American Rescue Plan Act
|
Following on the heels of the federal CARES Act, the American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress earlier this year, will provide $134 million to Will County to address economic and social distresses created and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We believe that local government is uniquely positioned to allocate aid to our community: we live here, we work here, we know our community. As such, we are grateful to our Congressional delegation for making sure this aid package is directed by local governments. The Will County Board is still in the process of shaping our allocation framework and process. We intend to make sure this aid gets to where it is needed most and to use this money to invest in our community in ways that will provide long-term benefits. Our projects will likely include giving additional grants to local small businesses and non-profits which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic; increasing economic development and opportunity in communities hardest hit by the pandemic; improving our infrastructure, with a special emphasis on disproportionately affected communities; and shoring up our social service networks to make sure Will County residents are ready and able to contribute to their communities. If you know of a local organization or project which is in need of support, please reach out to me personally at countyboard@willcountyillinois.com. While it's likely we will not be able to fund every project we want to, we also want to make sure we are hearing from our residents about where they see the greatest need. Thank you for your assistance. Best, Mimi Cowan Speaker of the Will County Board |
Dr. Mimi Cowan, Chair
Executive Committee |