FOR KIDS
 Here are some things that kids have done to help families with children and individuals who are experiencing homelessness.
Pennies For PADS! What's big and blue and weighs a ton? It's a Pennies For PADS bottle! A Pennies For PADS collection is something that anyone can do! We supply a big blue bottle for collecting. You encourage everyone you know to put in their pennies and spare change. We pick up the bottles and count the coins. 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!
SOUTH SCHOOL GIVES BACK
Inspired by American Idol Gives Back the students from South School in North Chicago 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 fundraising activities. When all the dust settled South School had raised $1,300.00 in less than thirty days.
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“Basic Baby Bundles”
Megan is a student at Lake Forest High School. As part of a service project for one of her classes, she contacted PADS just after the first of the year with a proposal. It read in part: “For my project, I am going to create and pass out Basic Baby Bundles to the mothers of young babies who are residents at The Family Center. The bundle will include the following: a bottle, a pack of diapers, a pack of wipes, a receiving blanket, a baby wash product, and baby wash cloths. I am also planning on providing … bundles to assist the mothers and families who can not or do not stay in the shelter full time.”
Megan arrived at our shelter in North Chicago on June 3rd with 15 heavy-duty carrying bags full of things that babies need! We immediately sent three over to The Family Center for the littlest ones there. The rest will be distributed by our Family Advocate to mothers with infants as they come through our office.
Great job, Megan! We know this involved a lot of phone calls to solicit donations for the bags, and a lot of time organizing and running around. We are happy to be the recipient of such heart-felt work! Thanks!!
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GRANTING WISHES
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Sammy Shipp (left) and Nicole Vargas (right) of the Deerpath Middle School in Lake Forrest decided to help PADS by picking an item from the PADS Wish List and doing a drive. Their efforts turned out to be largest toilet tissuedonation we have ever seen. Thanks Sammy and Nicole for delivering 500 rolls of toilet tissue to PADS. That's what we call really granting a wish!
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Graduation Party for PADS!
When Alana Rattner (right), Lauren Hernandez (left) and Jordan Levine (not pictured) started to plan their 8th Grade Graduation Party they decided they wanted to benefit a local charity instead of themselves. One of the girls remembered that she served at PADS Crisis Services for her Bat Mitzvah project, and the trio decided that’s whom they would choose. Each invitation included a request – instead of gifts for the graduates, would you please bring toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies? It was a great success, as you can see from the picture. Thank you Lauren, Alana and Jordan for thinking of others first.You are great examples of what’s right with teens today!!
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Glenna Siegal an 8th Grader with the Glencoe Junior High Project designed the logo for the PADS 7th annual Walk To end Homelessness.
What can you think of?
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. |
