Donors and Diners help DuPagePads raise $320k to End Homelessness!

The table was perfectly set for raising critical funding and cultivating hope during the 17th Annual Taste of Hope on Thursday, March 2, 2023 in the Drury Lane Oakbrook Ballroom. DuPagePads continues to assist record numbers of families and neighbors experiencing homelessness by providing shelter, meals, support, and a pathway to housing utilizing their Interim Housing Center purchased in March of last year. This year, donors and supporters of DuPagePads focused their efforts on raising funds for the development of a service kitchen to prepare nutritious meals at the IHC, which currently does not have such a space for preparing food and utilizes mainly microwaveable meals distributed by their volunteer network.

Guests in attendance dined and delighted on samplings of signature dishes from 23 elite restaurants and caterers across the area, paired with beer and wine provided by Alter Brewing and Aspen Lane Wine Company. Jubilee Children Ministries provided a generous matching grant opportunity during the evenings fundraising program which helped DuPagePads to raise over $320,000 in total to be used for the future on-site kitchen and providing food and shelter to guests staying at DuPagePads Interim Housing center.

“We have so many thanks to share with our amazing sponsors, donors, and restaurant partners--some of whom have been with us making this event a reality for 17 years! The tremendous impact they have made in the lives of those we serve will help transform our future food-giving spaces, and set the course for individuals and families to be more healthy as they experience a safe night’s sleep and a path to end their homelessness,” said April Redzic, President and CEO. “I truly feel that Taste of Hope exhibits the best of DuPage County: talented restaurants, kind people, and a desire to make our community an amazing place for everyone to live."

Included among the sponsoring businesses committed to ending homelessness locally were Morgan Stanley,Power Equipment Direct, Aspen Lane Wine Company, DRF Water Heating Solutions, FT Cares Foundation, IntentGen Financial Partners, Lift Works, Marquette Companies & Ryan Hill Group, Old Second National Bank, Schulte & Cleland Wealth Management Group, The Redzic Family, Alter Brewing, CAGE Civil Engineering, Coldwell Banker, FGM Architects, Inland Bank, Richards Graphic Communications, Tuk Tuk Naperville, Villa Park Office Equipment, Wintrust-Wheaton Bank & Trust, American Family Insurance, Bantix Technologies, BillJacobs Motorsport, Busey Bank, College HUNKS, DynaCom, Essendant, GreenState Credit Union, Heartland Bank & Trust, and Little Italian Pizza.

A list of all 2023 participating restaurants, and photos from the Taste of Hope event on March 2nd can be found by visiting https://dupagepads.org/taste-o...