This newsletter was sent to our Saint Leonard’s community email subscribers on September 12, 2025. If you would like to receive future news from Saint Leonard’s, join us and subscribe to receive email updates.

At Saint Leonard’s Ministries, we lead with listening.

We listen to the people who arrive on campus to live and pursue professional and social opportunities. We listen to staff members who know the best strategies and are the credible messengers for this holistic service model.

Then we act.

We provide housing, education, employment and healthcare – whatever somebody needs to slow down and find their future.

And then we listen again.


We offer surveys to residents and community-based program participants to understand when we succeed and when we need to improve.

Today we share the results with you, in addition to our annual statistics on program enrollments and recidivism.

For residents who live on campus:

  • 92% agree that Saint Leonard’s makes them hopeful for their future.
  • 91% are satisfied with the programs and offerings. 
  • 87% believe that people with different backgrounds and experiences are welcome. 
  • 84% feel they’re given what they need to succeed.

For program participants at the Michael Barlow Center: 

  • 99% of job-readiness participants graduate the Road to Success program with a completed resume.
  • 99% of workforce-program participants would recommend the Barlow Center to someone they know.
  • 96% of high school graduates feel prepared for their next steps. 
  • 96% of culinary and construction participants say they have the tools and skills to work in their respective industries.  

The number of enrollments in classes at the Barlow Center continues to rise from 210 in 2022, 253 in 2023, 328 in 2024 and 443 in FY 2025.  

With the increase in enrollment, there is no slip in program quality or outcomes. In fact, the program-completion rates averaged 88% in FY 2025.

And our recidivism rates continue to fall.

For men who live in Saint Leonard’s House, the current rate has continued to decrease over the last four years, down from 11% last year and 14% in 2023.

At Grace House, there has been no recidivism – 0% – for the third year in a row.

These results help tell the story about this community.

This is a community where people are allowed to measure success on their terms. This is a community that builds structure for new thoughts, words, actions and habits to emerge. This is a community of love, respect and dignity.

And this is a community that extends beyond Warren Boulevard on the West Side of Chicago.

This community includes you.

And we are thankful for anything and everything you have done to contribute to this story of success.