Patricia* was a pregnant, young mother with twins. On a cold February afternoon, she made the brave and difficult decision to leave a dangerous situation for the sake of her girls. Fleeing domestic violence without resources or options, they sought immediate safety at a local women’s shelter in DuPage County. Patricia knew she needed more support on her journey back to having a safe home for her family, and that’s when she was directed to DuPagePads.
Fortunately, Patricia found refuge at their Interim Housing Center (IHC) just in time to welcome a beautiful and healthy baby into the world. Patricia was assigned a case manager and care specialist, a dedicated staff member who provides extra support to clients with mental health challenges. They ensured she had the infant care essentials she needed, including a new car seat, diapers, baby wipes, and warm clothes. Her journey through the challenges of homelessness, made more difficult by chronic medical conditions, caring for three children on her own, and recovering from childbirth, is a remarkable display of Patricia’s strength and resilience.
Because she had her family’s immediate needs met at the IHC, Patricia was able to work hard to improve her mental and physical health while she searched for stability for her family. In DuPage County, the options for affordable housing are extremely limited, and Patricia worried about finding a safe place to call home for her daughters. After months of searching and dedicated work with DuPagePads staff, Patricia and her three girls moved out of the IHC in the spring and into a home of their own!
Ending homelessness through community-supported efforts has been at the core of DuPagePads’ work for 41 years. Now in their fifth year of providing life-saving services at the pioneering Interim Housing Center, DuPagePads has proven how immediate intervention and stronger housing solutions make ending homelessness solvable. “The right housing at the right time with the right support works over and over and over again,” shares Scott Austgen, Chief Programs Officer at DuPagePads. “Supportive housing is an essential solution, saving lives and empowering people to better futures.”
DuPagePads serves as the largest provider of Supportive Housing in DuPage County with over 200 apartment units providing families like Patricia’s a safe place to call home once they are ready to leave shelter and start over. These apartments are spread throughout all parts of DuPage County and generally consist of one or two-bedroom units. They are quickly prepared to be move-in ready with the help of community partners such as Sharing Connections and the Assistance League Chicagoland West. These collaborations ensure that the apartments are furnished and stocked with essentials for new residents, many of whom are starting on their own for the very first time.
Although proven to have a high level of impact, affordable housing is becoming endangered in the US. In its last fiscal year, DuPagePads helped 147 households find permanent stability through Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). The successful housing program provides affordable apartments alongside case management services to individuals and families whose household has a history of homelessness. This Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded program is now at risk of being drastically reduced and potentially eliminated, jeopardizing the safety and stability of more than 200 DuPage County neighbors. This includes 39 children and 46 survivors of domestic violence, who all successfully found a place to call home last year by being connected with DuPagePads.
Studies have proven that Supportive Housing offsets costs in every major public service category, saving taxpayers millions annually, and reducing the high costs of emergency services that are so often over-utilized by people in crisis. DuPagePads is observing firsthand that the broader the affordable housing gap widens in DuPage County, the more difficult it is becoming to find permanent housing solutions for families like Patricia’s, and many more of our most vulnerable neighbors in crisis. To learn more about their work to solve homelessness or to provide direct support making solutions for families like Patricia’s possible, please visit www.dupagepads.org
*Client name changed for privacy
DuPagePads’ mission is to end homelessness! Their successful housing programs are made possible through relationships with kindhearted property owners who share the belief that everyone deserves a place to call home. DuPagePads seeks to expand their network of community landlords who can help clients facing credit challenges, past evictions, or other circumstances that could otherwise be a barrier to housing. To connect, please contact info@www.dupagepads.org