ILLINOIS (WAND) - Multiple groups that serve central Illinois are among those receiving a slice of $7.5 million awarded in the final round of Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund grants.
The fund, established by the United Way of Illinois and Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations with collaboration from the governor's office, has handed out a total of $31.15 million to organizations since the start of the pandemic. This fifth and final round had a focus on organizations that primarily - but not exclusively - serve Black and Latinx communities. Funding also went to organizations that are either led by a Black or Latinx leader or in a meaningful partnership with a group led by a Black or Latinx person.
Organizations serving central Illinois which are receiving funding include the Community Health Partnership of Illinois ($1.65 million), the DREAAM Opportunity Center ($400,000), the Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP) ($600,000), and the Springfield Urban League ($1.5 million). See the PDF document attached to this story for information about each organization.
Gov. JB Pritzker talked about the impact of the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund when the final round of funding was announced Tuesday.
"Even in the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, need was unfolding beyond a scale modern day government had ever seen – and the best response would be all hands-on deck, private and public efforts alike, to meet it," said Governor JB Pritzker. "The Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund answered the call when our state needed it most and before the federal government had begun to help. To all the Illinoisans who joined in this effort: Penny and the Response Fund team, large corporate donors, family foundations, small businesses who stepped up to help their neighbors and, each other out, every individual who gave what they could spare to help out those in need: on behalf of a grateful state, thank you, thank you, thank you."
“During this terrible crisis, we are so grateful for the generosity of so many across our state who contributed to this important fund to serve those fellow Illinoisans who need help meeting their most basic needs,” said Penny Pritzker, chairman of PSP Partners. “Too many families have been decimated by this terrible pandemic and our fund has used a data driven approach to prioritize and target those communities and populations who have borne the disproportionate and tragic share of impact. It has been a great honor to chair this needed and critical effort and work with such a dedicated team to support more than 1,650 organizations on the front lines of compassion in every corner of Illinois.”
In total, the ICRF has helped over 1,650 organizations across Illinois. This includes groups who directly received funding and those who received regrants from organizations funded by ICRF. ICRF grants have helped over 114,000 families, provided 27,000 nights in emergency shelters and funded over 11,000 health and mental health care visits to date, according to a press release.
