The system of churches that provides shelter and assistance to the homeless in the suburbs is getting a jump on what could be an increase in the number of people seeking help this coming fall and winter.
Public Action to Deliver Shelter, which has outlets throughout the state and serves thousands of homeless people, will add five churches to the 18 that have been taking turns providing food and beds in nine northwest suburbs, said Bill Bryan, president of Northwest Cook County PADS.
And in Du Page County, plans are also in the works to line up more churches, said Dana Andrewson, assistant coordinator for Du Page PADS, which now has 14 sites in 13 communities. Andrewson said the agency is hoping to add at least four more sites.
Some other PADS agencies also hope to increase their capacity to aid homeless people once their season officially begins Oct. 1.
But in McHenry County, there are no plans for more than the current seven churches in four communities and one back-up site location, according to Donna Marquardt, executive director of McHenry County PADS.
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”We haven`t zeroed in on any more sites because it`s the middle of summer, and our places don`t open until October,” Marquardt said Wednesday.
”I think, however, we will wait until we see what the need is.”
The new proposed sites in the northwest suburbs are Christos Victor Lutheran Church in Elk Grove Village, the Church of the Holy Spirit in Schaumburg, and St. Anne Church in downtown Barrington. Bryan, pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Palatine, said the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights is seriously considering becoming a site, as is a Streamwood church.
”We are going ahead with the program. We are aware of how many people come through our community for housing, and the need has continued to grow,” said Roger Schindel, pastor of Christos Victor.
Because the parish will be Elk Grove`s first PADS venture, Schindel appeared before the Village Board Tuesday to inform trustees about the church`s plans. However, PADS organizers say they are going full steam ahead and don`t need their local government`s blessing.
In recent years, churches serving as homeless shelters have been met with opposition. Almost two years ago, some Clarendon Hills residents didn`t want their children exposed to homeless people who were to be sheltered at a church in the community.
Last year, a legal debate ensued in Schaumburg when the village objected to a PADS site at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, saying it needed permission to operate because it was a special use of the property. The village eventually expanded its zoning laws to accommodate the shelter.
But PADS officials say that churches seem to be more willing to respond to the call for aid.
”The PADS program, I think, in all the suburbs have a very good reputation,” said John Ames, director of Lake County PADS. ”Congregations . . . it takes a little more talking to, but primarily they`ve been very interested in becoming involved. And we`ve certainly found that true this year.”
Lake County has 16 overnight sites in nine communities, Ames said, and has plans to add a daytime facility to provide space and counseling.
Elk Grove officials said they will review the church`s plans to make sure health, safety and zoning standards are being met. Assistant village manager Gary Parrin said it is too early to tell whether the village will try to block the shelter if shortcomings are found.
The PADS program in each area provides shelter in at least one church per night, seven days a week, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Food is provided as well as segregated sleeping quarters for men and women.
Sites are staffed by about 4,000 volunteers throughout the suburbs. Use of the church shelters rose significantly in its first two years, going from 311 people in 1990 to 512 in 1991. Bill Bryan of Northwest PADS expects between 50 and 100 more people this season.
But that may be reaching only a fraction of those in need. An estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people in the northwest suburbs are classified as homeless at any given time during the year, according to Community Economic Development Association Northwest based in Arlington Heights.
”As we open new sites, we reach new areas and few more people. I think the numbers will increase,” Bryan said.
There are an estimated 2,400 homeless people in Du Page County, said Dana Andrewson in Du Page PADS, but he said that this is one population that will probably never be accurately measured. ”It`s a tough population to do a census on.”
But Andrewson said he thought Du Page has the highest growth rate in homeless people of the collar counties, ”and the collar counties were also experiencing a very rapid growth rate in that population.”
”We all know it`s going to grow,” said Edward Hatter, executive director of Northwest Community Services, a social services agency based in Elk Grove Village, ”Because we all know the problems of people coming in here with five-day notices to be kicked out of their apartments.”