Bob and Alicia’s Story – The Birthday Surprise
“Thank you is not even close enough to say how much we appreciate what you have done for our family.”
Bob and Alicia both had jobs when they first met, but like many people who come to DuPagePads, they fell upon hard times and lost their jobs. Life spiraled downward and they found themselves homeless.
Bob was no stranger to uncertainty. At age 8, he was put into foster care. Growing up, he never had a stable place to live moving from group home to foster home. “It’s hard to talk about. I never want my children to experience the kind of abuse I did,” Bob shared. By the age of 18, Bob moved out of foster care.
“I met a lot of really nice counselors that helped me walk down the right path…If it wasn’t for them I don’t know where I would be right now,” Bob said.
Our staff worked with Bob, Alicia and their three children to set goals and work toward permanent housing. On Bob’s birthday his phone rang. It was his DuPagePads case manager making him aware that they had an apartment available for his family. He recalls:
“It was so much to take in. It was on my birthday! I was overwhelmed with emotion and broke into tears of happiness. By far it was one of the best gifts I have received in my entire life.”
Families and individuals coming to DuPagePads are in need of resources, encouragement and support getting back on their feet. Now Bob, Alicia and their children will know stability as they make happy memories settling in a place they can call “home”.
Help make more success stories like Bob and Alicia’s, your support is needed now more than ever due to impending state budget cuts.