Lake County PADS

Thank you to the following organizations

for their generous support.

Libertyville

SOUTH SCHOOL GIVES BACK

The students from South School in North Chicago recently decided to give back to their community. After kicking off a "Pennies for PADS" fundraiser their act of kindness became the inspiration for parents and teachers to help sponsor other fund raising activities. When all the dust settled South School had raised $1,300.00 in less than thirty days.

Here are some things that kids have done to help families with children and individuals who are experiencing homelessness.

Pennies For PADS! What's can sit on a counter top but can make make the difference between sleeping outside or having a warm safe place to sleep? It's a Pennies For PADS container! A Pennies For PADS collection is something that anyone can do! We supply a "pickle jar" for collecting. You encourage everyone you know to put in their pennies and spare change. We pick up the jars and count the coins (foldable money is preferred). Pennies may be small, but they add up quickly! It only costs $14 (1,400 pennies) to buy one night of shelter and 3 meals for one homeless person. $1,000 will buy 71 nights of shelter and 213 meals. That's a lot of good from a little penny!

CENTRAL SCHOOL MAKES

IT THREE YEARS IN A ROW!

Students from the Glencoe Junior High Project at Central School in Glencoe are a dedicated group of young girls and boys that have fun while helping others.

As they have done for the past three years in a row these dedicated kids have held a walk-a-thon in support of PADS to celebrate the end of their school year and cap a year of volunteerism with PADS and other social service organizations. This year more than $3,500 was raised and more than 150 came out to show their solidarity for PADS and the work of the Glencoe Junior High Project.

Their dedication runs so deep that each year a contest is held where each student submits artwork for walk-a-thon t-shirts; the artwork is then voted on by the PADS Board of Directors and the winning submission is then used as the design for the t-shirts for the PADS Annual Walk to End Homelessness, a community wide event that is held later in the year.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

What does it mean to be homeless?

You don't have a house to live in. You don't have a bedroom or a bed. You don't have a backyard to play in. You don't have a TV or video games. You don't have neighborhood friends to play with after school.

Are children homeless?

Yes. Last year more than 100 children came to PADS with their parents. Some of the children are babies, but some go to school just like you do.

If people are homeless, where do they sleep?

Some people who are homeless sleep outside, in their car, or even in abandoned buildings. Sometimes they sleep with lots of other people who are homeless, too. When the weather gets cold, it is not safe to sleep outside. During the cold months, homeless people can come to PADS and sleep where it is warm.

What do they eat?

Some days they do not have good meals. The PADS Program has volunteers who make dinners for people that are homeless to eat. They also have community groups who make lunches for them to have in the day. These lunches are like the kind you might bring to school—sandwiches, juice box, chips, fruit, cookies, and a napkin.

Why are some people homeless?

There are many reasons, but mostly it is because they do not have enough money for all the things they need—their house, their car, food, and medicine. Maybe they can't go to work because they are ill. Maybe someone in the family has lost their job.

What can we do to help them?

At PADS Crisis Services, we provide help for people in need in many different ways. We are able to do this because of the financial and in-kind help we receive from groups and people like you. We can provide a warm place to sleep, food for their stomachs, and friendly people to care for them.

Read More About It!

A great book about homelessness from a child's eyes is "Where Can I Build My Volcano?" by Pat Van Doren.

PADS Crisis Services

3001 Green Bay Road

Building #5

North Chicago, Illinois 60064

(847) 689-4357