Block party in the suburbs to benefit homeless people

A block party returns to downtown Naperville and it’s for a good cause.

After a two-year hiatus because of construction in downtown Naperville, Old Naperville Day is returning as Naperville Neighborly Day and it will be Sunday August 9^th on Chicago Avenue between Washington and Main Streets.

“All afternoon there will be live music from local bands playing, local food vendors serving food. DuPage PADS is the beneficiary who is hosting it this year so we’ll have a 50/50 raffle with the proceeds supporting our mission and our work to end homelessness,” says Chad Pedigo, chief development officer for DuPage PADS.

Pedigo says DuPage PADS will also benefit from beverage sales at the block party.

DuPage PADS has operated for 40 years, until a few years ago, out of churches throughout the county. At the end of COVID, Pedigo says the organization purchased a former motel and turned it into the group’s interim housing center.

“We have been serving over 300 neighbors [a day], on average, since we opened this facility in 2022 and I checked this morning to see how many we were supporting and it was 339.”

DuPage PADS interim housing center provides shelter…food and a leg up towards permanent housing.