ARPA interest funds benefit small DuPage County agencies

DuPage County small nonprofit agencies got a boost thanks to interest earned on federal recovery grants.

County board members recently awarded more than $650,000 to 38 small agencies serving DuPage County residents. The grants were funded by the interest the county earned on the $179 million awarded to the county through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The grants provided awardees up to $25,000 to fund programs that address economic development, education and mentoring, housing and shelter, behavioral health services, substance use disorder treatment or food assistance.

Grants were awarded to agencies with budgets less than $300,000 and will be used for various programs, including vocational training, pet therapy, food and housing assistance, performing arts and substance abuse recovery.

Awardees receiving grants of $25,000 include Roots and Wings, The Center for Coracles, Paws for Kids for Paws, United Community Concerns Association, Elmhurst Centre for Performing Arts, Resilient NFP, Magdalene House Chicago, You Matter Inc., Healing Pups Pet Therapy, Latinas on the Plaza, Westmont Lions Foundation, Radical Hospitality Ministries, DoodleBug Workshop, My Half, Repeat Boutique Center, Violets Kitchen and My Child's Life Matters Inc.

Grants totaling between $20,000 to $24,999 include Youth 4 Excellence, $23,353; Heart of a Veteran, $20,000 and Chinese American Women in Action, $24,995.

Grants totaling $10,000 to $19,999 were awarded to Friends of Freya and Love Your Neighbor, each receiving $10,000; Help-Unite-Motovate, Shelter Assistance Foundation and Encouragement, Grow Wellness Foundation, Path to Recovery Foundation, Ride Assist Naperville and Orchestra Parents/Parents' United Support, each receiving $10,424; Community Access Naperville and the Career & Networking Center, each receiving $11,212; The Garden Works Project and the Glendale Heights Foundation, $15,000 each; and the Elmhurst Walk-In Assistance Network, which received $17,000.

The remaining grants were awarded to Burr Ridge Community Park Foundation, $5,000; Kids Against Hunger Illinois, $4,500; Restorative Resource Foundation of DuPage County, $3,000; Alif Foundation, $1,600 and Indian Prairie Education Foundation, $100.