*Zach’s Story

*Zach needed to be hospitalized when he went through a mental breakdown. During this time, he leaned on his family for support, but who, however, turned their backs on him, and told him he is no longer welcome home. This completely changed his life.

Finding himself on the streets, he fell into hard times, and going back to his family was no longer an option.

“My mental health issue caused me to lose everything that I held close to my heart, my family, my home, my spirit. I also lost myself along the way. I had nothing I could call my own. PADS provided me a place to sleep instead of being out on the streets.”

Zach was provided a warm place to sleep and food to eat at one of our shelter sites. Without his family and a healthy supportive system, his mental health deteriorated, and he found himself in and out of the hospital. He became severely depressed to the point of even suicidal.

Elissa worked to get Zach into PADS’ motel shelter, and that had helped him become stable. Just recently, she connected him to Allendale through its Shelter and Transitional Adolescent Resources (STAR) program. While here, he is expected to regain his confidence, learn life skills, get back on track, and move towards growth and healing.

“Finding PADS is finding solace and hope that I could get out of the tough situation I was in. They showed me compassion, and how much they want to help me. Elissa, my case worker, helped me get on the right path and to focus on my goals. She believed in me and advocated for me all the way.”

Zach now has a chance to restore his life and work towards a better future. Thanks to YOUR caring support that gave Zach a second chance jump start his life!