Support the Mission

Help the hostel bring the world to Chicago!

Our downtown hostel serves our Chicago community in two major ways:

  • Accommodations : serving Chicago with over 50,000 overnights per year, all at an inexpensive price that opens Chicago to more travelers, especially young travelers
  • Education : serving Chicago’s youth through education that teaches cultural understanding and open-mindedness

Your support is needed to help the hostel reach its goals for service to Chicago.

The mission of Hostelling International-USA is…

“to help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling.”

This mission for greater understanding has seldom been more vital to the world we live in then it is today. By facilitating and inspiring exploration of the world, its peoples and its cultures, we build the foundation for a more peaceful future.

Hostelling International-Chicago is an Illinois nonprofit corporation and an IRS 501(C)(3) qualified organization. We welcome your support of our efforts.

Blue Rendezvous 2007 Announced. Join the fun on March 3, 2007

The hostel’s fun fundraiser, Blue Rendezvous, is on for Saturday, March 3, 2007 and will be held at the beautiful hostel. Blue Rendezvous always excites the sense with a journey around the world. For all the current information about this year’s Latin-themed party, take the jump to the Blue Rendezvous page.

Education Programs Need Your Support

You can open the minds of our youth to the world. Cultural Kitchen serves over 700 Chicago youth bringing them into the hostel to learn about a country of their choice and meet travelers from around the world. Each classroom of 20 – 25 students costs the hostel $2000.

Bridge the cultural isolation of Chicago’s high schools by supporting
Exchange Neighborhoods. The hostel works with
Chicago Public School high schools on this strong educational
standards based education program. Two high school classrooms,
one each from two different high schools, come together at the
hostel to share cultures and learn to bridge their differences.
Each exchange of 50 students costs the hostel $5000.

Help prepare a group of youth, ages 13-18, for their future travel
adventures—in their world, their nation, and their communities
by supporting scholarships for the Travel Scholars
program. A $3,000 scholarship enables a group of 24 youth to learn
to be culturally sensitive leaders in their communities and our
world.

For more information about supporting the hostel’s education efforts, please contact:

Thomas Applegate, Executive Director.

direct: 312-583-2229

fax: 312-583-2219

email: [email protected]

Give Your Time


Hostelling International-Chicago thrives through the work of our ever-growing team of volunteers. Volunteers interact with travelers from around the world and around the country by providing insider information about Chicago and joining travelers for exploration around the city.
For volunteer information, click here.