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Yes, they’re all so pro-veteran

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Illinois

* Ugh…

A veterans facility on Oak Park Avenue that will house veterans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is scheduled to open in January 2017, at least six months later than originally planned after being caught in the budget crossfire between Rauner and the Democrats who control the General Assembly.

* Meanwhile…

At Casa Central in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, Amanda McMillen, deputy director of children and youth services, said she hasn’t stopped smiling since learning that the social service agency was one of 23 area charities picked to receive proceeds from [basketball legend Michael Jordan’s] settlement with the Jewel-Osco and Dominick’s grocery chains. […]

Understandably, that’s all an afterthought to the busy staff at Casa Central, where some programs have been shuttered since Gov. Bruce Rauner imposed budget cuts last spring. Its early learning academy had to stop accepting new children under 5 because of cuts. A computer lab for low-income children and adults in the community has been closed except for use by students in the after-school program.

Jordan’s donation won’t resurrect those programs. That’s still on the state of Illinois, as it should be. But his money will go a long way to boosting kids’ programs at Casa Central, where administrators are still determining how to allocate the funds. There were two conditions to the donation, La Luz said in response to questions about it. The amount must remain confidential and the money must be earmarked for kids.

There is no shortage of kids’ programs among Casa Central’s seven buildings, including three that take up nearly a city block on North California Avenue. La Luz said the center is one of the largest Hispanic social-service agencies in the Midwest and serves 19,000 to 20,000 children and adult residents a year.

It provides transitional apartment-style housing and social services for homeless families, offers vocational training for entry-level jobs and houses a senior-care center visited daily by 80 to 90 older adults. But staff members pride themselves in providing a second a home to neighborhood kids, administrators said.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:04 am

Comments

“It takes two to make a thing go right..”.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:13 am
Bravo to Jordan for donating his charity.

Comment by SAP Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:24 am
But those new maps that from a governing perspective take effect in 2023 will look absolutely gorgeous. Just gorgeous.

Comment by Juice Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:24 am
Jordan scores!

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 10:30 am
“If only more of the top 0.1% would give their money to the good charities, we wouldn’t have this budget problem!”

Ayn Rand mythology

Comment by walker Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:04 am
The new state vet’s home has been on the drawing board for decades. Quinn milked it for multiple ground breaking ceremony press releases.

Comment by Clodpate Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:05 am
This is how a real superstar does it! Good on MJ

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 11:42 am
Clodpate, pretty cheap shot against Quinn. He made the Chicago vets home happen.

Because of the Rauner freeze IDVA/CDB have to spend more to finish it. And who knows how many deserving vets will never get a chance to live there?

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 12:12 pm
Handle Bar -

Clodpate’s statement is not far off. I was at both of the ground breaking ceremonies - who does two groundbreakings?! - and the first one was nothing but a PR festival. If I remember correctly, I believe it was 2010. They did not actually break ground until when, 2014?

Quinn did a lot for veterans in Illinois, but some of what he did was political too. The PR and photo ops were Quinn politics.

Comment by Happy Gun Owner Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:09 pm
Jordan, always classy, a role model and one of a kind.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Dec 18, 15 @ 1:36 pm