Ryan: $745,000 in Illinois FIRST Projects for Chicago

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan announced today that he is releasing $745,000 in Illinois FIRST funding for projects in Chicago, including $500,000 to Ounce of Prevention, a nonprofit organization that operates a state-of-the art early childhood Educare Center in Chicago's Grand Boulevard community.

The organization will hire staff and upgrade its management information system to include all four sites that it operates. This will allow for accurate and timely management and data collection.

Other Illinois FIRST grants announced by Ryan:

• $100,000 to the Calumet City Public Library to construct a Technology Training Center. The library is contributing $24,300.
  This Illinois FIRST project was initiated by State Sen. Donne E Trotter, D-Chicago.

• $75,000 to the Illinois Education Project to develop a curriculum for a Parent/Child Initiative.

• $40,000 to the City of Hometown to complete the replacement of the water main along 87th Street.

• $20,000 to the Rebirth of Englewood Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization committed to local community development, to hire a consultant. This project was initiated by State Rep. Daniel J. Burke, D-Chicago.

• $10,000 to the Chicago Public Schools to implement an after-school Access to Technology Program for the Mt. Vernon Elementary School Fine Arts Program.
  This project was initiated by State Rep. Thomas J. Dart, D-Chicago.

Illinois FIRST funds are not part of the state budget's General Revenue Fund. Recently, lagging tax collections brought on by a slowdown in the national economy and the terrorist attacks of September 11 have forced the governor to order spending cuts in the General Revenue Fund that amount to less than 2 percent of total spending. Illinois FIRST monies are derived from separate accounts in the state budget -- the Road Fund and the Fund for Illinois Future -- as well as through the sale of state bonds.