News Progress

Eligible Moultrie County organizations encouraged to apply by September 8

•August 5, 2015•

The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation, the 501(c)(3) philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Illinois, will begin accepting applications for its annual community grants program on Aug. 3. The community grants program provides funding for programs and organizations that improve the oral health of Illinois children.

The Foundation will award grants up to $10,000 to organizations that provide oral health education and/or access to oral health resources to children within the state. A total of $150,000 in grants will be distributed. Criteria and an online application are available at ddilfoundation.org/grantreq.aspx. Applications must be received by Sept. 8 to be eligible for consideration.

Illinois nonprofit organizations that are classified as exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and public or governmental entities, such as a public schools or health departments, are eligible and encouraged to apply. Read More

•July 29, 2015•

SBL Lincolnland Home Care and Lincolnland Hospice will conduct a free blood pressure clinic from 8:30 to 9 a.m. Thursday, August 20 at the Senior Center in Sullivan. For more information, call Lincolnland Home Care at 1-800-879-3212.  Read More

•July 29, 2015•

In commemoration of Medicare’s 50th anniversary July 30, the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) would like to encourage Illinois seniors and people with disabilities to learn about services provided by the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). This year, marks the 50th anniversary of the enactment of Amendments to the Social Security Act that established the Medicare program.

“The Department on Aging supports SHIP’s role in assisting older adults and individuals with disabilities make informed decisions,” said acting director Jennifer Reif. “There are more than 250 existing local SHIP offices statewide with 1,000 dedicated counselors who are readily available to assist and educate people about Medicare and available insurance options.” Read More

•July 29, 2015•

The State of Illinois budget not being enacted for fiscal year 2016 beginning July 1 has led C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation to make changes in their program delivery system to include reduction of client services, days of service, hours of operation and employment of personnel to provide the needed services to clients.

According to Paul White, CEO, “The current budget uncertainty and impasse at the state level has led C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation to reduce client services effective July 1 and to lay off employees, change days of service and reduce hours of operation in the field offices effective August 3.

White added that, “Due to C.E.F.S. not having state contracts or state funding in place for some of our key human service programs, the agency has had to make decisions that impact the level of service for our clients at our local outreach field offices.”

On July 1, C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation stopped all direct client services in the following grants: the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Emergency Solutions Grant, the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program, the Homeless Prevention Program, and the Emergency and Transitional Housing Program. These unfunded state funded programs will not provide direct client services until the state budget is approved and contracts are issued to C.E.F.S. The client impact has been no direct services to 2,115 low-income individuals which represents 955 vulnerable households not receiving needed assistance.  Read More

•July 22, 2015•

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that Illinois’ unemployment rate in June declined to 5.9 percent and nonfarm payroll employment shed -7,500 jobs, based on preliminary data released by the Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The state’s unemployment rate is higher than the national unemployment rate reported for June, which fell from the prior month to 5.3 percent.
On a county level, the most current unemployment data is for May, during which Moultrie recorded a rate of 3.8 percent, up two-tenths a percent from April, but down 1.5 percent from a year ago. June’s data is expected to be released Thursday, July 23.
The BLS revised May data, which showed a smaller increase in Illinois’ job gain from a preliminary +9,200 to +7,400. Read More