ROCKFORD – Thanks to the efforts of Senator Steve Stadelman, Lifescape Community Services Inc. is announcing that they have been awarded a $45,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to purchase a new blast freezer. The new freezer will allow Lifescape, which delivers more than 20,000 meals annually through the Meals on Wheels program, to freeze its own meals instead of having to go through a third party to have them frozen. This will allow the agency to save money and keep seniors living independently in their own homes.

The state also looks to save substantial dollars thanks to the new freezer. On average, Illinois spends $48,000 annually for every person who lives in a nursing facility, as compared to only $12,000 for every person who receives in-home services.

"We are grateful to the state of Illinois, especially Senator Stadelman," said Lifescape Executive Director Carol Green. "The savings we will realize with this blast freezer will allow us to better serve our clients."

The freezer couldn't come at a better time, as Lifescape expects the demand for frozen meals on weekends and holidays to rise by nearly 20,000 this year and state funding becomes scarcer.

"It's becoming more difficult to find state funding for local projects, but keeping our seniors healthy and comfortable in their own homes is important work," Stadelman said. "Lifescape Community Services is a well-respected agency, and I'm confident this grant is a great investment."

Lifescape Community Services is Illinois' top source in Winnebago, Boone, Ogle and Lee counties for providing services to older adults, allowing them to independently remain in their own homes.

ROCKFORD – Mary Klemm walked out of Monday's utility bill clinic with potentially an extra $20 a month in her pocket.

An adviser from the Citizens Utility Board walked Klemm through her options for keeping her land line and finding a better deal. Turns out her current provider charges her a monthly fee to generate a long-distance bill even if she didn't make any calls.

"She gave me information that as a consumer, I didn't know -- and that's going to save me money. I'm old school. I don't want to pay for what I don't use," said Klemm, who is now going to work further with CUB to lower her cell phone costs.

Klemm's success story was one of several coming out of the utility bill clinic sponsored by state Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) and the Citizens Utility Board. Advisers from CUB were on hand offering one-on-one analysis of gas, electric and landline phone bills; information on spotting billing errors; and incentives designed to help people improve energy efficiency.

Alice Stacionis of Rockford said her CUB adviser explained the process for selecting an alternative electricity provider, which she anticipates will lower her bill. How much depends on her choice.

"I've always known CUB was working on our behalf," Stacionis said. "This helped me understand a lot of things I hadn't really been paying attention to."

Senator Stadelman arranged Monday's clinic in an effort to better inform local consumers about their choices and potential savings.

"Whether it's winter or summer, utility bills can add up, especially for people on a fixed income," Stadelman said. "I think many people were pleasantly surprised to learn the amount they could save with a few simple changes."

If you are looking to reduce your utility costs, koin me and experts from the Citizens Utility Board for a Utility Bill Clinic at 11 a.m. August 11 at the Zeke Giorgi Center. See the flyer below for more information.

stadelmanCUB.pdf (click to view; right-click and select "Save Target As.." or "Save Link As..." to download)

Senator expands free 3-on-3 youth basketball tourney outdoors

ROCKFORD – Illinois Senator Steve Stadelman is taking his free 3-on-3 youth basketball tournament outdoors and moving the competition to Labor Day in hopes of beginning its transformation to a large, Gus Macker-style event.

Boys and girls in third through eighth grades will compete on courts at Davis Park, with the first games tipping off immediately after the Labor Day parade, Stadelman announced at a news conference today. The outdoor location and switch from Saturday of Labor Day weekend to the Monday holiday allows Senator Stadelman's HoopStars to grow in its second year; more than 125 players took part in 2013 on indoor courts at Patriot's Gateway Center.

"We're taking HoopStars to the streets in 2014 – not literally, but in the spirit of Gus Macker," said Stadelman, referring to the popular adult 3-on-3 tournament that took place in the streets of downtown Rockford for many years.

"The tournament's goal," he said, "remains the same -- to provide a positive, no-cost activity for our youth, particularly those from low-income families and inner-city neighborhoods. Senator Stadelman's HoopStars is about the love of the game and kids having a ball."

Stadelman said the downtown expansion is made possible by new partnerships with the Rockford Park District and Rockford United Labor, which organizes an annual picnic for union members at Davis Park following the Labor Day parade. Families attending the basketball tournament can enjoy live music and kids' rides at no charge as guests of the labor group. ComEd and Comcast are returning as financial sponsors, and both will operate interactive educational booths during the tournament.

All players will receive free commemorative T-shirts; trophies or medals also will be awarded. Teams of four can register online at: 1) www.senatorstadelmanhoopstars.eventbrite.com; 2) Stadelman's office in the Zeke Giorgi Center, 200 S. Wyman St., Suite 301, Rockford; or 3) participating community centers.