Chicago students learn compassion, service at homeless shelter

Published: 2005-01-24

CHICAGO (CNS) -- Angela Rizzo, who grew up in Chicago, is used to seeing homeless people. But the 21-year-old, a junior at St. Mary's College in South Bend, Ind., never saw the extent of the problem until she took the Urban Plunge in Chicago organized by the University of Notre Dame, which is also in South Bend. She spent three days volunteering at a senior center and transitional shelter in the Chicago suburb of Waukegan. "I never realized there were so many kids," said Rizzo, taking a break from preparing dinner Jan. 4 at the shelter, which is called PADS Center. PADS stands for Public Action to Deliver Shelter. At the center, Rizzo and other students from St. Mary's and Notre Dame joined students from Waukegan High School and St. Martin de Porres Catholic High School, also in Waukegan. The volunteers spent time playing with young shelter residents and hosting a post-Christmas party as well as cooking dinner for the residents and serving it to them.

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