Underwood Announces $10.5 Million for Projects Across 14th District from Federal Funding Package
WEST CHICAGO – Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced $10,524,300 in federal investments secured for 10 projects across the 14th District.
Underwood's projects will shorten wait times for mental health services, improve the quality of local drinking water, improve kindergarten readiness, make higher education more affordable and accessible, support foster youth and families, strengthen emergency response, and community safety. Underwood successfully secured federal funding for projects that will benefit communities across northern Illinois through the new Community Project Funding request process.
"From day one, I have fought to bring the voices of the 14th District to Congress and worked hard to make sure our priorities are reflected in federal funding bills," said Underwood. "I'm proud to deliver over $10 million to fund 10 projects across our community."
This funding is in addition to the $17 billion Underwood recently secured for Illinois-specific transportation and infrastructure projects through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and follows billions of dollars in federal resources that Underwood has delivered for COVID-19 economic recovery in the 14th District.
Community Project Funding is a new initiative for federal Fiscal Year 2022 that allows Members of Congress to request direct funding for projects that benefit the communities they represent. The projects requested by Underwood will create jobs and improve the health and well-being of communities across northern Illinois.
Below are descriptions of the projects for which Rep. Underwood successfully secured funding:
PROJECT SPONSOR: CASA Kendall County
LOCATION: 811 W John Street, Yorkville, Illinois 60560
AMOUNT FUNDED: $200,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This funding will be used to establish a "CASA Clubhouse," a multi-use space serving foster youth and their families and advocates. The Clubhouse will be a free, safe location for families to meet during court-ordered visitation. It will also be used to store donations for families and as the permanent advocacy office for CASA of Kendall County. As of spring 2021, there is no single facility in Kendall County dedicated to meet this need, while the number of foster youth in the county doubled from 2019 to 2020.
"Foster youth and their caregivers deserve safe spaces. I am proud to secure funding for CASA of Kendall County to create the first dedicated space in our district to support the needs of the growing number of foster youth and families in our community," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: DeKalb County Regional Office of Education
LOCATION: 2500 N. Annie Glidden Rd., Suite C, DeKalb, IL 60115
AMOUNT FUNDED: $150,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This project will expand the work of the DeKalb County Kindergarten Readiness Collaborative, an initiative to expand quality early learning opportunities. Parents in Sandwich, Sycamore, and Hinckley will be supported with coaching, peer mentoring, and culturally and developmentally appropriate materials, including "Push Play" toolkits, to help families engage infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children in early learning. This project is part of an effort to improve kindergarten readiness by helping parents better support the social, emotional, and cognitive development of their young children.
"Studies show that students who attend early-education programs achieve higher grades and financial outcomes, and I'm thrilled to invest in the success of the next-generation by delivering this funding for the DeKalb Kindergarten Readiness Collaborative," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: Independence Health & Therapy
LOCATION: 2028 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098
AMOUNT FUNDED: $60,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This funding will expand tele-psychiatry services in McHenry County by enabling Independence Health & Therapy to increase the hours their tele-psychiatrists are available to serve patients. This expansion of their tele-psychiatry program will shorten wait times and address growing demand for mental health services in McHenry County.
"Everyone should be able to get quality mental health services when they need them. I am proud that this funding for Independence Health & Therapy will decrease wait times and help more McHenry County residents receive psychiatric appointments when they need them," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: Kane County State's Attorney's Office
LOCATION: 37W777 Route 38, Suite 300, St. Charles, IL 60175
AMOUNT FUNDED: $350,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This project will improve public safety by providing funding for the Kane County State's Attorney's Office pre-arrest diversion program. With the support of community-based agencies and mental and behavioral health service providers, the program will divert low-level nonviolent offenders from the criminal legal system to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment. The program is based on a Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) model.
"The LEAD model is an important tool for communities to respond to public safety concerns using an evidence-based public health framework," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: McHenry County College
LOCATION: 8900 US Highway 14, Crystal Lake, IL 60012
AMOUNT FUNDED: $825,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This funding will expand McHenry County College's (MCC) dual credit/dual degree programs in partnership with all public high schools in McHenry County. It will make this program available to more high school students by training more high school teachers to qualify as instructors to teach MCC courses at their high school. The funding will also help cover the cost of MCC tuition, fees, and course materials for students with demonstrated need. Dual credit and dual degree programs offer a low-cost way to expand educational opportunities and skills-based job training to students for in-demand jobs.
"All students, regardless of their economic background, should be able to pursue the education needed to ensure a successful future, and this funding for McHenry County College will do just that," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: Lake County Stormwater Management Commission
LOCATION: Sylvan Lake Dam, 26083 N Highland Drive, Mundelein, Illinois 60060
AMOUNT FUNDED: $1,342,500
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: The Sylvan Lake Dam Modification Project would prevent impending dam failure by fortifying a 100-year-old embankment dam and roadway. A failure in the dam could result in 137 homes immediately downstream being impacted by flooding. The project prevents general flooding in the roads surrounding the dam and will protect almost 500 homes that would be impacted if the sanitary sewer line that runs along the dam were to rupture. Lake County experienced record flooding in 2017, and erosion damage to this infrastructure has accelerated as increased precipitation and climate change impacts the region.
"Residents living near the Sylvan Lake Dam are on the brink of experiencing severe flooding damage to their homes and the surrounding environment is at risk of further erosion and degradation. I'm proud that this funding will secure the dam, keeping residents safe and improving the environment," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: City of Joliet
LOCATION: 150 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432
AMOUNT FUNDED: $3,500,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This funding will be used to replace aged, leaking water mains in the City of Joliet's distribution system and will help conserve water. Joliet is currently developing a new Lake Michigan water source to replace the existing groundwater source that is unsustainable and will be unable to meet the demands by 2030. This project will help fund the water main replacements that are a necessary part of that transition, so that all residents will continue to enjoy clean, safe drinking water.
"Every person deserves safe drinking water, and I'm proud to have secured funding for the City of Joliet to invest in ensuring the community has access to safe drinking water for years to come," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: Village of Pingree Grove
LOCATION: 555 Reinking Road, Pingree Grove, IL 60140
AMOUNT FUNDED: $3,500,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This funding will be used to construct a second well and water treatment facility to serve the 10,000+ residents of Pingree Grove, which is the second fastest growing community in Illinois. This project is essential to keep up with the Village's population growth, and to serve as a back-up treatment facility should the existing facility fail or need to undergo maintenance.
"Safe drinking water is a basic necessity for families and employers. I'm proud that this funding for Pingree Grove, the second fastest growing community in Illinois, will help secure clean water for residents as the community grows," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: Village of Richmond
LOCATION: 5600 Hunter Drive, Richmond IL 60071
AMOUNT FUNDED: $560,800
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This funding will be used to rehabilitate two aging water towers that serve the residents of Richmond. Restoration is critical to address the decaying conditions of the water towers that pose a threat to public health and safety. With any further delay to the needed restoration, residents could experience water quality violations and service disruptions, which would also impact the fire department's emergency water supply.
"Infrastructure in Illinois has suffered a systemic lack of investment. I'm proud to have secured funding to restore Richmond's aging water towers to protect the health and safety of Richmond residents," said Underwood.
PROJECT SPONSOR: Wauconda Fire Protection District
LOCATION: 109 W Liberty Street, Wauconda, Illinois 60084
AMOUNT FUNDED: $36,000
PURPOSE/JUSTIFICATION: This funding will allow the Wauconda Fire Protection District to replace a 28-year-old natural gas emergency back-up generator to power the emergency operations center within the fire station. It is vital that the back-up generator be reliable for Fire District operations and essential communications during a disaster. This project will benefit the 40,000 residents in the villages and unincorporated areas of Lake and McHenry County that are served by the Fire District including Port Barrington, Hawthorn Woods, Island Lake, Lake Barrington, Lakemoor, North Barrington, Round Lake, Tower Lakes, Volo, and Wauconda.
"The Wauconda Fire Protection District safeguards the lives of thousands of residents of Lake and McHenry counties. I am proud to deliver funds to secure their emergency operations center and ability to communicate in a disaster," said Underwood.
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