“We can be heroes just for one day,” rock star David Bowie famously sang.
Well, area residents can feel as if they are both heroes and rock stars by volunteering for just one night per month at one of the seven temporary homeless shelters that Kendall County PADS is scheduled to open later this month.
“It’s such a rewarding experience to know that, at least for one night, you’ve helped take some of the burden off of our guests,” said Sara Poniatowski, PADS site coordinator at Church of the Good Shepherd in Oswego.
“People sometimes think that they need to belong to the church where the PADS site is located, or that they should have some experience working or interacting with the homeless in order to volunteer,” explained Ms. Poniatowski, who has been a volunteer for the past eight shelter seasons, the last six as a site coordinator. “We will train anyone who has a welcoming heart and a desire to serve those in need. Those two things are really all you need to get started.”
The two-hour training session will include an overview of PADS––how it operates each night and the integral role of volunteers. Attendees will learn general operational procedures, how to address health issues, and the importance of kindness to the men, women, and children who come to the shelters.
New recruits will also receive a volunteer manual and be assigned to an experienced shelter coordinator who will serve as a mentor to them. The hope is that each person attending will be informed and would feel comfortable with their role in Kendall County PADS, should they be inspired to serve. The session is free, refreshments will be served, and there is no commitment obligation.
First-time volunteers, however, are required to attend the training, which will feature representatives of the Kendall County health department and sheriff’s office as well as the Guest Assistance Program offered by social work interns from Aurora University. The GAP helps guests with employment, personal issues, and permanent housing.
During the colder months of the year, nearly 600 volunteers provide safe shelter, nourishing meals, and caring hospitality to PADS guests. Most volunteers serve one or two times each month for four and a half hours. Some of the site coordinators serve every week. PADS retains about 90 percent of its volunteers each shelter season, leaving an annual need of 100 new recruits.
Anticipating that shortage of help this year, a 14-member recruitment team has been set up to attract new volunteers through social media postings; handing out brochures to local businesses; reaching out to churches, civic groups, senior communities, and emergency/medical personnel; and setting up a database of the names of all volunteers so they can be called upon to meet staffing needs at sites other than the one for which they signed up.
The shelters are scheduled to be open one overnight per week from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. starting on October 21 and ending on April 20, 2019. 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
PADS of Kendall County is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) group funded by donations received from grants, gifts, individuals, organizations, and businesses. Those who wish to volunteer may call (630) 553-5073 or visit the website at www.kendallcountypads.org.
“The training is easy and entertaining,” said Anne Engelhardt, executive director of Kendall County PADS. “Volunteering can be easier than hosting guests at your own home.”
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