South Suburban Pads

South Suburban PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter, or SSPADS) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization with a mission to prevent and end homelessness in the south suburbs of Chicago through emergency shelter, affordable housing, and supportive services. SSPADS was founded in 1990 by dedicated community members who saw a need and decided to assist their unhoused neighbors across the Southland. Dozens of churches hosted SSPADS shelter on a rotating basis and nightly moved “pads” on the floor each day. Since 1990, SSPADS has provided over 700,000 nights of emergency shelter and over 2 million meals to enable over 20,000 people to overcome homelessness and food insecurity. In addition, SSPADS provides pathways home by helping over 400 people to preserve or access affordable housing homes every year.

SSPADS owns several apartment buildings and places clients in scattered-site housing. In 2011, SSPADS developed its own 77-unit PSH building in Country Club Hills called the Wellness Center, which includes a full-service teaching kitchen, community rooms, computer lab, classroom, playground, bus service, and clinic space. Our work helps those who are unhoused obtain affordable, permanent rental housing and work to achieve better health and economic security. SSPADS is the proud recipient of the 2018 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award, the 2019 National Good Neighbor Award, and a 2024 Lever for Change Award from MacKenzie Scott’s foundation Yield Giving.

In addition, South Suburban PADS co-founded and currently leads the Illinois Shelter Alliance (ISA), representing over 60 homeless service agencies from every corner of the state.  ISA is advocating for increased government funding to address the current shortage of over 4,500 emergency shelter beds throughout the state (Illinois Interagency Task Force on Homelessness, 2022). ISA successfully advocated for $5 million FY23 and $40 million FY24 increases in the state budget for the IDHS Emergency and Transitional Housing Program.