PADS to host new volunteer orientation Sept. 19 for West Chicago location

The PADS program offers the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others. Come and join in this meaningful and rewarding ministry.

If you are interested in volunteering, you are invited to come to an orientation meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, at the First United Methodist Church, 643 E. Washington St. in West Chicago.

If you have any questions, contact Brian Hendricks at 630-333-0640 (cell), 630-840-2448 (work), 630-231-7532 (home), or hendricks@fnal.gov.

The West Chicago PADS homeless shelter will be opening its doors soon.

The first night of shelter will be on Thursday, Oct. 4.

This rewarding ministry requires a large number of volunteers to carry out the work that needs to be done. The primary need is for people to work at the site and directly take care of guests.

Each night of shelter is divided up into four volunteer shifts. The first shift is 6:30 to 9 p.m. and involves setting up the church to act as a shelter and serving dinner to the majority of the guests. The second shift runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. This shift involves serving any late arrivals and dealing with cleaning up after dinner, making lunches, and washing the guest laundry. The third shift is 1 to 5 a.m. The primary responsibility on this shift is to monitor the guests' safety.

There may also be guest laundry to do as well as finish up the lunches. There is a dire need for volunteers for this shift.

The fourth and last shift runs from 5 to 7:30 a.m. This shift involves serving breakfast and cleaning up the site and returning it to its original state.

In addition to these needs, they also will need people to wash the bed linens and people to provide support for the food coordinator.

The PADS site is every Thursday evening from October through May. Shift volunteers are asked to serve for one shift each month. Food volunteers are asked to help out once a month, and laundry volunteers are asked to wash linens once every other month.

To learn more, visit firstumcucc.org, dupagepads.org or www.facebook.com/DuPagePADS.