Chicago, day one

Build vans. Give vans. Hire the people who need them most.

Homeless Vans is a project taking shape in Chicago: buy used cargo vans, retrofit them into livable rigs with the labor of the people who will eventually drive them off the lot, and give them away as donations. Seniority earns the next van. Show up, help build, get in line.

How to give How it works Leave a note

The idea

Three steps. That's the whole thing.

We buy vans, build them out with the people who need them, and give them away in the order people show up. Everything else is scaffolding around those three moves.

Buy the van

Used cargo vans, paid for with cash and donations. No debt, no lease-back gymnastics. When the money's in, we buy the next van.

Build it together

A shop staffed by people living rough right now. Bed, insulation, storage, power, small kitchen setup - the basics of a livable rig, built by the hands that will use it. Ideally paid work. Always work-that-counts.

Give it away

Seniority is the whole waitlist. The longest-tenured helper on the floor gets the next completed van. They can drive off, they can stay and keep working. Their choice.

The build standard

What "complete" means at each stage.

Every van that leaves the shop meets a minimum spec. That spec climbs as the project grows. Right now we ship at Stage 1. Every dollar donated pushes the default upward.

01 Now

Roadworthy essentials

The minimum a van has to meet before it's considered complete today. Not luxurious, but self-contained.

Power

100W solar panel on the roof
500Wh portable power bank (LiFePO4)
USB + 12V charging outlets
LED interior lighting on a switch

Water

5-gallon fresh water tank + spigot
5-gallon grey water collection
Hand-wash and food-prep station
Sponge-bath kit for basic hygiene

Sleep

Raised platform bed frame
New mattress + pillow + blankets
Blackout window curtains
Battery-powered ventilation fan

Basics

Sealed dry food storage
Cooler for perishables
Single-burner butane stove
Cookware + utensils + dishware
First-aid kit + fire extinguisher
Interior deadbolt lock

02 Next

Livable through the seasons

Where we're heading as funding stabilizes and the shop finds a rhythm. Every van that goes out then meets this raised bar.

Power

300W roof-mounted solar array
1.5kWh lithium battery bank
1000W pure sine wave inverter
DC-DC charger off the alternator

Water

15-20 gallon fresh water tank
On-demand water pump
Hot water on tap for washing
Indoor rinse-off area with curtain

Kitchen

2-burner propane or induction stove
Small 12V compressor fridge
Sink with hot + cold
Real prep counter with storage

Bathroom

Cassette or composting toilet
Curtained privacy zone
Handwash basin next to it

Climate

R-13 insulation minimum in walls and ceiling
Powered Maxxair-style roof fan
Thermal window covers

03 Aspirational

Full build

What we ship once we've got the operation to scale. Real infrastructure, not just camping gear glued to plywood.

Power

600W+ solar array
3kWh+ lithium battery bank
2000W+ inverter with transfer switch
Shore-power inlet for RV parks

Water

30+ gallon fresh water tank + filtration
Separate grey and black holding tanks
Full indoor shower stall
Water heater plumbed to sink + shower

Kitchen

Full countertop + tile backsplash
Propane or induction range with oven
Deep fridge/freezer combo
Overhead storage cabinets

Bathroom

Dedicated wet room with drain
Composting toilet (marine grade)
Wall-mounted sink + mirror

Climate

Diesel or propane forced-air heater
Roof-mounted AC unit
Ventilation on a thermostat

Comms + safety

Cellular hotspot mount + antenna
Fire suppression system
GPS + smart-lock kit
Documents lockbox

Why this shape

The homeless population is a powerhouse of labor that nobody is putting to work.

The bargain

Your help puts you in line. Line-position turns into a home. The bar to entry is showing up and pitching in - no paperwork, no credit check, no case worker. If you help build vans, you are one of the people who will eventually receive one.

Somewhere to shower and do laundry, somewhere to show for work in the morning, and by the time you drive off the lot you're driving off in something you built yourself.

Chicago first, then a network

We start in Chicago because that's where I am. If someone in California, Portland, Austin - anywhere - wants to run a chapter, we'll help you set up: playbook, referrals, network to send people to. This is meant to grow as a co-op of local shops, not a single central operation.

One rule: same seniority-earns-a-van model everywhere.

Where this is today

Nothing has been built yet.

This site holds the domain. That's it. No vans have been bought. No vans have been given away. No shop is open. If the idea resonates, if you see a hole in the plan, if you know somebody who'd help, or if you just want to say hi - drop a note below. Every note gets read.

Get on the crew

Skilled hands wanted, homeless or not.

Homeless or housed doesn't matter here - if you can turn a wrench, hang a cabinet, wire an outlet, or handle a saw, we can put those hours to work. Chicago has millions of us. Somebody reading this can build vans.

The deal: Housed volunteers help build. The seniority line for receiving a van is for the people building who need one. Two lanes, same shop floor.

Mechanics

Used cargo vans usually need TLC before build-out: brakes, cooling, engine service, cheap fixes that turn a $3k van into a reliable one.

Carpenters

Bed platforms, wall panels, cabinet boxes, storage. Every van needs someone who's comfortable with a circular saw.

Electricians

12V and 24V DC systems - wiring the solar array, battery bank, inverter, outlets, LED lighting. Low-voltage safe work.

Plumbers

Fresh + grey water tanks, on-demand pumps, running lines to a spigot or sink. Small systems, big quality-of-life impact.

Metal + HVAC

Roof-fan cutouts, ventilation, insulation, sheet metal. Basic welding for brackets and roof racks.

Bodywork

Rust, dents, glass, exterior touch-up. The difference between "looks like it's been slept in" and "looks like a work van."

General handy

No specific trade but you know your way around tools? Show up. Framing, insulation, sanding, painting - we'll always have something in the queue.

Coordinators

Permits, insurance, sourcing donated materials, driver's-ed help for van recipients, intake. Skilled hands don't just mean tools.

Ready to swing a hammer? Mention your trade and how often you can show up in the note below. We'll get back to you.

How to give

Raised so far $0

No donations yet. Day one. If you want to be the first, the buttons on the right go straight to whichever platform you prefer.

Give from wherever you already send money.

Pick your platform. Everything gets pooled toward the next van.

No donation platforms set up yet. Once we've got GoFundMe / Venmo / Cash App live, the links land here.

Have a thought?

Leave a note.

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