By
Tom Siebert
Assistant
Director for Community Relations
Public
Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) of Kendall County
In
a wide-open county with no public transportation, the homeless often have a hard
time just getting to the seven shelter sites run by Kendall County PADS during
the colder months of the year.
But
thanks to a $2,500 grant from Nicor Gas, the long roads to food, shelter, counseling,
employment and other services will continue to be open to PADS guests,
according to Anne Engelhardt, executive director of the homeless support group.
“The guests of PADS are people who are
often unseen, at the margins of our local society,” Ms. Engelhardt said. “They
are poor socio-economically and suffer from mental, emotional and social
issues. PADS strives to help them get to local social services and supports
them becoming and staying employed. Providing transportation is an
important way we can help."
The grant from the Naperville-based energy
company will permit PADS to continue partnering with Kendall Area Transit and Yorkville
Express, which have been providing transportation to the homeless guests.
"Nicor Gas believes it's important
to give back to the communities we serve,” said Mark Knox, director of the
firm’s resource management forecasting. “We're proud to support Kendall
County PADS. With our support we can help them meet the basic human needs
of our society."
Mr. Knox
and his wife, Cheryl, also volunteer at one of the seven PADS shelter that are open one overnight per week from 7 p.m. until 7
a.m. through April 14.
The
nights and sites are as follows:
· Sundays, Cross Lutheran Church, 8609 Route 47, Yorkville
· Mondays, Yorkville Congregational United Church of Christ,
409 Center Parkway, Yorkville
· Tuesdays, Harvest New Beginnings church, 5315 Douglas Road,
Oswego
· Wednesdays, Parkview Christian Academy, upper campus, 202
East Countryside Parkway, Yorkville
· Thursdays, Trinity United Methodist Church, 2505 Boomer
Lane, Yorkville
· Fridays, Church of the Good Shepherd, 5 West Washington
Street, Oswego
· Saturdays, St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 53 Fernwood Road,
Montgomery
The
overall travel distance from site to site is more than 50 miles. Moreover, the
distance between sites is as far as 13 miles, making it difficult for anyone to
walk the routes, especially in winter weather, and carrying a backpack or
duffel bag. About half of PADS guests do not own vehicles, and in past years,
some have traveled the treacherous routes on bicycles.
PADS
guests receive a hot meal, a safe place to sleep, breakfast and a packaged
lunch to go. They also receive help with employment, social services and
housing referrals.
Those who wish to donate or volunteer
at a shelter site may call (630) 553-5073 or visit the website at www.kendallcountypads.org.
Nicor is a natural-gas distribution company,
serving more than 2 million customers in an area that encompasses most of the
northern third of Illinois.
