The Illinois Department of
Veterans' Affairs announces Third Quarter 2023 Veterans' Grant
recipients
CIVC awarded $100K for Veteran Tiny Homes
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[June 25, 2023]
The
Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) announced the third
quarter FY23 Veterans' Cash Grant Recipients awarded to
organizations that provide vital services to veterans including job
training and employment, housing assistance, post-traumatic stress
treatments, behavioral health programs, and legal aid. The grant is
funded by the Winter Winnings Illinois Lottery ticket. The awardees
are:
• Central Illinois Veterans Commission was awarded $100,000 to
fund supplies and materials for building and furnishing homes for
homeless Veterans and their families. Two homes will be built by
volunteer Veterans.
• Rolling Thunder, Chapter 1 Veterans Assistance Committee was
awarded $20,000 to assist at risk for homelessness Veterans with
funding for housing and utilities. This grant will serve 180
Veterans statewide.
• Chicago Lighthouse was awarded $74,996 to fund Veterans
participation in the Veterans Employment Empowerment Project which
provides job skills training. Veterans work closely with staff to
learn important aspects of job readiness (computer skills, resume
writing, and interviewing techniques). Once Veterans are placed in
jobs, staff work with supervisors to ensure that they're succeeding
in their positions. The grant will serve 85 veterans in Chicago and
Northwestern Illinois.
• Merging Vets and Players was awarded $75,839 for
services for Veterans with Behavioral Health concerns. The grant
will support 48 in-person core programming sessions and community
engagement activities (Beyond the Huddle.) Also included is funding
for physical activity trainers, gym space, and MVP member gear. The
grant will serve 50 veterans in the Chicago area.
• Freedom Paws Service Foundation was awarded $59,562 to assist
Veterans diagnosed with PTSD by utilizing psychiatric service dogs,
particularly Labrador Retrievers. Freedom Paws will train and
utilize service dogs providing support and assistance to 50 Veterans
from the Peoria, Chillicothe, and Central Illinois Region.
• Brushwood Center @ Ryerson Woods was awarded $59,000 for its
program At Ease: Art and Nature for Veterans. The program is an
innovative approach to managing PTSD by connecting Veterans to
nature and the arts. The funding will expand the impact of At Ease
by providing 70 workshops for more than 340 Veterans in the Lake and
Cook County regions.
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• Legal Aid Chicago was awarded
$100,000 to support its Veterans' Rights Project, which provides
Veterans assistance in obtaining earned benefits and legal
assistance in securing financial and housing stability. The
grant will serve 150 Veterans in Chicago and surrounding suburbs
of Cook County.
“We are pleased to support these programs which provide critical
services to Illinois’ Veterans,” said IDVA Director Terry
Prince. “The quality of applications we received reflect the
dedication and innovation of Veteran Service Providers across
Illinois. By supporting one another, we continue to elevate how
we serve Illinois Veterans. We encourage those with quality
programs in need of financial support to apply for Veterans Cash
Grants.”
“We could not be more proud of the work we’ve done to
help support our veterans through the sale of Winter Winnings,” said
Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “It is great to see the
breadth of programs that will benefit from this funding.”
The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs awards these funds in
the form of Veterans’ Cash Grants. On a quarterly basis, IDVA's
Veterans’ Cash Grant Authorization Committee reviews applications
and awards grants to groups that have demonstrated proven need.
Eligibility is open to government agencies, not-for-profits,
veterans’ organizations, and tax-exempt entities currently providing
veterans’ assistance or wishing to expand to veterans’ assistance.
Winter Winnings is the first lottery game in the United States to
designate 100 percent of net proceeds to veterans. Launched in 2006,
more than $20 million in grants have been awarded to approximately
400 veterans' organizations statewide. The Winter Winnings $2
lottery tickets launches in November and grant applications are
accepted throughout the year.
Vets Cash is only accepting on-line applications in Amplifund’s new
grants management system! You can apply directly here. Click to
watch training video How to Apply - VA Lottery Program (wistia.com)
Grantees may apply through June 30, 2023, for a grant start date of
October 1st, 2023, and ending September 30th, 2024.
For more information on Veterans’ Cash Grants, visit:
https://veterans.illinois.gov/
programs/veterans-cash.html
For more information on the Illinois Lottery, visit:
www.illinoislottery.com
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |