Amanda Gelsinger

I volunteered at the Mattoon Area Public Action to Deliver Shelter or PADS. When you volunteer you either work the kitchen or at the desk. The first time I went there I worked the desk with another volunteer, named Gene. He has been volunteering for years and does it every Wednesday night. When you first get there you sign in and call the volunteers that are working the following night to remind them of their shift.  Then Gene gave me a brief description of what we would be doing. At 7 o’clock they opened they doors and the kitchen started serving the meal. When the guests first arrive they put their PADS ID card in the box for either dinner only or overnight. You write down there name, ID number, their race and gender, and check the box for either dinner or overnight. Then for the rest of the night you just monitor the guests and make sure nothing bad happens. Most of the people who came in to the shelter were men; there was one woman and one child. In class we talked about different shelters they have and how some only accept women or just men. But this shelter accepted both. Having a shelter likes this provides people a place to sleep at night and food to eat. It tries to help them off the street, but some of them do end up staying for a while and some even end up coming back. They are only allowed to stay for three months and then they cannot return for six months. PADS provides a place to shower and even gives clothes when they have them to the guests. By doing offering these things they could be helping them get a job somewhere. I enjoyed volunteering at PADS. The guests were really friendly and I did not experience any problems. I feel fortunate because I have a home and family that will help me if I ever get to the point where I cannot afford to live on my own. Some of the people there had no family to help them or their family is unable to help them.