Ellman invites community to write to residents of veterans’ homes

NAPERVILLE – In recognition of sacrifices made by brave Illinoisans who have served our country, State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) is inviting people to write friendly and encouraging letters to residents of veterans’ homes ahead of Veterans Day.

“Our veterans have made sacrifices for our community and our nation that we will never be able to repay,” Ellman said. “However, by taking the time to reach out with kind messages and words of encouragement, we can make them feel recognized and appreciated.”

Operation Rising Spirit is an initiative of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs that encourages communities to write letters to residents in the care of veterans’ homes in Illinois. At a time when isolation is at a record high, the letters are meant to extend friendly affirmation for the bravery and courage of veterans both throughout their service and the pandemic.

“Even just a short, personal message can go a long way toward combatting the loneliness and isolation felt by residents in veterans’ homes across our state,” Ellman said. “This is a great opportunity to tell our veterans, ‘we remember you, we appreciate you, and we are thankful for your service.’”

The campaign will focus on veterans’ homes in Illinois, located in Anna, Chicago, LaSalle, Manteno, and Quincy. To send a message to a veteran or a veteran home, visit Send-a-note. For people wanting to send physical letters, locations for each of the veterans’ homes can be found here.

Ellman, Yang Rohr host Mobile Museum of Tolerance in Naperville

NAPERVILLE – Residents will have the opportunity to tour the Mobile Museum of Tolerance when it makes a stop in Naperville at the beginning of November.

State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) and State Representative Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville) have teamed up to host the museum Nov. 1 - 3 at the 95^th Street Library, located at 3015 Cedar Glade Drive in Naperville. The museum will be open to the public noon to 6 p.m. all three days.

“The Mobile Museum of Tolerance is a fantastic resource, and I’m thrilled to host it in our community,” Ellman said. “The lesson of how important it is to stand up to hate and protect our fellow humans is timeless, and the MMOT has been tireless in its effort to bring that lesson to communities across the state.”

The MMOT is an educational initiative through the Simon Wiesenthal Center, named for Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal. Wiesenthal dedicated his life to the promotion of Holocaust memory and education.

The first of its kind in the United States, the MMOT brings world-class learning experiences to communities across Illinois. Its purpose is to empower people of all ages and backgrounds to promote human dignity and to stand up against antisemitism, bullying, racism, hate and intolerance.

"The Mobile Museum of Tolerance is a safe space for us to speak to students, educators and communities about tolerance and our responsibility to stand up against hate,” said Alison Pure-Slovin, Midwest region director for the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “The hope is that those who experience our workshops can leave with an understanding of how they can take small steps in their everyday interactions to make the world a better place.”

Residents with questions are encouraged to reach out to Ellman’s office at 630-601-9961 or SenatorLauraEllman.com. More information about the Mobile Museum of Tolerance can be found on its website.

Upcoming grant opportunities for local governments and other organizations

 State Grants

CLOSING SOON! Job Training and Economic Development Program

What:  JTED provides an opportunity to provide innovative, employer-driven training approaches that pair education and occupational training with work-based learning to support regional and local economic development for businesses and individuals most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Through the JTED program, DCEO will connect the unemployed, underemployed, and underrepresented with employers in need of a skilled workforce or upskill existing workers by providing funding for accessible equity-driven services to those in disadvantaged communities. Applicants may choose to apply for funding that will support one or more of the following four categories:

(1) Jobseekers and those needing occupational training,

(2) Employers seeking to upskill their workforce,

(3) Youth-focused career development and work-based learning, and

(4) Increasing stability and retention utilizing a Barrier Reduction Fund for emergency basic needs.

Target industries include but are not limited to manufacturing, healthcare, arts and entertainment, waste management, retail, IT and TDL. Priority will be given to small and medium-sized minority-owned companies. All applicants will need to show how their program will provide services to target populations, including under-represented and low-income individuals in Qualified Census Tracts and Disproportionately Impacted Areas.

Potential Applicants: Employers, non-profits, federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) administrative entities, and public or private educational institutions that have demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in administering workforce development programs. Local governments that are not WIOA administrative entities are not eligible to apply.

How Much: $20 million total: minimum grant size of $500,000 and maximum grant being $750,000.

Deadline: Oct. 29, 2021 at 5pm

Apply

 

Rebuild Downtowns & Main Streets Capital Grant

What: The Rebuild Downtowns & Main Streets Capital Grant Program will provide grants to support improvements and encourage investment in commercial corridors and downtowns that have experienced disinvestment, particularly in communities hardest-hit by the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis. Projects must be located in a commercial corridor or downtown area with multiple public-facing commercial establishments. Eligible projects include but are not limited to roads, parking, and sidewalks; transit, pedestrian, or bicycle infrastructure; broadband infrastructure; water/sewer infrastructure; public spaces, such as parks and plazas; structures in disrepair; and mixed-use or transit-oriented development.

Potential Applicants: Units of local government (no match required). Not-for-profit and for-profit organizations are eligible but must include 50% match. Priority will be given to projects in DIAs, Opportunity Zones, and Qualified Census Tracts.

How Much: $50 million total: minimum grant size of $250,000 and maximum grant being $3 million.

Deadline: Jan. 10, 2022

Apply

 

Tourism Attractions and Festivals Grant Program

What: The Tourism Attraction and Festivals Grant program will help develop new or enhance existing tourism attractions located across the state – including but not limited to museums, businesses, events, performances, and festivals. The funds may be utilized for capital projects, equipment, training, transportation, housing, receptions, entertainment, photography, temporary housing, and interpretive programs.  The goal of the program is to attract additional visitors and overnight stays that will bring foot traffic back in communities across Illinois. 

Potential Applicants: Units of local government, municipalities, counties, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations, or local promotions groups. 

How Much: $10 million total: minimum grant size of $10,000 and maximum grant being $1 million. Match required.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted with awards made quarterly. DCEO will have the ability to fund applications most closely aligned to eligibility criteria approved for immediate funding.

Apply

 

Federal Grants

More can be found on DCEO’s website.

ARPA Economic Adjustment Assistance

What: Federal Economic Development Administration’s most flexible program, and grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs. This includes construction activities such as water and sewer system improvements, industrial parks, high-tech shipping and logistics facilities, business incubators and accelerators, brownfield redevelopment, technology-based facilities, wet labs, multi-tenant manufacturing facilities, science and research parks, workforce training facilities, and telecommunications infrastructure (e.g., broadband) and development facilities. This also includes non-construction activities such as design and engineering, technical assistance, economic recovery strategy development, and capitalization of revolving loan funds.

Potential Applicants: Local governments, institutions of higher ed, non-profits in cooperation with local governments. District Organizations of an EDA-designated Economic Development District are also eligible.

How Much: Estimated 300 projects that cost between $500k and $5m. $500 million is available in total. EDA will allocate at least $200 million to support coal communities.

Deadline: Rolling. Suggested submission date is March 31, 2022.

Apply

 

EDA Good Jobs Challenge

What: EDA’s American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge aims to get Americans back to work by building and strengthening systems and partnerships that bring together employers who have hiring needs with other key entities to train workers with in-demand skills that lead to good-paying jobs. EDA encourages efforts to reach historically underserved populations and areas, communities of color, women, and other groups facing labor market barriers such as persons with disabilities, disconnected youth, individuals in recovery, individuals with past criminal records, including justice impacted and reentry participants, individuals participating in government assistance programs, and veterans and military spouses. The EDA will fund system development, program design and program implementation.

Potential Applicants: EDA Economic Development Districts, local governments, institutions of higher education, non-profits (including labor unions) acting in cooperation with local governments. The system or partnership should be led by a System Lead Entity or Backbone Organization, respectively, serving as an intermediary that has convening power in the region and the capacity to coordinate all necessary stakeholders.

How Much: $1,000,000 - $25,000,000

Deadline: Jan. 26, 2022

Apply

Ellman hosts Be the Match donor drive, urges residents to participate

NAPERVILLE – In conjunction with State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) and Wheatland Township, State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) is hosting a “Be the Match” donor drive.

Be the Match is a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding stem cell and bone marrow matches for people in need of a transplant. For patients diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases, a bone marrow or stem cell transplant may be their best or only hope for a cure. However, 70% of patients who need a transplant to do not have a fully matched donor in their family. They depend on organizations like Be the Match to be matched with someone who can provide a lifesaving donation.

“There are so many people across the state and even right here in our community that are waiting for a bone marrow or stem cell match,” Ellman said. “You might be the match that someone has been waiting for—your participation has the power to save lives.”

The donor drive will be held on Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Wheatland Township Offices, 4232 Tower Court in Naperville. Community members between the ages of 18 and 40 are invited to participate and join the registry of lifesaving donors.

People wanting to join the registry simply undergo a cheek swab, which is then sent to Be the Match to be processed and potentially matched with people in need of a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant. According to Be the Match, there is a one in 430 chance that any given donor will be called to donate, and nearly 75% of donations are as easy as giving blood. Joining the registry is commitment free, as donors are able to opt out at any point during the process.

"Joining the bone marrow donor registry is easy - just a swab of your cheek - but so important,” said Michael Crowner, Wheatland Township Supervisor. “A match could actually save a life."

Community members who are unable to attend the drive in person are encouraged to order a swab kit through Be the Match’s website, or by texting “WheatlandCares” to 61474.