“Your Help Saved My Life,” Sharon’s Story
One of the 116 families DuPagePads served last year.
After losing her job, Sharon and her four children, all under the age of 10, were evicted from their home.
Homeless but motivated, Sharon and her children temporarily stayed with family and friends while she continued her search for employment.
Desperate to start working again, Sharon obtained two part-time positions, both day and night shifts paying minimum wage. With her income, she was able to move her family into a hotel temporarily.
Unfortunately, these two positions only covered her family’s hotel expenses. Without money to spare, this hard working parent could not save enough for the first month’s rent and security deposit to move into an apartment, where her family could make a home.
“I was stuck in a hopeless cycle, working hard to get by, but it was never enough. Then I learned about DuPagePads,” Sharon says.
Working with her DuPagePads Family Outreach Case Manager, Sharon was able to access all the benefits she was eligible for.
Through utilizing DuPagePads Career Employment Solutions Program, Sharon learned about full-time career opportunities among DuPagePads network of 74 local employers.
Four of the 228 children DuPagePads served last year.
“DuPagePads believed in me and gave me the resources I needed to feel confident. I was so excited to finally obtain a full-time job again,” Sharon beams.
Once Sharon had a stable income, she was eligible for DuPagePads Housing NOW program. Housing NOW provides funds for security deposits and initial rent for people with a steady income. With this support, Sharon and her family were able to move into their new apartment.
“I’m so grateful for all the ways DuPagePads was able to help my family. Now that we have our own home, it’s like a huge weight has been lifted off of me. My kids have room to play and I have more time to play with them. They now have a safe place to learn and grow and that is what matters most to me,” Sharon says, “DuPagePads saved my life, I could not have done it on my own.”
