The 2008 Report on Illinois Poverty showcases how Illinois families are struggling to achieve or maintain economic stability. The report points to negative economic shifts, including stagnating wages and rising costs, which have taken their toll on people across Illinois, hitting persons in poverty the hardest. Statewide, poverty increased in 74 of Illinois’ 102 counties. Nearly 250,000 additional Illinois residents have succumbed to poverty since 1999, a 19% increase.

This report is available to download here. Heartland Alliance is a United Way agency partner.

The Chicago Housing Authority’s former Section 8/Voucher program has been renamed “RentBetter”. Beginning April 17, low and moderate-income families living in Cook County can apply to be placed on a new, lottery-based waiting list in which 40,000 families will be randomly chosen to pay only 30 to 40 percent of their adjusted income in rent.  The deadline for lottery registrations is Thursday, May 15. A computer-generated notification will be mailed to applicants chosen for the waiting list. The list can take anywhere from five months to five years.

To qualify, applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or have legal status, be 18 years or older and meet income requirements. There is no fee for the application, which can also be filed online at Chicago Housing Authority.

Hard copy applications are available at any Chicago Public Library or Chicago Park District, but are not available in the suburbs at this time. Once approval and denial notifications are sent, families can contact RentBetter at (312) 786-3676 with questions.

Our Communities Benefit is Humana’s charitable giving program and Humana invites you to apply for a $100,000 grant through Chicago Benefits 2008 – the Our Communities Benefit flagship program exclusive to Illinois – sponsored by The Humana Foundation.

Now in its sixth year, Chicago Benefits supports nonprofit organizations that serve the Chicagoland-area and are focused on improving health experiences or building healthy communities in the areas of mind, body or spirit. Nonprofit organizations in the following counties are eligible to apply:

• Cook
• DuPage
• Kane
• Lake
• Kankakee
• McHenry

Since 2003, Humana has been awarding the $100,000 signature grant to organizations such as Working In The Schools, Archeworks, Access Community Health Network, Tax Assistance Program, and Reading In Motion.  To apply for the one-time $100,000 signature grant, go to ChicagoBenefits.com to review the applicant criteria and download an application with instructions. The application deadline is May 20, 2008. A panel of community leader judges will select finalists in June, and we’ll have an award celebration in August.

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