$240,000 in Illinois FIRST Projects for Western Illinois

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan announced today that he is releasing $240,000 in Illinois FIRST funding for projects in Western Illinois, including $100,000 to the Adams County Mental Health & Retardation Association in Quincy to construct a new facility.

The facility will house vocational and life skills training programs for mentally and /or physically handicapped members of the community. The programs provide opportunities for the residents to become as independent and self-sufficient as possible with a focus on job and employment training. The program serves approximately 300 people each year.

This Illinois FIRST project was initiated by State Rep. Art Tenhouse, R-Liberty.

Other Illinois FIRST grants announced by Ryan:

• $100,000 to the Village of Meredosia to help construct a truck bypass east of the village to reduce the amount of truck traffic through town.
  This project was initiated by State Sen. Laura Kent Donahue, R-Quincy.

• $25,000 to the West Point Community Fire Protection District to purchase fire and safety equipment.
  This project was initiated by Tenhouse.

• $15,000 to the Quincy Area Network Against Domestic Violence (QUANDA) to purchase new office equipment.
  This project was initiated by Tenhouse.