$250,000 grant to help asylum seekers in Urbana-Champaign

URBANA, Ill. (WAND) — Governor JB Pritzker announced just last week that Urbana is one of six communities in the state of Illinois to receive a state grant to assist asylum seekers with necessary services.

Interim Grants Division Manager for the City of Urbana, Breadan Belcher said there's been an increase in migrants in the area.

"We have seen, especially since August of 2022, the increase of migrants and asylum seekers who are being sent up from the southern border. We've been seeing those numbers increase," said Belcher.

Belcher said the goal is to ensure people feel welcomed.

"We want to make sure that as more people are coming into our community who need assistance that we have the resources available to meet them where they're at and to not contribute to some of the existing problems that we already have," stated Belcher.

Champaign-Urbana is the only community in central Illinois to receive funding through this grant opportunity. Participating organizations are The New American Welcome Center at the University Y, The Refugee Center, and Cunningham Township.