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We've provided over 32,300 nights of emergency shelter. Your support makes it possible for us to continue to provide shelter & services for our neighbors.

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Impact Stats

Last year

500 individuals
Nearly 500 individuals & families found permanent, long-term housing
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500 people
Over 500 people, including nearly 270 children were served through our Prevention & Diversion program
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75 % of clients
75% of clients who did not have a medical home or Primary Care Physician had one within 5 days of meeting with our Healthcare Case Manager
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Our Stories

Our clients are whole, complex people—mothers looking to provide better lives for their children, teenagers nervous about starting high school, musicians, cooking enthusiasts—people who get lonely and feel joy just like all of us. They are the heart of our work.

Last year, we served nearly 1,800 individuals and families.

A man holding a baby in his arms.
*Doug’s Story Most Americans are one mere crisis away from becoming homeless. These odds become even higher if you live with...
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Ariceli Giving Back! Meet Ariceli, a former PADS Lake County client who’s now giving forward and making a positive impact in our...
A man and two boys playing a game with a board.
*David’s Story David came to PADS Lake County facing homelessness, struggling with substance abuse, and grappling with job security. Life had...
A man with a mustache and beard is smiling.
*Donnie’s Story Meet Donnie, a resilient individual who came to PADS Lake County as an undocumented immigrant from Honduras.  Donnie’s journey...
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*Lisa’s Story Meet Lisa, a remarkable individual who came to PADS seeking a safe haven. Lisa faced the daunting challenges of...
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*Lloyd’s Story *Lloyd’s journey is a testament to resilience and the transformative power of support. Formerly a manager overseeing a team...
A picture of two people in the grass.
*Annie’s Story Annie’s story started with adversity, but with the compassionate support of PADS Lake County, she found the strength to...
A man holding a key chain in front of a quote.
*Ronald’s Story Once experiencing homelessness, Ronald’s life took a turn when he sought help at PADS Lake County. With numerous challenges...
A person in white gloves is cooking food.
*Aaron’s Story *Aaron came to PADS realizing that he could not last much longer on the streets. For a long time,...
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*Mary’s Story No one ever wants to watch their home burn to the ground with all their belongings, memories, and think...
A man and woman playing basketball in front of a building.
*Ryan’s Story As a father all you want to do is give your child(ren) the world. Providing food, a stable household,...
A man with black hair and a beard is wearing a black shirt.
*Zach’s Story *Zach needed to be hospitalized when he went through a mental breakdown. During this time, he leaned on his...
A man and child hugging in front of a building.
*Josh’s Story Josh came to PADS Lake County because he found himself in some hard times after receiving full custody of...
A man wearing a helmet on a bike.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein I never thought I‘d be in a situation where I would wind up on the streets not knowing where...
A person is cleaning the counter top with a sponge.
*Derek’s Story Imagine thinking you have finally overcome homelessness, having successfully “come home” in 2018 through PADS, only to find your...
A person in an orange jacket standing next to a building.
*Jeffrey’s Story Jeffrey, a 58-year-old man, found himself in a desperate situation, grappling with housing instability and unemployment. He lacked the...
A man with a beard is standing in front of a wall.
Rubio’s Story Join us in celebrating the incredible journey of resilience and renewal of Rubio, a Waukegan resident who overcame homelessness...
A woman playing with her dog on the floor.
Carrie’s Story Carrie felt her world turned upside down when she found out that she was losing her job. Not having...
A woman with white hair is making an angry face.
Deborah’s Story Deborah’s story is just one of so many from those among our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Her story tells us...
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Family (Re)Connections One of the most rewarding aspects of working with the homeless here in Lake County is being able to...
Two business people shaking hands at a desk.
From Couch Surfing to Employed in 2 Weeks! *Mila was living with a significant other and because of an issue with the lease and a break-up, she found...
A girl holding a cardboard house in her hands.
Mila Builds Foundations of Hope *Mila was living with a significant other and because of an issue with the lease and a break-up, she found...
A woman reading a book to a baby.
Amelia’s Tenacity Leads Her Family Home Imagine, having a one-year-old baby, losing your father, having your mother ask you to leave the home, moving into...
A man wearing a hat is playing a violin.
Music is the language of the spirit. Our Outreach team first met Carl & Adrienne while they were living outside in a tent. After an initial...
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Annie Works to Create a Home *Annie enjoys going to church, taking long walks & visiting local parks. She also found herself in homelessness after...
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Stable Shelter Leads Michael Home Support from our community allowed us to move our clients into individual accommodations to keep them safe & healthy...
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