and disposable paper bowls. Lazarus House also keeps Amazon and Walmart wish lists. Because of space, it cannot accept clothing, nonperishable food, or furniture and household items.

Kids can help too

The very first gift Lazarus House received came from a 10-year-old who gave away her birthday money. The shelter still invites kids to help, with ideas like collecting donations at a birthday party or running a lemonade stand and giving the proceeds.

By the numbers

Lazarus House says about 1,900 volunteers give up to 19,000 hours of service each year. Volunteers are needed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Contact

Lazarus House is at 214 Walnut St., St. Charles. The main number and emergency shelter line is 630-587-2144. For rental assistance and homelessness prevention, call 630-587-5872. To volunteer, email volunteer@lazarushouse.net.