All Week Long
Today, President Preckwinkle joined Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, the Cook County Justice Advisory Council and non-profit leaders to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month and announce nearly $5 million in grants awarded under the Cook County Domestic Violence Intervention and Support Services Initiative.
"Forms of gender-based violence including domestic violence have silently impacted our communities for generations,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are making an important investment in programs and services for survivors and their families. We are committed to supporting and empowering our residents impacted by gender-based violence and increasing access to the services that address the ongoing need in our communities.”
The Domestic Violence Intervention and Support Services Initiative is an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) supported program designed in response to the increased levels of gender-based violence experienced since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant awards range from $132,000 to $1.5 million and are supporting provision of services through September 2025. Additional grant awards under the Domestic Violence Intervention and Support Servies are anticipated, pending availability of funding.
“Domestic violence is an issue that affects all of us – whether you are a direct survivor or not,” said Cook County Commissioner, Alma Anaya. “As a County, it is critical that we invest in programs and organizations that will provide lasting impact in the lives of those affected by abuse. Survivors need access to critical resources, including social, emotional, physical, and mental health resources. I’m grateful to the Justice Advisory Council for investing in programs that will help survivors, their families, and our communities. May we continue to place survivors at the forefront of our work.”
Originally published on news.wttw.com 10/17/23 | Photo: Patty Wetli / WTTW News
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s 2024 Forest Preserve budget address was a far cry from her 2023 speech.
“At this moment a year ago, we were at a crossroads,” Preckwinkle said Tuesday, as she submitted the 2024 budget during a special meeting of the Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners. “Unless more resources became available, we would have to prepare to lower our expectations for what could be accomplished and cut back on what the preserves offer.”
Those resources did become available, though, when voters approved a referendum to raise their taxes one-quarter of one-tenth of a percent in order to pump additional funds — some $40 million annually — into the preserves.
The 2024 budget reflects the more ambitious goals made possible by the preserves’ newfound financial stability.
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