Stadelman secures $250,000 toward Boys and Girls Club renovation
State Senator Steve Stadelman joined schoolchildren and financial donors for a ribbon-cutting this week to celebrate the completion of a $2.2 million renovation of the Rockford Boys and Girls Club on Kilburn Avenue.
"We have many strengths as a community, many assets. But we have challenges, too, and the Boys and Girls Club has been a big part of solution to those problems," said Stadelman, who secured $250,000 in state funding for the project, "Projects like this reflect our commitment to youth by providing them with a safe and comfortable place to learn, play, and build skills and relationships they need to succeed.and that important work deserves to occur in a comfortable, cheerful location."
Among the improvements to the former St. Paul Lutheran School, built in the 1958, are a new high-efficiency heating and cooling system, new flooring and classroom furntiure and fresh paint. As part of the celebration, the facility was renamed the Stentrom Unit in recognition of a lead gift from Bobby and Melissa Stenstrom, the largest in the club's history. The nonprofit Boys and Girls Club operates four other units and two school programs that collectively serve 3.500 youth.
Senator Stadelman with Bobby Stenstrom (above left) and Boys and Girls Club CEO Chip Stoner (above right).
Applications now open for new form of pandemic relief
Applications for Back to Business grants through Illinois' new NewBiz program opened Thursday for small businesses that were too new to qualify for previous COVID relief funding.
“The pandemic posed challenges for many businesses that were well established, but business that were just getting of the ground when the pandemic hit were among some of the most heavily stressed," State Senator Steve Stadelman said. "With this new NewBiz program, Illinois is finally giving these most courageous small business owners a chance to receive the help they deserve."
Businesses that launched in 2020 or 2021 and remain in operation have previously not been eligible for other federal or state relief programming since they had no established revenue base to calculate impact and corresponding grant awards. To qualify for the NewBiz grants, businesses must have opened between Jan. 2020 and Dec. 2021 in a "priority industry" that was more significantly impacted or be a business that was started by an individual or individuals who became unemployed during the pandemic.
Applications will be open through Jan. 11, 2024, with all eligible applicants expected to receive a grant.For more information or to apply for the new B2B grants, click on the link below:
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Steve Stadelman is in Belvidere, IL
3 days ago
State Representative Dave Vella and I hosted Maria Arana from the Illinois Attorney General's Office to conduct a "Scams & Security" Workshop for the residents of Sheffield Meadows Apartments in Belvidere this afternoon. Maria offered tips for seniors to protect themselves from fraud including how to recognize signs of phone, text email and postal scams.
a new high-efficiency heating and cooling system, new flooring and classroom furntiure and fresh paint.
. in te 1950s as St. Paul Lutheran School, the renovation as St. donors and school children Legislation passed during the recent fall veto session will require the agency responsible for issuing professional licenses in Illinois to modernize its system to avoid historic delays in recent years as soon as the governor signs the bill, which is expected.
State Senator Steve Stadelman said the delays most notably impacted health care as doctors and nurses waiting up to a year for their applications to be processed. But teachers, attorneys, building contractors and barbers also were caught up in the backlog, "harming their ability to provide for their families and negatively affecting the many people these professionals serve across Illinois."