Illinois e-News Release

Maureen S. Hartigan

312-814-7260 - Office

773-590-9848 - Cell

Springfield, IL - The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) announced the third quarter FY23 Veterans' Cash Grant Recipients awarded to organizations that provide vital services to veterans including job training and employment, housing assistance, post-traumatic stress treatments, behavioral health programs, and legal aid. The grant is funded by the Winter Winnings Illinois Lottery ticket. The awardees are:

• Central Illinois Veterans Commission was awarded $100,000 to fund supplies and materials for building and furnishing homes for homeless Veterans and their families. Two homes will be built by volunteer Veterans.

• Rolling Thunder, Chapter 1 Veterans Assistance Committee was awarded $20,000 to assist at risk for homelessness Veterans with funding for housing and utilities. This grant will serve 180 Veterans statewide.

• Chicago Lighthouse was awarded $74,996 to fund Veterans participation in the Veterans Employment Empowerment Project which provides job skills training. Veterans work closely with staff to learn important aspects of job readiness (computer skills, resume writing, and interviewing techniques). Once Veterans are placed in jobs, staff work with supervisors to ensure that they're succeeding in their positions. The grant will serve 85 veterans in Chicago and Northwestern Illinois.

• Merging Vets and Players was awarded $75,839 for services for Veterans with Behavioral Health concerns. The grant will support 48 in-person core programming sessions and community engagement activities (Beyond the Huddle.) Also included is funding for physical activity trainers, gym space, and MVP member gear. The grant will serve 50 veterans in the Chicago area.

• Freedom Paws Service Foundation was awarded $59,562 to assist Veterans diagnosed with PTSD by utilizing psychiatric service dogs, particularly Labrador Retrievers. Freedom Paws will train and utilize service dogs providing support and assistance to 50 Veterans from the Peoria, Chillicothe, and Central Illinois Region.

• Brushwood Center @ Ryerson Woods was awarded $59,000 for its program At Ease: Art and Nature for Veterans. The program is an innovative approach to managing PTSD by connecting Veterans to nature and the arts. The funding will expand the impact of At Ease by providing 70 workshops for more than 340 Veterans in the Lake and Cook County regions.

• Legal Aid Chicago was awarded $100,000 to support its Veterans' Rights Project, which provides Veterans assistance in obtaining earned benefits and legal assistance in securing financial and housing stability. The grant will serve 150 Veterans in Chicago and surrounding suburbs of Cook County.

“We are pleased to support these programs which provide critical services to Illinois’ Veterans,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “The quality of applications we received reflect the dedication and innovation of Veteran Service Providers across Illinois. By supporting one another, we continue to elevate how we serve Illinois Veterans. We encourage those with quality programs in need of financial support to apply for Veterans Cash Grants.”

“We could not be more proud of the work we’ve done to help support our veterans through the sale of Winter Winnings,” said Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “It is great to see the breadth of programs that will benefit from this funding.”

The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs awards these funds in the form of Veterans’ Cash Grants. On a quarterly basis, IDVA's Veterans’ Cash Grant Authorization Committee reviews applications and awards grants to groups that have demonstrated proven need. Eligibility is open to government agencies, not-for-profits, veterans’ organizations, and tax-exempt entities currently providing veterans’ assistance or wishing to expand to veterans’ assistance.

Winter Winnings is the first lottery game in the United States to designate 100 percent of net proceeds to veterans. Launched in 2006, more than $20 million in grants have been awarded to approximately 400 veterans' organizations statewide. The Winter Winnings $2 lottery tickets launches in November and grant applications are accepted throughout the year.

Vets Cash is only accepting on-line applications in Amplifund’s new grants management system! You can apply directly here. Click to watch training video How to Apply - VA Lottery Program (wistia.com)

For more information on Veterans’ Cash Grants, visit:

For more information on the Illinois Lottery, visit: www.illinoislottery.com