WICKER PARK — A new bus that was custom-designed for the Night Ministry was badly damaged when a van hit it late Tuesday, just as workers from the nonprofit were wrapping up giving food and medical services to homeless people in Wicker Park.
"We feel prepared to deal with it," said Stacy Massey, a spokeswoman for the Uptown-based agency, at 4711 N. Ravenswood Ave., which visits Wicker Park twice a week, serving an average of 100 meals.
The 39-foot-long bus was parked at the intersection of Damen and LeMoyne avenues when the crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Officer Janel Sedevic, a police spokeswoman.
The driver of the van, whose name wasn't immediately released by police, was traveling northbound on Damen Avenue when he crashed into the back of the parked Night Ministry bus.
No serious injuries were reported, and three volunteers — a nurse and two ministers — were on board the bus at the time of the crash, Massey said.
"Our human resources department is doing a medical check today to see if [the workers] are doing okay," Massey said Wednesday.
The bus had to be towed away and was not driveable, Massey said.
The bus, which cost $292,000, was purchased with donations. Featuring a nurse's station, restroom, an exam table and a hospitality area, it hit the streets in September. Massey said there was a bus blessing and celebration ceremony held just a week ago.
Witnesses said the street was shut down for about an hour after the crash before the bus was towed.
Currently the bus is at a South Side repair shop and the organization plans to be in touch with the manufacturer, Ohio-based Farber, to restore the vehicle, Massey said.
Until then, the agency will be using its recently retired 9-year-old RV to serve its regularly scheduled stops in Uptown, Back of the Yards, South Shore, Humboldt Park and Pilsen as well as Wicker Park.
In a statement, the Night Ministry's president, Paul W. Hamann, said while the group is "heartbroken that the new Health Outreach Bus was hit last night while providing services and that it will be off of the streets for some time," they are are grateful that no one was seriously injured.
Hamann added, "Our staff and volunteers are fortunate to work with individuals who daily demonstrate incredible resiliency as they face life’s struggles. We draw our strength from them and will do our best to ensure that the new bus is back in service to them as quickly as possible.”
The Night Ministry comes to Wicker Park from 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 9:45 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
"We have been parked there for more than 20 years and it seems like a secure location. We have never had an accident to this extent," Massey said.
Massey said that the driver of the van was insured and licensed and was treated in an ambulance but declined a hospital visit.
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