DuPagePads invites you to be a part of our new model of Interim Housing by supporting our work. Our new Interim Housing Center, known affectionately as the IHC, provides a safe place to sleep, food and connections to case management for approximately 300 people each night through 115 rooms.
The IHC is a repurposed hotel in Downers Grove, Ill., where Pads has been providing emergency housing since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to a generous grant from the DuPage County Board, as well as kind donors in our community, were were able to purchase the property in March of 2022, and are currently renovating rooms to make them more accommodating and easier to clean, and to create a kitchen that can serve 300 people (100 of whom are children) hot meals each night.
Since operating this model of shelter, DuPagePads has seen significant client successes, and improved health and safety features for client families. We are proud to share that while we are the first hotel-to-interim housing conversion in Illinois, we are providing financial information and lessons learned to peer agencies across the state who are embarking on the creation of similar models to ours.
Covid-19 forced us to meet our mission differently, rethinking how to best provide interim housing solutions that help individuals and families move beyond homelessness. Providing clients privacy in a secure space to temporarily house themselves and family members has resulted in an 80% reduction in mental health incidents and a 75% reduction in health incidents such as flu, respiratory illness, or other physical health issues. In addition, the stability of the IHC, and the hard work of our education team, has led 136 children to be connected to school over the past year.
Approximately 33% of DuPage County’s homeless population are children. That's 100 kids each night. Historically, parents experiencing homelessness had been reluctant to utilize congregant sheltering or other safe environments because they lack privacy, security, and space for families to call their own. Repurposing a hotel property as an IHC prevents children from being forced to live in cars with their families or other more dangerous living situations. We prioritize rooms at the IHC to families with children, individuals with mobility or significant health issues, and those fleeing domestic violence.
Once checked in, clients can focus on their wellness and stability, making it possible to move forward using the resources and support provided by DuPagePads to regain their independence. The IHC provides a place where clients are not forced to travel daily, endure harsh conditions, or have concerns about where they may eat and sleep. Our Empowerment Center, located up the street from the IHC, also provides community partners a destination for support services Since beginning this model in 2020, we have observed a 500% increase in the utilization of support services by clients at the IHC.
During the short-term, this model of hotel-based shelter has demonstrated proven health, wellness, and security benefits. Providing a private room with washroom has proven to reduce the risk of infectious illnesses spreading to families, volunteers, caseworkers, and health care providers. Investing in the IHC provides an asset to help end homelessness in our community and improve the overall health and safety of all our neighbors while supporting individuals on their journey to regain long-term housing stability.
We are grateful to both the DuPage County Board and the Village of Downers Grove for their support as we plan for this transformative center. We know that owning and operating an IHC is facilitating better outcomes for clients, and will also provide lower overall social and economic costs to our community as we improve the quality of life for families and individuals in desperate need of a helping hand.
We continue to seek community support for improvements to our IHC. Immediate needs include:
The solution to end homelessness is more complex than providing individuals with food and shelter. Founded in 1985, DuPagePads is the largest provider of interim and permanent housing, coupled with support services in order to help individuals work toward a place to call home. DuPagePads’ vital support services enable the individuals we help to receive case management and life coaching, employment support such as GED courses and job coaching, as well as engagement with employers—effectively stopping the cycle of homelessness.
DuPagePads IS the solution to end homelessness — because when someone believes in you, everything can change.