Chicago, IL
Chicago gives your students the opportunity to experience urban ministry while partnering with a local church in Plainfield, Illinois, just 20 miles southwest of the city. Through hands-on ministry activities, students will serve diverse communities, build meaningful relationships, and discover how the local church is sharing the hope of Christ throughout the Chicago area.
Expand Your Neighborhood In Chicago
Your team will serve in a variety of local ministries, ranging from a food pantry to a rescue mission. Through our local partnerships, students will learn how the church is helping alleviate poverty in Chicagoland neighborhoods.
Mission Race is one of the highlights of the week. Students work together in a fun, city-wide scavenger hunt that challenges them to step outside their comfort zones and engage people they've never met. Along the way, they'll share the hope of Christ, pray with people in need, and have meaningful gospel conversations.
Why We Love Serving Jesus In This Neighborhood
Chicago is our hometown, and serving this city is deeply personal to us. We love partnering with local churches that are faithfully sharing the hope of Christ and caring for people across the city. There’s something special about investing in our own backyard and giving students the opportunity to see how God is transforming lives right here at home.
Invite Your Students To Grow And Serve
Discipleship
YOUR STUDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE:
- Bible Study Methods
- Emphasis on Prayer
- Evening Worship
- Intentional Staff
- Tools for Debriefing
WAYS YOUR STUDENTS WILL GROW:
- Passion for God’s Word
- Reliance on God
- Dependence on Community
- Real Life Application
- Spiritual Maturity
Leadership Development
YOUR STUDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE:
- Leadership Profile
- Team Building Games
- Leadership Assessment
- Leadership Principles
- Real Leadership Roles
WAYS YOUR STUDENTS WILL GROW:
- Leadership Wiring
- Spiritual Gifts
- Life Skills
- Leadership Principles
- Confidence
What to Expect on Your Chicago Trip
Trip Program
Urban Adventure Serve
Your students will experience a variety of ministries throughout the week, giving them the opportunity to discover what breaks their heart and where God may be calling them to serve. As they do, they’ll begin discovering their personal, God-given mission by understanding the burdens, passions, and vision God is developing in their lives. Each day brings a new ministry and a new perspective. From serving alongside local urban ministries to participating in the Mission Race—a downtown, team-based learning adventure—students will begin to see how God can use their unique gifts to make a lasting impact for His Kingdom.
This trip is for:
Middle School, High School, Combined
What's Included in the Cost?
What’s Included in the Cost?
- A LeaderTreks Trips Manager to walk you through every step of the process
- Pre-Trip, On-Trip, and Post-Trip Discipleship Resources
- Housing
- Work Project Supplies, Tools & Instruction (where required)
- Relational Outreach Opportunities
- 16 Meals
- Highly Certified Youth Ministry Staff
All costs of the trip are included except VBS supplies (where required), transportation, and your final dinner.
Ministry Info
Your team will live in the community they are serving by staying at a local church. Through that church partnership and various other ministries, teams will come to understand the real needs of the community through the eyes of those who live there. The ministry partners we work with are established and provide real solutions to the needs of their community.
We partner with a food-packaging ministry that serves countries facing hunger crises, homeless ministries helping people get a hand up in life, senior living communities where our elderly are often lonely and forgotten, and more. Our ministries are chosen with the goal of helping students get a bigger perspective of how God is at work in the community.
Logistics
The Chicago host site is located in Plainfield, about 20 miles from the city, and ministry takes place in the suburbs as well. There is still deep need, even outside the heart of the city.
Host Church Amenities:
- Three on-site showers
- Large kitchen
- Separate sleeping areas for guys and girls
- Team meeting spaces
- On-site parking for vans & buses
Best Airports:
O’Hare International (ORD) and Midway International (MDW)
Safety is our number one focus
Safety is our number one focus
The Mission Race, a city-wide challenge that turns downtown Chicago into a leadership lab, takes place downtown and we stay in high-traffic tourist areas. Teams navigate checkpoints, complete service-based tasks, solve problems under time pressure, and collaborate to earn the most points.
Each ministry we work with has their own safety protocols that you will be apprised of when you arrive, and LeaderTreks staff will also inform you of any specific safety information that the host church has.
First Aid:
Your team is responsible for your own first aid.
Typical Daily Schedule:
2027 Dates And Pricing
| Date | Price/Person (Min of 15) | |
|---|---|---|
| May 30 – June 5 2027 | $545.00 | Book Now |
| June 6 – June 12 2027 | $570.00 | SOLD OUT |
| June 13 – June 19 2027 | $570.00 | Book Now |
| June 20 – June 26 2027 | $570.00 | Book Now |
| June 27 – July 3 2027 | $570.00 | Book Now |
| July 4 – July 10 2027 | $570.00 | Book Now |
| July 11 – July 17 2027 | $570.00 | Book Now |
| July 18 – July 24 2027 | $570.00 | Book Now |
| July 25 – July 31 2027 | $545.00 | Book Now |
Not sure where to begin?
Download the Summer 2027 Mission Trip Info Pack
Bring 2 Adults Free
Save up to $1,280 when you become a HERO Member and bring 2 adults free of charge
*After contracted minimum is met
Planning a mission trip is a logistical nightmare.
You deserve a partner that’s in it with you.
We love Jesus, and we love his church. And we’re passionate about youth groups taking the Good News into all the world. Like you, we wholeheartedly believe in what God does in and through students on mission trips. At LeaderTreks, we’ve been walking with churches for years, and we’d love to partner with you. Book a call today and let’s start planning your mission trip together!
Looking for more details now? Download a Free Info Pack
