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Dear Friend of Journeys,
Journeys from PADS to HOPE has been serving the homeless for 20 years. During all those years, Journeys has constantly struggled to find affordable housing and programs for the particular difficulties faced by our homeless in the northwest suburbs. In response to the housing need, the Journeys’ Board of Directors created an affiliate non-profit housing agency called Pathway Development Institute (PDI). With the creation of this new agency, clients now are housed right here in the very neighborhoods of the northwest suburbs where many grew up, and within our system of care.
In the first year, three successful graduates have moved into independent housing from a two story, three unit apartment building owned by PDI. Two other individuals have lived in the building for over a year while making steady, consistent progress to self-sufficiency. Overall, PDI has moved more than ten people off the streets into a place to live. The building houses clients referred from Journeys from PADS to HOPE. PDI rent is extremely affordable to ensure that our clients can save money to move into mainstream housing upon graduation. Intensive support ensures that our clients remain stable and continue to enhance the skills needed to move into that mainstream housing. The clients sign a lease and are evaluated each month on their ability to pay, save, and meet their goals.
The purchase of the building last year was made possible by a Journeys’ donor who gave a large portion of the purchase cost, leaving a $150,000 mortgage. This mortgage is an interest-only loan with a one-year term ending in December 2009. PDI and Journeys have been so successful in housing clients this past year that another contributor is willing to donate the entire cost of a second building within walking distance of the first, thus providing affordable housing for more of our homeless clients. This donor is very pleased to see that Journeys is offering an effective continuum of care to our homeless population in partnership with PDI and without government grants.
In one year, PDI has paid the mortgage off on the original unit by $20,000, leaving just $130,000. We believed we had a funding source to address this issue. While these discussions are ongoing, it is unlikely that they will be finalized by the end of the year. In December 2009, the pay-interest-only term expires. Thus, if PDI is unable to pay the remainder within the next year, the mortgage will have to be re-financed, probably at less desirable terms because of the credit crisis. You can appreciate the urgency of our goal of paying off the mortgage, especially before Journeys and PDI receives another building and its associated operational costs.
Please consider helping us pay off this mortgage. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Please make your check payable to Journeys from PADS to HOPE, and send it to PDI, c/o Journeys from PADS to HOPE, 1140 E. Northwest Highway Palatine, IL 60074, or call 847-963-9163 ext. 22 and charge your donation to your credit card while indicating that the donation is to be used to pay down the mortgage of PDI. Together, we can end homelessness one person at a time. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful contribution. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Nabors, M.S.Ed.
Journeys from PADS to HOPE Executive Director
Pathway Development Institute Board Member
Click here for a Donation Form
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