Volunteers Share their Passion for DuPagePads as Agency Recruits New Groups
In DuPagePads over 32 years of service, dedicated and incredible volunteers have empowered the agency to provide over 769,832 nights of shelter and 2,438,595 meals. Last year alone, DuPagePads 4,000 volunteers donated 76,033 hours of service, the equivalent of 37 full-time employees.
Despite this amazing support, as the agency looks to the summer overnight site calendar, they see many openings that need to be filled.
To help meet this need and to find out more, DuPagePads has been asking current volunteers for their feedback, through surveys and even engaging volunteers at the overnight sites last week during National Volunteer Week. One individual and one group below share how they became involved and what keeps them coming back.
Individual Volunteer Spotlight: Michelle Bratton
For the last seven years, Michelle Bratton has been the Site Coordinator at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle.
“I started out by donating food to the site. One afternoon they were short-staffed, so I stayed a few hours to help in the kitchen. 
After meeting the guests and seeing what a difference we made as volunteers, I was hooked…
…About a year later, I was asked to help organize volunteers, and have now been the Site Coordinator for almost seven years,” Michelle shares.
Michelle comes back every month because, “I want all our guests to feel welcome and know that someone cares about them.”
Michelle’s experiences at DuPagePads have motivated her to continue her education.
“After serving at the sites for many years, I decided to go back to school and get a master’s degree in social work, to learn more about how to help people get the support and services they need to thrive in life. I will graduate this May!…
…Serving at DuPagePads is a life changing experience, especially when you realize how many people are affected by homelessness in our own communities. By each of us doing a little, we do a lot to help end homelessness.”
Group Volunteer Spotlight: Midwestern University ACFP
Volunteering with your group can be a rewarding and team building experience. Students from Midwestern University American College of Family Physicians (ACFP) group have been volunteering nearly two years. Students recently shared their volunteering experiences for the set-up and dinner shift.
- “Initially, we thought it was a great opportunity. Our group wanted to have a project that helped our immediate community. Most of us live in the area, so the overnight sites are close to home.”
- “Family physicians are very community and health-oriented, and DuPagePads is such a good representation of that.”
- “Volunteering at the overnight sites is a great way for our group to relieve stress and build relationships with everyone in the ACFP.”
- “DuPagePads is so convenient. We know when, where and how. It is so easy to plan it into our schedules and volunteer for three hours for such a rewarding cause.”
- “I want to practice medicine in underserved areas. Volunteering for DuPagePads is a great way I can immediately serve those less fortunate. “
- “As a medical student with a demanding schedule and workload, it is easy to have everything revolve around yourself. Volunteering is a great way to get outside of ourselves.”
Interested in volunteering? Contact our Volunteer Coordindator Josie at volunteer@dupagepads.org or 630.682.3846, ext. 3500.
