Grants designed to improve and strengthen Illinois communities

Press Release from the Illinois Department of Public Health

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Serve Illinois Commission (Serve Illinois) today announced that funding is available for agencies interested in administering AmeriCorps programs in the state.  AmeriCorps members serve their communities by improving education and health care, protecting public safety, safeguarding the environment, providing disaster relief, and promoting civic engagement.

“Each year, AmeriCorps members dedicate a year of their lives to get things done in their communities,” said Scott McFarland, Executive Director of the Serve Illinois Commission. “Members work with disadvantaged youth, veterans and their families, people with disabilities, the homeless, and many other individuals who need a helping hand to succeed.”

Serve Illinois administers the AmeriCorps state programs in Illinois and is charged with enhancing and supporting community volunteerism.  Serve Illinois is funded by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and currently supports 39 AmeriCorps programs throughout the state.

AmeriCorps members receive student loan deferment and training.  Full-time members are also eligible to receive a modest living allowance and health insurance.  Members who successfully complete their service receive an educational award to help pay for college, graduate school, vocational training, or to pay off student loans.  If the member is 55 or over, they may transfer the education award to a child, grandchild, or foster child.

Serve Illinois will host mandatory webinars in September and October.  Webinar details and information about the application process are available at www.Serve.Illinois.gov.  Applications are due by December 1, 2017.  Funded programs will begin their work in July or August of 2018.

About Serve Illinois
The Serve Illinois Commission is a 40 member (25 voting and 15 non-voting), bi-partisan board appointed by the governor and administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health.  Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing volunteerism and instilling an ethic of service throughout the state.  Serve Illinois is accomplishing this mission through the support of local community-based efforts to enhance volunteer opportunities and the administration of Illinois’ AmeriCorps program.  For more information on Serve Illinois, or to find one of more than 2,500 volunteer opportunities in the state, please visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov.

LIHEAP, PIPP applications available for seniors, people with disabilities beginning October 1

Press release from the department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity’s Office of Community Assistance announced today that the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will begin accepting applications for winter heating assistance for seniors and people with disabilities beginning October 1, 2017.

LIHEAP is a state and federally funded energy assistance program for low-income families, in which heating bill payments are made on behalf of households. Applications are processed through a network of 35 local administering agencies around the state. These agencies will begin accepting applications on a first-come, first-served basis from the elderly and people with disabilities starting on October 1, 2017.

Customers must bring all required documentation when applying for assistance including:

Proof of gross income from all household members for the 30-day income period beginning with the date of the application.
A copy of their current heat and electric bills issued within the last 30 days (if they pay for their energy directly).
A copy of their rental agreement (if they are renting) showing that utilities are included, the monthly rental amount and landlord contact information.
Proof of Social Security numbers for all household members.
Proof that their household received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled (AABD); or other benefits, such as Medical Eligibility or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), if receiving assistance from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

A single-person household can qualify with a monthly income of up to $1,508; a two-person household up to $2,030; a family of three can earn up to $2,553; and a family of four can earn up to $3,075. Benefits are paid directly to energy vendors on behalf of eligible households. The exception is households whose heating costs are included in their rent. These households must provide proof that their rent is more than 30% of their income in order to qualify for LIHEAP benefits.

Disconnected households and families with children ages 5 or under (includes all children who are not yet 6 years old, that is, up to 5 years and 364 days old) can begin applying for LIHEAP assistance beginning November 1, 2017. Individuals not eligible for priority enrollment can apply beginning December 1, 2017.   LIHEAP applicants will be served on a first-come, first-served basis until May 31, 2018 or until funding is exhausted.

The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) program is a similar bill-payment assistance program and applications will be accepted starting October 1, 2017 for LIHEAP eligible households who are customers of one of the following utilities: Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Nicor Gas, and Peoples Gas/North Shore Gas utilities. Under PIPP, eligible households pay a percentage of their income towards their utility bill, supplemented by a monthly state benefit. Participating households are eligible for a reduction in outstanding bills for every on-time payment they make.  PIPP applicants will be served on a first-come, first-served basis until December 31, 2017 or until funding is exhausted.

For a complete listing of LIHEAP’s local administering agencies and additional information about the program, go to www.liheapIllinois.com.  

 

https://www.ilnews.org/news/statewide/road-deaths-up-in-illinois-down-across-u-s/article_5be6a116-8385-11e7-9a81-dfde586b5f2d.html

(Scott Bertman – Illinois News Network.  Please click on the link above for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.)

Illinois is bucking a national trend by logging an increase in traffic fatalities.

According to the National Safety Council, preliminary estimates show road deaths in the state are up 4 percent in the first six months of the year, despite falling nationwide by about 1 percent.

Ken Kolosh, manager of statistics with the National Safety Council, says Illinois is seeing a large increase in what are called “vulnerable road user” deaths. The group includes pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists.

IDOT, ISP remind motorists to ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’

Press release from the Illinois Department of Transportation

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police joined members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists at the Illinois State Fair today to remind motorists of the importance of driving sober, 20 years after Illinois’ implementation of its 0.08 DUI legislation.

“Illinois’ 0.08 law is a vital part of the effort to end drunk driving on Illinois roads,” said Priscilla Tobias, IDOT’s director of program development. “Alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crash fatalities have declined significantly over the last two decades, but we are nowhere near making drunk driving a thing of the past. It continues to shatter hundreds of lives each year in Illinois, and that is simply unacceptable.”

The law lowering Illinois’ DUI threshold to a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 took effect July 2, 1997, when Illinois became the 15th state to enact such a law. Today, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have a legal limit of 0.08 or lower.

Since the 0.08 law was enacted, alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crash fatalities in Illinois have dropped by about 43 percent. In 1996, the year before the law took effect, 534 people died in crashes involving at least one driver who was at or above the 0.08 level. In 2015, just more than 300 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in Illinois.

George and Marilyn Murphy of Jacksonville lost their 24-year-old daughter, Kellie Murphy Wheatley, to a drunk driver on July 4, 1984. The couple worked vigorously for the passage of Illinois’ 0.08 law and continue to partner with MADD to help others avoid the tragedy their family experienced.

“Illinois’ 0.08 law is one of the greatest lifesaving pieces of legislation to become law,” George Murphy said. “Today, more people decide against getting behind the wheel after drinking, which has prevented countless tragedies.”

As Labor Day approaches, state and local law enforcement will be reminding motorists of the importance to drive sober and ramping up enforcement efforts through a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. Beginning Aug. 21 through Sept. 5, the traveling public can expect to see roadside safety checks throughout the state and increased patrols for impaired drivers and seat belt law offenders, all in an effort to reduce motor vehicle fatalities and injuries.

“This Labor Day is especially noteworthy because of the recent 20th anniversary of the 0.08 law. This law was enacted to reduce DUI-related traffic crashes and has saved many lives, but there is still more work to do,” said Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz. “Driving under the influence continues to be a significant cause of serious injury and fatal traffic crashes. During the upcoming holiday weekend, IDOT, ISP and other law enforcement agencies will work together to remove impaired drivers from Illinois roadways. If you drink and drive, you will be arrested. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

Some steps to avoid a tragic crash or an impaired driving arrest:

• Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys.
• If you are impaired, call a taxi, use a ride-sharing service or mass transit, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
• If you notice a friend or family member is impaired, take their keys and help arrange a safe ride home.
• Promptly report impaired drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement by pulling over and dialing 911.
• Make sure everyone in your vehicle wears their seat belt. It is your best defense in the event of a crash.

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is supported with federal highway safety dollars, administered by IDOT and supported by the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois.

Visit drivesober.illinois.gov for more information.