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Home of the Sparrow 'helped me become whole again'

The moment Gina Aragones realized she would have to move her family into a homeless shelter last summer, she felt as if she had hit rock bottom.

Her husband of 15 years had walked out on them. Her teenage daughter, Bella Duran, had given birth to her second premature baby. Unable to pay rent, they were evicted from their five-bedroom house in Crystal Lake - all within a matter of weeks.

It was as if the rug had been pulled from beneath them, Aragones said, and it was difficult for her to understand the new reality that had been so quickly thrust upon her: She was going to be homeless.

When she, Duran and her two granddaughters moved into a transitional shelter run by McHenry-based Home of the Sparrow, Aragones was devastated, heartbroken and afraid. She didn't know at the time that reaching out to the nonprofit would be the best decision she could've made.

“At first I didn't think anybody could help me, but I've seen that there's a lot of people who care even when they don't have to,” she said. “They knew I was broken. They helped me become whole again.”

For the past 30 years, Home of the Sparrow has been helping homeless women and children throughout the North and Northwest suburbs get back on their feet. Individuals who go through the program are given housing options, case management services and various resources for finance management, employment and other educational programs, said Executive Director Gene Salvadalena.

The goal, he said, is to transition women and their families to more permanent housing and help them achieve self-sufficiency.

“We teach them how to fish,” Salvadalena said. “We provide a lot of life skills, but it really requires internal motivation, too.”

While Aragones was in the shelter from August to February, she saved money and took day-care classes that would allow her to eventually get paid for taking care of children.

The organization also helped Duran, now 18, balance work, school and raising two daughters, who are now 15 months and 10 months old.

“Home of the Sparrow covers everything,” Aragones said. “There's nothing they couldn't figure out.”

  Executive Director Gene Salvadalena and Marketing Director Debbie DeGraw discuss the 30th anniversary of Home of the Sparrow, a McHenry organization that provides services to homeless women and families. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

Still growing

The organization wasn't always as expansive as it is now, said Debbie DeGraw, vice president of marketing and development. In fact, she said, it took years for its founders to get the program off the ground.

When Home of the Sparrow launched in 1987, largely thanks to the Rev. Phyllis Mueller, it served about 12 people, DeGraw said. Now, the nonprofit serves more than 800 women and children annually in its housing, outreach and prevention programs.

Additionally, the organization has about 800 volunteers, more than 80 staff members and 23 affordable housing units, which are typically rented to individuals transitioning out of the shelter.

It operates six resale stores, including locations in Algonquin, Mundelein and Palatine.

The organization, which has brought in more than $4 million in revenue the past three years, is funded through government grants, resale store income and private donations, Salvadalena said.

To celebrate its successes, as well as the obstacles it has had to overcome, Home of the Sparrow is hosting a 30th anniversary gala from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills. The fundraiser, which costs $175 per person, includes self-guided estate tours, an organ concert, live and silent auctions, dinner and guest speakers.

“It's a big milestone for any nonprofit,” DeGraw said. “It's really been something to celebrate.”

The event, she said, also honors people like Aragones who went through the program and have come out on top.

“They've become more to me like a family at Home of the Sparrow,” Aragones said, noting staff members check in regularly as part of the aftercare program. “But I know I never want to go back there. I never want to be homeless again.”

  Gina Aragones, a Crystal Lake resident, credits the Home of the Sparrow program for helping her get back on her feet. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com

Since leaving the shelter, Aragones has moved into one of the organization's affordable housing units in Crystal Lake with her daughter and granddaughters. Duran finished high school early and plans to attend college.

Aragones, who watches the babies and her niece's 3-year-old son, is also enjoying cooking, cleaning and playing music in a safe and stable environment.

“It feels like home,” Aragones said. “I feel like I'm somebody again.”

To register for the 30th anniversary gala, visit www.BidPal.net/HOSgala2017.

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