Illinois Poverty News Weekly

From November 2nd to November 9th

Community Crisis - The Chicago Tribune, 11/2/09

State Income Taxes Pushing Many Working-Poor Families Deeper Into Poverty - Reuters, 11/4/09

Illinois Residence Can Apply For Energy Assistance - The Quad-City Times, 11/4/09

1,500 Suburban Kids to Sleep Outside As a "Wake-Up Call" for Homelessness - Reuters, 11/5/09

Englewood Shelter Struggles to Survive Without Funding - Medill Reports Chicago, 11/5/09

For CHA "Transformation" Success Still Elusive - Chicago Gazette, 11/6/09

Budget Crisis Creeps Into Schools - Progress Illinois, 11/6/09

Program Gives Teens More Than Shelter - Chicago Tribune, 11/8/09

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Illinois Poverty News Weekly

From October 26th to November 2nd

Supplies Tight at Local Food Pantries - The State Journal-Register, 10/26/09

Unemployment May Be the Political Story of 2010 - The Wall Street Journal, 10/26/09

State Budget Crisis Nowhere Near Over - The Times-Herald, 10/27/09

Health Care Round Up - Progress Illinois, 10/27/09

5000 Protest Bank Power, Abuses, as Showdown Escalates - Working In These Times, 10/27/09

Teachers Cite Poverty, Not Violence As the Key Issue In Schools - Medill Reports, 10/27/09

City to Spend Extra $1.4 Million on Homeless in New Daley Budget - Chicago Tribune, 10/28/09

UN Investigates Whether Chicago Housing Violates Human Rights - Medill Reports, 10/28/09

Homeless Citizens: Champaign Lacks Needed Resources - The Daily Illini, 10/29/09

Homeless Students: Increasingly, Families Taking Shelter Anywhere They Can - Chicago Tribune, 10/29/09

Homeless Students: We Have Everything We Need - The Chicago Tribune, 10/29/09

New State Law Goes Into Effect to Protect Renters by Foreclosure - E-News Park Forest, 10/29/09

Illinois School Test Scores: Income-based Gap Proves Hard to Close - The Chicago Tribune, 10/30/09

Aid System Frustrates Refugees - The Chicago Tribune, 10/31/09

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Illinois' Poverty Commission is Up and Running - Details from the First Meeting

Close to 40 individuals from across Illinois gathered yesterday in Springfield to launch the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty. As we have written about before, the Commission was established by law in 2008, and is now finally beginning its work. Members of the commission from as far south as Cairo and as far north as Zion came to Springfield to begin the difficult, but critical task of crafting a Poverty Elimination Strategy for Illinois that will cut extreme poverty in half by 2015.

The meeting focused laying out the task before the body and on organizing the work of the Commission moving forward. The Social IMPACT Research Center of Heartland Alliance's Director, Amy Rynell, presented a detailed look at who is experiencing extreme poverty in Illinois. This information, and more like it as the commission moves forward, will drive the recommendations.

In addition to a look a the data, the Commission held a conversation around how they will employ international human rights standards in their work. As you may recall, the Commission's statute dictates that all the work of the commission must be consistent with international human rights standards. The Commission's co-chairs, Dr. Toni Irving of the Office of Governor Pat Quinn and Rev. Dr. Sid Mohn of Heartland Alliance, walked the Commission members through some of the guiding principles - progressive realization, engagement of impacted populations, affirmation of dignity - that will shape how the Commission does its work.

In addition to these broader conversations, the Commission formed three Working Committees:

Living with Dignity - Solutions for those that are not expected or are not able to work. (Children, Seniors, Individuals with Severe Disabilities)
Committee Chair - Dwight Lucas - East Central Illinois Community Action Agency

Making Work Accessible - Solutions for those detached from the workforce.
Committee Chair - Al Riddley - Illinois Coalition for Community Services

Making Work Pay - Solutions for those engaged in work, but still living in extreme poverty.
Committee Chair - Maria Whelan - Illinois Action for Children

These committees will begin meeting in the coming weeks and will engage commission members and non-commission members alike in their deliberations. In addition, they will a co-chair will be identified for each one.

The Commission is planning on issuing its final Poverty Elimination Strategy in mid-August 2010. Between now and then, there will be a series of Working Committee meetings and public hearings (to begin in 2010). The Commission stressed the importance of engaging the broader public, especially those that are experiencing extreme poverty, in the process.

The From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign will work diligently to make sure that those engaged in the Campaign are involved in all aspects of the process. Those interested in helping strategize on how to ensure that engagement should plan on joining the From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign's next meeting on November 11 at 3 p.m. Contact us for more information on how to join.

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Illinois Poverty News Weekly

From October 20th to October 26th

Layoff Notices for Bus Drivers, other CTA Workers - The Chicago Sun Times, 10/20/09

Chicago Housing Authority and Operation Warm to Give Away 10,000 Coats to Chicago's Public Housing Kids - Chicago Now, 10/21/09

Elgin Salvation Army Closing Due to Slump In Sales - CBS 2 Chicago, 10/21/09

Poll Shows Illinoisans Want Big Budget Cuts But Oppose Trimming in Many Areas - The Journal Gazette Times-Courier, 10/21/09

Voters Want Cut in Budget, Not Services - The Daily Egyptian, 10/21/09

Refugee Teens Make Film About Their Confrontations With Violence in Chicago - The Chicago Tribune, 10/23/09

Cook County Health, Hospitals Issue Layoff Notices - Chicago Sun Times, 10/25/09

Paxton Among 30 DCFS Offices Set to Close - The News-Gazette, 10/25/09

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Illinois Poverty News Weekly

From October 11th to October 18th

Pantry's Supplies Wanes Amid Rising Need - The Naperville Sun, 10/11/09

Job Fair Sponsors Hope to Improve Unemployment Rate - The Northwest Indiana Times, 10/13/09

Grant to Benefit DuPage County Food Pantry - My Suburban Life, 10/13/09

Postal Authorities Discuss Plan for Main Post Office - Chicago Sun Times, 10/13/09

Deputies Protest Planned County Budget Cuts - The State Journal-Register, 10/14/09

State Government Faces $900 Million Budget Shortfall - ABC 7 Chicago, 10/16/09

Foreclosure Rescue Scam Artists Still At Work In Chicago - Medill Chicago Reports, 10/16/09

Illinois Unemployment Rate Rises to 10.5 Percent - The Examiner, 10/17/09

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Illinois' Commission on the Elimination of Poverty Set to Meet on October 28

One of the major accomplishments of the From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign in 2008 was the creation of the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty. As you may recall, this Commission was created to give the state the blueprint it needs to end poverty in a manner consistent with international human rights standards. The initial task of the Commission is to create a substantive, measurable plan that cuts extreme poverty in half by 2015.

Since the bill was signed into law back in the summer of 2008, we have waited. And waited. Appointments needed to be made that did not happen. Making things more complicated, a governor was arrested, a new governor sworn in, and a massive budget crisis (which has not gone way) jumped in front of many other issues.

Through all these roadblocks, the campaign's members have continued to push for the Commission to meet and begin its work. In September, the final appointments to the Commission were made by the leaders in the Senate. Since then, the Campaign has been working closely with the Governor's office to prepare for the Commission's first meeting, October 28 in Springfield.

This first meeting is not small accomplishment. With all the roadblocks mentioned and the fact that dozens, if not hundreds, of commissions and boards established via legislation never get off the ground, the progress on the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty is a sign of both the commitment to this issue of the thousands of individuals and organizations across the state and the importance of the issues the Commission must tackle.

As we have pointed out before, a lot has changed since we launched the Campaign in 2006, but one thing, unfortunately, remains the same. Too many people are experiencing extreme poverty in Illinois. (pdf)

Now is the time for action.

There will be numerous opportunities for people throughout the state to make their voice heard about what is needed to realize the human rights of those experiencing this extreme level of hardship. If you have not endorsed the Campaign, do it now to stay informed, show your commitment to the Campaign's goals, and help hold the Commission accountable.

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An Update On Budget Cut Impacts

This week it will be 3 months since the state of Illinois passed its budget. As the economy worsens, money dwindles and need for social services increases, the impacts of this budget has become more pronounced. Our office, working collaboratively with the Responsible Budget Coalition has been contacting human service agencies to try and accurately gauge the depths of these cuts across the state. The findings have been clear: the enactment of budget cuts have compounded an already dire situation. Budget cuts, combined with delays in payment and increased demand for services have kept human service organizations scrambling just to keep their doors open. Below we provide a small sample of how these three factors plays out at actual agencies and what they implications they may have.

Budget Cuts

Ranges in the size of cuts to each agencies have varied across the state. These cuts have ranged anywhere from $15,000 to over $1.7 million for any given individual agency. For example, The Anna Bixby Women's Center saw a $150,000 reduction in their budget, which constituted approximately 15% of their overall budget. In response to this cut, the Center, which provides social services to survivors of domestic violence, had to lay-off 50% of their entire staff.

Impact INC, which is an independent living center providing services to the disabled lost 15% of their general revenue which amounted to $132,110. As a result of this cut the center had to layoff two specialists and one program coordinator, causing over 200 disabled citizens to lose services - services that were key in helping them live self-sustaining, dignified lives. Sadly this scenario has played out at Independent Living Centers across the state, as 1.6 million dollars were cut from 22 centers.

County Health Departments, which provide low-cost vaccinations, administers WIC program for women and children and conduct health inspections of restaurants also saw significant state funding shortfalls. For example, The Vermillion County Health Department, facing an $81,000 budget reduction was forced to eliminate its Teen Parenting Program and lay off five of its workers.

Delayed Payments

Equally as damaging to organizations as the aforementioned budget cuts has been the state government's inability to make timely payment for rendered services. The Shawnee Alliance for Seniors, which provides Adult Day Care for the elderly were waiting on $500,000 worth of bills, which the state was 97 days late in paying. The Fellowship House Rehab Center in Anna, which specializes in substance abuse, waited over 6 months for the state to pay $1.5 million from services rendered last fiscal year.

Given the already precarious nature of human service fiscal health, many organizations are struggling to keep their doors open waiting for the governments tardy payments. In fact, to make up for these missing funds, some organizations have sought out additional loans or lines of credits. These additional loans and lines of credit come with hefty interest rates and administrative costs. While waiting for the state's payment The Fellowship House Rehab Center in Anna was forced to take out a loan which had a six percent interest rate. In an ironic twist, when the Rehab Center is forced to make interest payments, they will be unable to use money from their state budget but rather will have to find those funds elsewhere.

Increased Demand For Services

Unemployment and poverty rates are on the rise throughout Illinois hitting low-income populations the hardest. With the recession exposing more and more families to the ills of poverty, these families are turning to human service organizations in droves. Bethany Village, which runs a food pantry in Anna, Illinois, saw a 20 percent increased demand for their services. So, while Bethany Village didn't see a reduction in their budget from last fiscal year, retaining current budget levels is in essence a 20% reduction.

The picture gets even bleaker for other agencies. Embarras River Basin Agency which administers homeless prevention programs for the low-income and the elderly, saw their budget get slashed by $67,000 despite the demand for these reduced services increasing 30% from last year alone.

Still, it is hard to grasp the full impact of how this year's state budget is affecting service rates because of the nature of these programs. Agencies have responded to this budget crisis by reducing services, increasing furlough days and reducing hours of operations. Hence, it is impossible to fully gauge how many clients are seeking services because these agencies may never even see these people.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The agencies and organizations mentioned here are only a fraction what is happening all over Illinois. The combination of budget cuts, delayed payments and increased demand for services has created an economic climate that human service organizations in Illinois cannot expect to sustain. Social service agencies may be able to survive day-to-day for the remainder of this fiscal year, but what will happen come next fiscal year? With the absence of American Recovery and Reinvestment funds to fill budget holes this problem could prove to be fatal to organizations that dedicate themselves to helping the the vulnerable in the state of Illinois. How will this impact our communities, our families? Is this really our vision for what our state should look like?

If it is not, than do your part to support the effort of the Responsible Budget Coalition in insuring that the Illinois General Assembly does what it is morally obligated to do: pass a responsible budget that increases revenue sources so as to offset these budget cuts. A rally is being held at the State Capital in Springfield this Thursday at 12:00 pm to stop these cuts that hurt Illinois families.

Dean Baker nicely sums up the important role that rallies, such as the one this Thursday, can play in affecting public policy:

The elites hate to acknowledge it, but when large numbers of ordinary people are moved to action, it changes the narrow political world where the elites call the shots. Inside accounts reveal the extent to which Johnson and Nixon's conduct of the Vietnam War was constrained by the huge anti-war movement. It was the civil rights movement, not compelling arguments, that convinced members of Congress to end legal racial discrimination. More recently, the townhall meetings, dominated by people opposed to health care reform, have been a serious roadblock for those pushing reform.

Now is the time to come together and stand in solidarity for a budget that does not cut services to men, women, and children precisely at the time they are needed most. Much damage has already been done as a result of these budget cuts, but together, with your help, we can avert further damage by passing a responsible budget that allows us all to do better.

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Illinois Poverty News Weekly

From October 5th to October 12th

Spotlight: Any health reform must address disparities in care to poor, minorities - The Peoria Journal-Star, 10/5/09

Primary Care Shortage Worsens and an Illinois Clinic Experiments With a Program To Train More Nurses - Kaiser Health News, 10/5/09

Lunch Waivers on the Rise in Schools Across Illinois - Chicago Tribune, 10/5/09

Rally Cap: Chicago Family Saved From Eviction - Progress Illinois, 10/5/09

Anti-poverty Advocate Calls For End of Hunger - The Argus Leader, 10/6/09

Champaign County Gets $9 Million Grant to Help Kids - The News Gazette, 10/6/09

A Closer Look At the Responsible Budget Coalition - Galesburg Register-Mail, 10/6/09

Social Service Agencies Say Budget Problems Haven't Been Fixed - The State Journal-Register, 10/7/09

Participants Experience The Lows of Poverty - My Web Times, 10/9/09

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