Every year on October 1 a contingency of nine local churches open their doors to help homeless individuals in McHenry County.  These churches, called PADS Church Sites, rotate their support, providing emergency shelter and a warm meal through the cold winter months.

In the past three years McHenry County PADS homeless services, a program of Pioneer Center for Human Services, has witnessed a 48 percent increase in the number of individuals it serves.  Just last year, there was a 27 percent increase in the number of veterans needing services.

To make this community-based project work, it takes hundreds of volunteers from the towns that make up McHenry County donating a couple of hours one night a week. Currently, five of the church sites have urgent volunteer needs.  All volunteer needs are within the hours of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.  If you would like to help at one of the sites listed below, contact the church directly at the phone number or email provided.

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Crystal Lake

Mondays, between 3 to 7 a.m.

Contact Bob Dorn at rdorn@immanuelcl.org

St.’s Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Cary

Mondays, 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift, 3 to 5 a.m. shift and 5 to 7 a.m. shift

Some volunteers like to combine the last two shifts to make it 3:00-7:00 am.  These shifts are lacking for mostly the 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks of each month.   The clean up crew starts at 7 or 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.  Subs for all shifts, for last minute cancellations, are needed too.

Contact pads@ssppcary.org or 847-516-2636

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Woodstock

Wednesdays, all shifts need help.

Contact mdrummer10@hotmail.com

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Richmond

Thursdays: need two volunteers on the 4th Thursday for clean up from 5 to 7 a.m.  and one or two volunteers for the 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. shift.

Christian Fellowship Church, Crystal Lake

Needs help with clean up at 7 a.m. on Saturday mornings.

Contact pads@cfchurch.us or 815-459-9473