Hope is Powerful – One Family’s Journey

Hope is Powerful – One Family’s Journey

Dan, Diana and their young son Gabriel were going through a rough time. Hope is powerful, but theirs was quickly draining.

Diana’s medical conditions caused her to take a leave of absence from her work, while her husband Dan struggled with substance abuse issues. They became homeless and had nowhere to stay. They found themselves at a loss of where to turn.

Once the family came to DuPagePads, their case manager referred Dan to a treatment program. “I was ready to change, not just for myself, but for my family who needed me,” Dan says.

By the time Dan completed his program, Diana’s doctor had cleared her for work again and the two began working diligently with DuPagePads Career Employment Solutions program. This program networks with 98 local employers to match DuPagePads clients with openings in the community.

“It was amazing! Within a week of each other, we both found full-time employment WITH benefits. It was one of the most exciting weeks we ever had!” Diana beams.

Despite this exciting news, the family had built up considerable debt and had little savings for a security deposit to begin renting again.

With assistance from their case manager, they learned about DuPagePads Housing Now program. This program provides the first month’s rent and security deposit coupled with a year of case management services for households with income. Last year, this program saw 91% of those served successfully maintain their housing.

As a result of support from DuPagePads Housing Now program, the family was able to move in to their own housing, just three months after coming to DuPagePads.

“Now we are doing wonderful! Currently we are renting a house in Addison and working on a budget with our case manager to pay down some of our debts. I’ve never been able to give my family a home before, but because of DuPagePads help, we have everything that we need,” Dan shares.

Diana adds, “We are trying to teach Gabriel how important it is to give back to the community. DuPagePads gave us hope and hope is powerful. We are looking forward to volunteering to help others see that no matter how dark things seem, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”