I write as someone who has volunteered for PADS many times over ther past several years. I am sorry that this one well-meaning family had a negative experience. My experience has been that the religious congregations involved do a very intense and well-thought-out program. I belong to a small congregation, an Episcopal church, Church of the Holy Nativity in Clarendon Hills. We do not have the physical facility to have the overnight visits so we cooperate with larger churches, such as Redeemer Lutheran in Hinsdale. I will estimate that at least 30 people, or more, from our small congregation (130-150?) sign up ahead of time to buy food for the upcoming event, some cook, others come in the evening to set up the sleeping facilities, others stay overnight to monito the location and another group appears about 5 - 6AM to make breakfast, pass out the bag lunches then clean up the downstairs rooms so the church has a clean basement when they come in the next day. Oh, and another group takes all the linens from the overnight, 30 to 60 sets of linens, and takes them to the laundry, then returns it all clean. It is a major enterprise every weekend when a church/synagogue/mosque participates. Sorry for the Fogler R. family that they meant well but did not understand the system. Of course, every organization has its issues and failures, but PADS consistently does a wonderful and largely unsung job of helping the homeless. read more

Winchester D should know better to write such a sad review of the guest's here. Sure, there are those types, but there are a lot of people who can't get a job for the time being that provides them with a living wage. We have entire families, parents with little babies, even. People like Winchester D. are fortunate that God is merciful & doesn't give him what he deserves vs. what he doesn't deserve. read more

Accountability for food that is brought to the Client Service Center.... tons of donated food use to be tossed. I sure hope things have shaped up. Such a shame tossing pans and pans of food and the kicker... telling potential and current donors of the time that the food is indeed used. read more

Best Overnight stay I ever had! Need an inexpensive place to stay with complimentary wam breakfast and dinner with every stay! Can't wait to get get back on my next business trip. Need to call for reservations it fills up fast. read more