History

IV PADS is entering Season 31 of serving the community’s homeless.

PADS History

• • 1990 – Sister Margaret Suerth, Rev. Betty Delgado, and Jean Huslander conducted a survey of social services, hospitals, churches, township supervisors and others to ascertain the need for homeless services.

• • 1991 – Illinois Valley Public Action to Deliver Shelter (IV PADS) is chartered as a 501c3 charity with a mission to serve the homeless in LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam Counties. Two shelters programs began by forming partnerships with churches in Ottawa and LaSalle-Peru communities by placing mattresses on the floor of a different church every night from October 15 to April 15^th.

• • Mid 1990’s – Both shelter programs moved into permanent locations. Since that time thousands of individuals and families have been served as the program continued to grow and expand.

• • The meals program grew extensively throughout the years with volunteers assisting in providing a warm dinner and breakfast and packing sack lunches. During PADS’ first season 1,814 meals were provided.

• • 2006 – Lily Pads Resale Boutique was created to be a major funding source for the homeless shelters.

• • 2009 – Lily Pads outgrew their original location and a new location was built on Progress Blvd. in Peru.

• • 2009 & 2013 – The Ottawa PADS shelter was renovated and expanded twice to accommodate 50 clients. Three family rooms and a play room were included to better service families with children.

• • 2000’s – As funding increased, the amount of services increased to include more thorough case management, on-site classes, more extended hours, and a longer season of operation. Currently IV PADS is open Sept 1 – May 31^st every day from 5pm-9am.

• • 2016 – IV PADS celebrated 25 years! It is a testament to the dedication of the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, donors, and the entire community that a non-profit organization funded almost exclusively through private donations, is thriving and continuing its mission.
  • 2018 - Lily Pads Too, a second retail location, was opened in Ottawa to collect donations and raise revenue to support IV PADS
  • 2019 - The Peru PADS Shelter underwent a major expansion to increase the number of people who could be served, increase the number of private family rooms, add additional restrooms, and expand the size of the living and dining areas.
  • 2020-2022 - IV PADS responded to the COVID 19 pandemic in a number of ways. The model of care was adjusted to remain open 24 hours per day and to serve 3 meals per day instead of packing sack lunches. The Board of Directors approved these changes to be ongoing. Furthermore, the Board decided following the pandemic to allow young and disabled clients to remain in the shelter during daytime hours. IV PADS remained open and assisting clients through this very difficult time when many charities were forced to close.
  • 2022 - Purchased the land that the Ottawa PADS Shelter sits on that was previously leased from the City of Ottawa to allow for future construction of an updated and larger shelter.