Agency to salute volunteers, PADS churches at 25th anniversary celebration
In 1989, a small group of citizens and churches founded PADS or Public Action to Deliver Shelter in an effort to lift up the homeless and dispossessed in the local community. Twenty-five years later that mission continues through the work of JOURNEYS | The Road Home.
The nonprofit agency that provides services and shelter to families and individuals that have lost, or are in danger of losing, their homes in North and Northwest Suburban Cook County is inviting the general public to its Silver Anniversary celebration on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, 150 E. Wood St., downtown Palatine.
The evening will begin with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m. followed by a special annual board meeting at 7 p.m. during which original volunteers and all churches participating in the PADS program over the years will be honored.
"We decided to host our board meeting this year at Cutting Hall so that many people can come help us celebrate our first 25 years of service," said Beth Nabors, executive director at JOURNEYS | The Road Home. "On Sept. 16, we will relive the community spirit that started PADS and has led to the present-day JOURNEYS."
"I have been privileged to be part of PADS and JOURNEYS for the past 15 years," said Nabors. "Our staff has provided services and shelter to thousands of people in need. While we stand by our clients through every roadblock and setback they may face, our ultimate goal is to help our clients find their way home. Unfortunately, some clients' journeys begin by using the shelters. Seeing such a high number of community members utilizing our emergency shelter sites is heartbreaking. However, JOURNEYS is providing a service that is keeping men, women and children alive. We are proud to provide a service that helps a human being with the basic needs of life. How is one supposed to find stable employment without a warm place to sleep at night? Staying in our sites may just be a bump in the road for these particular people, but with JOURNEYS' help, our clients will continue to work hard, set goals, achieve them and find their way home."
JOURNEYS | The Road Home is a nonprofit agency that provides services and shelter as well as networks thousands of volunteers and various local agencies to work together on behalf of families and individuals that have lost, or are in danger of losing, their homes in North and Northwest suburban Cook County. JOURNEYS provide shelter and/or rehabilitation for those in need, along with transition to housing and homeless prevention service. Its goal is to build awareness in the community so they can help those most at risk and keep them from ever knowing the despair of losing their home.
For information, visit www.journeystheroadhome.org or call (847) 963-9163.