Let’s Open the Door, Chicago
Visit the Chicago exhibit live on May 30 and 31, 2026, at Queen’s Landing.
Pop-up doors in Chicago
Everyone deserves a decent place to call home. For 50 years, Habitat has been turning that mission into reality by helping millions of people around the world build, improve or finance their homes.
Today, we’re building on that momentum.
We’re popping up in nine cities with an art installation of 10 doors, each featuring work from local artists and real homeowner stories.
Together, they represent what’s possible with a safe, decent foundation.
Building on our momentum.
Through hands-on builds, pop-up exhibits, compelling new research and powerful storytelling, we’re bringing housing to the center stage at a global scale. Learn more.
Jacqueline Alcántara | Featured artist
Jacqueline Alcántara is a freelance illustrator and educator spending her days drawing, writing, walking her dogs and planning her next adventures. This is a teaser image of his door artwork.
Home means having a place that welcomes you in, inspires you to sit and draw, has a cozy spot for you to read, nourishes you with shared meals, and lets you collapse at the end of a long day.
A home lets you procrastinate work by arranging and rearranging furniture. A home lets you experiment by painting walls and redecorating – always wondering what you want your home to say about you.
A home reminds you of trips, people and fascinations through the doodads and photos on shelves and stuffed in drawers. A home holds memories of past friendships, relationships, roommates and versions of yourself.
A home lets you dream about people and pets you hope will be a part of your life one day. A home is a bark and scratch at the door, good speakers and enough room to dance. A home means marking the passing years with baking another cake and having another family soul-train through the living room.
A home means having a window to look out and watch the seasons change. Nighttime howls of coyotes on the tracks and people in the streets – break-ups or break-ins. A home means making space for those dreams realized. Converting a guest room into a studio into a nursery.
A home means having a place to watch a baby grow and a family become a family. Finding toys, spatulas, and teeny-tiny socks everywhere. Finding surprises she left for you – a moldy lime and a long-lost credit card in your sock drawer.
Home means having a floor to lie on, exhausted. Having a faint memory of using that couch to read. A home means having a safe, warm place to tuck in your babies at night, watch two minutes of TV in bed while you fall asleep, and realize how lucky you are.
Find Jacqueline on Instagram at @_Jacqueline_alcantara or visit her website.
Are we popping up in your city?
Learn about other pop-up locations and hear from homeowners about why home matters to them. Check out our other event stops!
Every gift opens a door
Design a digital door for just $10 and help open a real one for a family. Add your creation to our global gallery and see how supporters around the world are making an impact—one door at a time.
Explore Let’s Open the Door
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Over the past fifty years, we have helped more than 65 million people around the world build, improve or finance places to call home. Now, we’re building on that momentum.
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Behind every open door is a story. As we build on fifty years of making home possible, we’re highlighting some of the people and innovations at the heart of our mission.
See Habitat’s impact in Chicago
Get involved
Give, volunteer, speak up, get involved.
Let’s open the door to brighter futures.
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Volunteer with Habitat in your community and around the world. With our help, families can achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life.
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Learn more about what advocacy is, why advocacy is important and the ways you can join Habitat for Humanity in advocating for safe, affordable housing.
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Learn about ways you can support Habitat’s work — make a one-time donation, donate monthly, donate stock, donate a car, donate stuff and more.