Sunday Night at PADS...

A look into last Sunday night at the PADS shelter...

"We had about 12 guests arrive at our Shelter Sunday night. It is located in the community room of Peace Lutheran Church, which the church congregation has graciously donated to our service.

Among our guests was an adorable toddler who entertained us with her bright eyes and cheery demeanor. This evening, one of the first shift volunteers brought BBQ sandwiches and potato chips to share. What a hit! The BBQ was delicious.

A few minutes after picking up some more warm food, graciously provided by the Morris Hospital cafeteria, Vic D. arrived with donations for breakfast. This food was really appreciated Monday morning as the guests awakened and enjoyed a warm breakfast with some coffee.

Sunday night, we had two new volunteers, one on the first shift and one on the second shift. The veteran volunteers assisting them did a splendid job of showing them the ropes. I hope each of the new volunteers enjoyed their experience assisting us in keeping our shelter open, as the nights are getting colder. Friendly interaction between the guests and the volunteers is a hallmark tradition we are trying to establish and maintain in our shelter sites.

Thanks to all who volunteer, donate food, and help with our expenses for keeping our shelters open! Every dime spent goes directly to our guests for food, personal hygiene items, and sundry clothing articles. Please feel free to join our cause and experience the giving we can provide for so many."

Thank you Phil Wardlow for sharing your story with us!

A Chilly Weekend in November...

A story worth reading about this past chilly weekend in November...

"Saturday evening started off blustery – it had snowed a few really big snowflakes, which didn’t quite stick to the ground. My Co-Coordinator arrived to help me set up the Shelter. Having about a dozen guests the previous couple nights, I expected about the same number to come through the door.

First, my two first shift volunteers arrived. Seeing their eagerness and cheerful faces, guests started arriving, seeking shelter from the cold. They were greeted by these volunteers, who did their best to welcome them in. Our terrific partnership with the Morris Hospital, yielded many delicious, warm meals, along with a fantastic soup. The guests, coordinators, and volunteers sat around over the food and shared a few laughs, a few tearful stories, and heartfelt camaraderie. Where there was some tension, the ability to talk it out and share empathy over warm food and coffee made for a comfortable environment to ease the tension. By the end of the night, all was better and the guests hunkered down for a warm night’s sleep.

I am so grateful to our wonderful volunteers and to our guests for working through the issues together so we can provide a safe, warm shelter from the cold. I am so proud to be a part of the mutual respect and empathy I observed Saturday night at the PADS Shelter."

Thank you Phil Wardlow for sharing you story with us!

We are Thankful!

We are thankful this week to Jewel-Osco in Morris! Did you know that PADS guests receive a sack lunch every morning for them to take with them during the day? Jewel-Osco helped us out by donating 1500 bags for PADS sack lunches. Thanks to Lynda Kirkman and all the folks at Jewel-Osco for thinking of us this holiday season!

Volunteer Story

We thought we would share a story about PADS from one of our volunteers:

"I offered to volunteer for PADS because I think the work that they do is extremely important to the community. It is amazing to see so many people come together to help others. Even if only 1 guest shows up! I enjoy volunteering because it makes me feel good to help others, to help contribute to the community I live in, and to know that when it is so cold out that there is a place people can warm up at, get a good night's sleep and a full belly :) I am very new to this but I look forward to seeing how this wonderful program will help improve the lives of community members that stay here. So far, the volunteers and coordinator I met are nice amazing people who genuinely care. I can't wait to meet others also trying to be a part of something so much bigger that ourselves! Thank you for this opportunity."

I think we should be thanking you... well said!

TED Talk on Housing First

From PADS Board Member Brent Newman:

"What may at first seem to be a "liberal" social idea is, actually, also firmly based in "conservative" fiscal policy. This is perhaps one of the best explanations of the "what" and "why" of Housing First I've seen."

What do you think would happen if you invited an individual with mental health issues who had been homeless for many years to move directly from the street into housing? Loyd Pendleton shares how he went from skeptic to believer in the Housing First approach to homelessness -- providing the displaced with short-term assistance to find permanent housing quickly and without conditions -- and how it led to a 91 percent reduction in chronic homelessness over a ten-year period in Utah.

Stocking Stuffers!

Check out this wonderful mission opportunity! A local family is having a “sock” fundraiser to help adopt 2 children from Ukraine. For every pair of socks purchased, a pair of socks will also be donated to our local PADS guests this winter season. What a great way to help two causes at once! And with Christmas coming up... great “stocking stuffers”!!!!

https://my.wehelptwo.com/process?id=4&pcpId=672&reset=1

Need Bikes!

Do you have a bicycle rarely used, but in good working order? 3 Grundy Area PADS guests experiencing homelessness have no form of transportation other than their own feet; they could really put some bikes to good use. We ask that the bikes be in good working order ready to ride. If you'd like to help, please contact us at 815-942-6389. Thank you!

#GiveGrundy

Grundy Area PADS is proud to participate in this new inititive in Grundy County to bring together community groups in an effort to provide opportunity for participation & donations. Check out more here:

 http://givegrundy.com/

The Morris Herald recently wrote about the program highlighting Grundy Area PADS as the October featured organization. Read more about it here: 

http://www.morrisherald-news.com/sponsored/articles/2017/10/05/39055288/index.xml

Grundy Area PADS Volunteer Training

PADS Volunteer Training is set for Sat Oct 14 9am at the First United Methodist Church in Morris. Any volunteers or people thinking about volunteering are welcome! The training should last about 1.5 hours. We will be also learning about the new Pathway of Hope program through We Care which offers our guests a path to move out of homelessness. We hope you will come to learn more about how you can help serve your community!

Pathway of Hope now available to PADS Guests!

The Grundy Area PADS Board is proud to announce our new partnership this season with the Pathway of Hope program at We Care of Grundy County. Pathway of Hope is an initiative through Salvation Army which provides individualized services to people & families who desire to take action to break the cycle of crisis and vulnerability. By helping people & families overcome challenges like unemployment, unstable housing, and lack of education, the program can lead PADS guests down a path toward increased stability and, ultimately, self-sufficiency.

To learn more about Pathway of Hope click here: Pathway of Hope