Illinois Joining Forces Celebrates Memorial Day by Administering Wellness Checks on Illinois Veterans

[May 23, 2020]   Illinois Joining Forces (IJF), announced today that in celebration of the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, the IJF Care Coordination Center services will remain uninterrupted and open during the stay at home order as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The IJF Care Coordination Center provides high-touch, holistic resources navigation for service members, veterans and their families.

“In this time of uncertainty, the Illinois Joining Forces stands ready to assist Illinois Veterans and their families. The Illinois Joining Forces Care Coordination Center connects Service Members, Veterans, and their Families to local organizations that can assist with housing, healthcare, employment, and other services.

The I-J-F Care Coordination Center can be reached by calling 8-3-3-INFO-IJF or online at W-W-W-dot-Illinois-Joining-Forces-dot-Org. I-J-F Coordinators are military Veterans with firsthand experience navigating the many community resources and benefits available to Veterans and their families. The I-J-F Care Coordination Center at 8 3 3 INFO-I-J-F is operated by The Chicago Lighthouse and supported financially by grants from The Boeing Company and The McCormick Foundation. Call 8 3 3 INFO I-J-F or visit W-W-W-dot-Illinois-Joining-Forces-dot-Org today.”

To Call In, dial: 833-INFO IJF (833-463-6453)

The IJF Care Coordination Center is open from Monday through Friday from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. CST. Our community-building initiatives are focused on building strong and lasting partnerships for much needed peer-to-peer support communities.

Former Director of the IDVA, and current Executive Director of IJF, Brigadier General Ret. Stephen K. Curda, PH.D., weighed in: “This pandemic has left many of our 650,000 of Service members, veterans and their families in Illinois in an all too familiar position of having to navigate the overwhelming avenues and options in search of the assistance they need.”

He continued, “The IJF team took action on the onset of this unprecedented stay-at-home order and doubled down on our commitment to equip individuals with tools to navigate areas such as education, employment, financial assistance, healthcare, and housing. Among our highest priorities is the need to ensure the continuous support of their members through the Call Center and Chicago LightHouse. IJF stands ready to serve the Illinois military and veteran community —and their families.”

[Text from file received from ]