Illinois e-News Release

March 25, 2024

Maureen Hartigan

773-590-9848

Springfield, IL - The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) announces nearly $700,000 in Veterans' Cash Grant Program awards to Illinois organizations that provide vital services to veterans and their families across our state. Awardees will receive funding to address veteran homelessness, post-traumatic stress treatment, workforce development, education, transportation training, and community development programs. These grants are funded by proceeds from the Winter Riches Illinois Lottery ticket.

The recipients are:

• Guardian Corps of America: This $100,000 grant will be directed to purchasing a vehicle to distribute food, clothing, health care kits, and sleeping gear to nearly 400 homeless veterans in Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, and Kendall Counties.

• Renewed, Inc.: This $100,000 grant will be directed to workforce development for certification by the Illinois Restaurant Association for food handling and managing. The five-week course equips veterans for gainful employment in the food service industry.

• Code Platoon: This $100,000 grant will provide 15-week immersive software coding boot camps and two evening and weekend boot camps benefiting 115 veterans in the Chicago area.

• Citizens Helping Citizens: This $100,000 grant provides a comprehensive transportation training program tailored to veterans transitioning from military service featuring Commercial Driver’s License Training and Freight Brokerage/Dispatch training. This grant will train veterans in St. Clair and Madison counties.

• ReBOOT Recover: This $44,000 grant addresses the increasing veteran behavioral health and suicide crisis by offering scholarships to 135 veterans and their families covering course materials, childcare, and leadership training through ReBOOT Leadership Academy at ten locations throughout Illinois.

• Fishing For Freedom: This $25,000 grant provides a day of tournament bass fishing to over 300 active duty servicemembers, veterans, and residents of the Quincy Veterans Home. The intent is to foster camaraderie and provide therapeutic outdoor recreational activities.

• Soldier Scholar Veterans Home: This $100,000 grant provides stable housing for veterans at risk of homelessness, particularly those seeking to advance their careers through education by securing housing near educational institutions. A selected site is Loyola University Chicago (LUC), situated near a rail station connecting to Lovell VA Hospital, offering safe housing close to education and VA services.

“Our partnership with the Illinois lottery has provided important opportunities for veterans, family members, caregivers and survivors across Illinois,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “The grants awarded to these programs reach veterans across the state with critical training and services that will support their efforts and our directly in line with IDVA’s mission to ensure veterans thrive in Illinois.”

“The Illinois Lottery and the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs have worked together for almost two decades now and we greatly appreciate our partnership”, said Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays. “We are proud to have the opportunity to raise funds in support of Illinois veterans through the sale of our specialty scratch-off ticket.”

Illinois is the first state in the United States to designate 100 percent of net proceeds of a lottery ticket 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 are sold between November through February and grant applications are accepted throughout the year.

The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs awards these funds through Veterans’ Cash Grants. Every quarter, IDVA's 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 their services into veterans’ assistance.

For more information on Veterans’ Cash Grants, visit:

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