Grants
for nurses working at state facilities for veterans
Send a link to a friend
[November 11, 2008]
CHICAGO -- While many
hardworking Illinoisans are facing the challenges of the national
economic crisis, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich is reminding nurses
throughout the state that financial assistance is available to help
them pay off student loans if working at Illinois veterans homes.
Through the Illinois Veterans' Home Nurse Loan Repayment Program,
nurses who provide care for Illinois veterans in the state's
veterans homes are eligible to have as much as $5,000 of their
student loans repaid by the state for up to four years. A total of
$1.22 million in grants is available for nurses this fiscal year.
"The nurses who work hard every day to care for our veterans
should receive the assistance they need to repay their outstanding
student loans," Blagojevich said. "I am encouraging those looking to
pursue a nursing career to utilize the program and come serve the
men and women who were brave and selfless enough to serve this
country."
|
Administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission in
conjunction with the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, the
Illinois Veterans' Home Nurse Loan Repayment Program not only
rewards the state's veterans home nurses for their hard work, but is
also an incentive to attract nurses to pursue and continue their
careers at the state veterans homes.
"As we commemorate Veterans Day tomorrow, we are reminded of the
sacrifices made by all the men and women who wore this nation's
uniform and those caring for them. One way we can pay tribute to the
military heroes residing in our veterans homes is by making sure
that every day, we are providing them with the best care possible,"
said IDVA Director Tammy Duckworth. "We are always recruiting and
hiring qualified nurses to ensure that our veterans are getting the
care they deserve, and the Veterans' Home Nurse Loan Repayment
Program enables us to keep quality nursing professionals on the job
doing what they do best."
The program's annual award can be up to $5,000 and granted up to
four years. The award may be used only to pay the recipient's
educational loan.
To be eligible for the repayment,
the registered professional or licensed practical nurse must:
-
Be a U.S. citizen
or eligible noncitizen and be an Illinois resident.
-
Have an outstanding
balance due on an eligible educational loan (includes Stafford
loans, Graduate PLUS loans, consolidation loans, nursing student
loans, Supplemental Loans for Students, alternative loans, and
other types of government and institutional loans.
-
Be a nurse whose
employment is in good standing with the IDVA.
-
Fulfill a 12-month period as a RPN or
LPN at one of the state's four veterans homes.
[to top of second column] |
While several states offer loan repayment programs for nurses,
Illinois has the only program designed specifically for veterans
home nurses.
"Nursing is a tough profession that takes a special kind of
person: one with commitment, compassion and a big heart," said
Andrew Davis, executive director of the Illinois Student Assistance
Commission. "The Veterans' Home Nurse Loan Repayment Program is an
incentive to bring the best and the brightest nurses to our veterans
homes. We at ISAC are honored to administer it."
The first beneficiary of the loan repayment program was Deborah
Frank, a registered nurse and single mom in Kankakee County who had
worked at the Manteno Veterans Home for 12 years.
"This program really helped me, and I hope it can help other
nurses, too," Frank said, after she paid off $4,500 in student
loans.
The state of Illinois operates four veterans homes, located in
Anna, LaSalle, Manteno and Quincy. Each veterans home is staffed
with caring and dedicated professionals to provide economical and
quality long-term care for veterans and their spouses. The level of
assistance can be domiciliary care, intermediate care or skilled
care.
For more information or to apply for the Veterans' Home Nurse
Loan Repayment Program, visit
collegezone.com. Information can be found in the "Student Zone"
in the "After College" section. The application can be downloaded
from the
"Applications" page. Applications are also available at each of
the four veterans homes.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |