Beyond Shelter: Success Stories

Kenith

The first night he spent in a PADS shelter, last October, Kenith slept through dinnertime and through the night. “I would have kept on sleeping the next day if they’d let me,” he says. “It was the first time in a long time that I’d relaxed, let my guard down, with both eyes closed and a feeling of peace. In my mind, I kept saying “I’m with PADS now. I’ll be ok.”

As the door closed on Kenith’s past -- one filled with tragedy and misfortune -- he began a new journey from survival to self-sufficiency. “It’s a relief to know you’re safe. It’s wonderful to eat warm food. But having hope for your future,” he says, “is the best feeling of all.”
... continue reading

Marlene

Marlene was an experienced litigation attorney and a partner in her law firm. She was a renowned lecturer in the U.S. and the U.K., co-editor of an insurance law newsletter, and a member of the Cook County Judicial Advisory Committee and the Illinois State Bar Association.

Five years ago, Marlene was given the President's Award from the Women's Bar Association of Illinois "for her many years of dedicated service as an officer of the association."

Five years ago. That's when the story of Marlene's awards, articles and achievements comes to an abrupt end. Five years ago, Marlene became homeless... continue reading

Tameka

Tameka radiates joy when she talks about the antics of her six-year-old son. He loves school and basketball, and the toy cars and Michael Jackson poster on display in his bedroom. "We have such a good life," she says, smiling. "When we walk through the door of our Cicero apartment every evening after work, I get this indescribable feeling. We're home. We're safe. We're together. And the future looks really bright, for both of us."

But this wasn't always the case... continue reading