Blagojevich administration unveils new Veterans
Cash lottery ticket, Two for the Dough
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Over $380,000 in Veterans Cash grants awarded to help provide wide
range of services for Illinois veterans
[April
02, 2007]
CHICAGO -- Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Director L.
Tammy Duckworth and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn joined the Illinois Lottery
to unveil the new face of the Veterans Cash lottery ticket, Two for
the Dough, on Friday. The first four Veterans Cash grant recipients
-- Braveheart Therapeutic Riding Center, Catholic Charities' St. Leo
Campus, the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans and the American
Legion -- were also announced at the event. Combined, these four
organizations will be receiving over $380,000 to help provide a wide
range of services to Illinois veterans, including health care,
post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, disability benefits and
housing assistance.
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"As this war continues, Illinois is going to see more and more of
its state's military heroes returning home with an injury, with PTSD
or with trouble transitioning back to civilian life," Duckworth
said. "Our job as citizens is to help our veterans in every way
possible. And buying this lottery ticket does exactly that. Last
year, this ticket raised $3.2 million, and the best part about it is
that all of the money goes directly to veterans organizations and
services that deal with PTSD, homelessness, health insurance costs
or disability benefits. I want to encourage all veterans
organizations, both large and small, to apply for a Veterans Cash
grant so that we can continue to better the services that are
available to our veterans."
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Launched by Gov. Blagojevich, the lieutenant governor and the
Illinois Lottery in February 2006, Veterans Cash is
the lottery's first ticket with 100 percent of the proceeds to
support Illinois veterans. Proceeds from the sale of this ticket are
deposited into the Illinois Veterans Assistance Fund, an
interest-bearing account in the state treasury. The Illinois General
Assembly appropriates this money solely to Department of Veterans'
Affairs, which will award the money in grants, fund additional
services, or conduct research relating to veterans' post-traumatic
stress disorder, homelessness, health insurance costs and disability
benefits.
"All of us on the home front have the duty to take care of our
veterans -- our real heroes -- who have bravely risked their lives
in defense of our democracy," Quinn said. "Purchasing a Veterans
Cash lottery ticket to support the Illinois Veterans' Health
Initiative is a voluntary way for the people of Illinois to help our
veterans."
The Department of Veterans' Affairs has $2 million in Veterans
Cash grants to give out by June of 2007. The first four Veterans
Cash grant recipients, announced Friday at the James R. Thompson
Center, received grants ranging from $55,073 to $125,000 for various
services:
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Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton will receive
$125,000 to continue to expand its transitional living facility for
homeless veterans by providing them with educational programs, job
counseling and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Braveheart Therapeutic Riding Center in Pawnee will receive
$100,000 to create a new program for veterans with spinal cord
injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Catholic Charities' St. Leo Campus for Veterans in Chicago will
receive $55,073 to purchase a new handicapped-accessible van for its
campus, which houses homeless veterans.
To date, Veterans Cash has raised more than $3.2 million for the
Illinois Veterans Assistance Trust Fund. The new ticket, Two for the
Dough, is expected to generate more than $3 million for veterans
services throughout the state.
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"We are humbled by the outpouring of support Veterans Cash
received and are hopeful that the new ticket, Two for the Dough,
will receive the same level of endorsement from Illinois residents
and continue to drive strong returns for our veterans," said Sarah
Cummins, director of marketing for the Illinois Lottery.
Two for the Dough is currently available at all Illinois Lottery
retail locations. Each ticket costs $2 and has a top prize of
$20,000
For more information on Two for the Dough, visit
www.illinoislottery.com. For more information on Illinois programs
and initiatives for veterans or to apply for a Veterans Cash grant,
visit www.state.il.us/agency/dva.
For more information on ways to help our veterans and troops, visit
www.operationhomefront.org.
[Text from Illinois
Department of Veterans' Affairs news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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