Moving Forward Together 2026
Wednesday
September 23, 2026
Moving Forward Together
The Power of Permanent Supportive Housing
Please join us for a fun and inspiring evening in support of our continued work to preserve and expand permanent supportive housing and provide critical resident services for families, veterans, older adults, and people with disabilities. You’ll hear from residents who call Mercy Housing Lakefront home and champions of permanent supportive housing, like Debbie Burkart of National Equity Fund who is the recipient of this year’s Spirit of Mercy award and Illinois State Senator Mike Simmons, 7th District who is the recipient of this year’s Inspiring Hope award.
Join us for Moving Forward Together
Meet the Spirit of Mercy Awardee
We are excited to present Deborah Burkart, Managing Director of Supportive Housing at National Equity Fund (NEF), with the Spirit of Mercy Award at this year’s event. The Spirit of Mercy Award honors an individual for lifetime leadership and achievement in creating a more just and humane world.
Deborah’s leadership and passion have contributed to the development of thousands of high-quality, affordable, program-enriched homes for people in need. She was a pioneer in financing permanent supportive housing through the LIHTC program, including many of Mercy Housing Lakefront’s early developments, secured $1 billion for veteran housing, founded Bring Them HOMES, and serves on several boards.
Meet the Inspiring Hope Awardee
We are excited to present Illinois State Senator Mike Simmons with the Inspiring Hope Award, honoring an individual for overcoming adversity and inspiring hope. State Senator Mike Simmons’ roots run deep in the Illinois 7th State Senate District. He was born in Lincoln Square, the son of a single Black mother and an Ethiopian refugee father. His mother, Ramona, who opened her own business, Salon Pastiche, in Rogers Park at 31 years old and ran it for 25 years, raised him and his sister. His father, Mulugetta, was also a small business owner and ran a bar, the Wild Hare, in Lakeview for 25 years. Simmons’ family was one of the first Black families to integrate Lincoln Square after the U.S. Supreme Court mandated that public housing be built on Chicago’s Northside.
Meet the Emcees
Desire’ Hunter
Mercy Housing Lakefront Board of Directors, Chair
UNYQUE, LLC
Lindsey Artola
Mercy Housing Lakefront Board of Directors
Sage Health Strategy
