Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Grants And Food Assistance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee reviews small grants timeline; earmarks $500,000 to extend Northern Illinois Food Bank program through November
Summary
DuPage CountyHuman Services Committee staff said about 75 applications are under review in the small human services grant portal and outlined a review schedule; the committee also agreed to earmark $500,000 of remaining ARPA food funds to continue a Northern Illinois Food Bank program through Nov. 30, 2025.
DuPage County Human Services Committee members received an update on the small human services grant portal and agreed to earmark $500,000 to continue a county-supported food distribution program run with the Northern Illinois Food Bank through Nov. 30, 2025.
Chair Swarzie opened the meeting by inviting committee members to a tour of Loaves & Fishes and referenced ongoing outreach to volunteer at the food hub. On the small grants portal, staff said the portal has closed with roughly 75 applications pending review. Karen (staff) read the timeline: staff will complete initial reviews this week, materials will go to the state attorney's office for review, and an internal executive review would follow; the human services committee will then receive a recommendation of eligible applicants and have a couple of weeks to make selections. Staff projected final board actions by May or June.
Mary Keating (community services staff) described the review process and said some applicants were excluded because they failed to supply required documentation by the deadline despite outreach. She said, "We had to exclude them from participating," and staff had tried to contact applicants who did not submit required items prior to the deadline.
Members discussed application timing and outreach. One member suggested adding a one-paragraph note to future solicitations to explain why early submission is beneficial and to advise applicants to check spam folders for email notices; staff agreed to tighten application instructions and include a sample of the actual form in future years to reduce confusion between federal and state forms.
On food assistance, the committee reviewed the county's ARPA-funded partnership with the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Committee members said the program had been successful and that approximately $1 million remained earmarked for food assistance. The committee decided to set aside $500,000 to continue the food bank program through Nov. 30, 2025, rather than ending it on June 30 as originally scheduled. Chair Swarzie said the decision was to "earmark 500,000 of that million to continue through the end of the year." Staff said the change would be taken to the county board.
Mary Keating also noted federal-level staffing and program uncertainties. She stated that the state had informed staff it was working with county HHS and that the county had not yet received information on potential impacts to senior programs administered by the Administration for Community Living or other federal changes. The committee was reminded that roughly 2,000 seniors receive home-based services through the county's community care program and that changes to Medicaid or federal funding could affect those services.
The committee asked staff to continue providing updates on grant application reviews and on the food distribution program's caseload and utilization data as the county moves the $500,000 recommendation to the county board.
