Social service workers tell Springfield: Just fix it
As lawmakers in Springfield grappled with their latest annual budget crisis, an estimated 250 people in Elgin representing more than a dozen social service agencies delivered a simple message: "Just fix it!"
If the proposed "doomsday budget" from Gov. Pat Quinn goes through, 16 agencies that help everyone from battered women and at-risk children to the homeless and severely disabled would struggle to keep their doors open or close completely when $10 million-plus in state aid is cut.
"This is unconscionable," said Lisa LaFarge, executive director of the Family Service Association of the Greater Elgin Area. "We cannot afford to let any of our children down."
Protesters held signs saying "SOS - Save Our Services," "People over politics" and "Not funding is not a solution." They shouted "Just fix it!" after many speakers.
The line of speakers included people actually helped by each agency to go beyond just numbers and statistics.
One of them was Shania Bridges, an 11-year-old from Elgin who has attended the after-school program at the Elgin Boys and Girls Club since 2005.
"If it was not for the Boys and Girls Club being a safe haven. I'm not sure what would happen to us," she said. "The club has taught me right from wrong and how to stay involved with positive activities."
Speakers also represented these agencies: the Association for Individual Development; Centro de Informacion; Community Crisis Center; Ecker Center for Mental Health; Greater Elgin Family Care Center; Kids Hope United; the Larkin Center, where the rally was held; Little Angels; PADS of Elgin; Renz Addiction Counseling Center; YWCA of Elgin; Elgin Senior Services; United Way of Elgin and the Elgin Area Chamber Chamber of Commerce.
The specter of state funding cuts has forced some agencies to think out of the box to raise money and has prodded others to take action.
The Elgin-based Community Crisis Center last week launched an online campaign at crisisovernight.org to raise money. The center also sent out letters asking for donations. These two efforts had raised about $100,000 of the $150,000 needed to keep the center open through the end of August, said Gretchen Vapnar, executive director.
Greg Shannon, co-owner of the Elgin Public House, 209 E. Chicago St., Elgin, organized a fundraiser beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday. It will have bands, raffle prizes donated by the community and a 50-50 raffle.
"It would great to raise $5,000 or $10,000. I don't know if we can in this economy, but we want to help as much as we can," Shannon said.
Kay Duy, an Elgin resident and retired school nurse, visited the rally.
Duy said she worked with many of the agencies facing the chopping block and hoped lawmakers would do the right thing.
"I think we'll be heard. Will (lawmakers) do something? They can't not respond to it." she said. "This is a pretty good turnout. There's a lot of support here. There's a lot of needs."