How should Cook County spend remaining COVID funds? Here’s how to weigh in

Cook County will hold four community meetings in coming weeks, including one in Palatine, to get resident input on how officials should spend remaining federal COVID relief money.

“Your voice matters,” County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in an announcement of the meetings Monday. “This meeting is more than just a discussion — it's about shaping the future of our communities. We need everyone’s input to ensure that our programs continue to meet the needs of our residents for years to come.”

The first “Community Voices” meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the George W. Dunne Cook County Administration Building, 22nd Floor, Rooms G & H, 69 W. Washington St. in Chicago.

Future sessions are set for Kennedy King College in Chicago on Sept. 4; South Suburban College in South Holland on Sept. 5; and Harper College, 1200 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine, on Sept. 11. All meetings begin at 6 p.m. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/mpm8ynd2.

The county so far has funded more than 70 programs with money from the American Rescue Plan Act, including the Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot, the Medical Debt Relief Initiative and violence prevention grants.

The upcoming meetings will focus on gathering community feedback to prioritize which programs should continue into 2027 and beyond.

“It’s an opportunity to make sure your voice is heard, and that Cook County’s future reflects the needs and desires of its residents,” Mykel Selph, deputy chief of staff for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Cook County Office of the President, said in Monday’s announcement.

Those unable to attend can share feedback through the Community Voices survey, available in six languages at arpa.cookcountyil.gov/survey.