Invites the Public to Drop Off Winter Clothing, Canned Food and Personal Items at State Facilities in Five Cities from Dec. 1-19
CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today launched the Warm Our Heroes holiday collection drive for Illinois veterans and their families and invited people across the state to support this important cause. In five cities across Illinois, state facilities will accept public donations of winter clothing, non-perishable food and personal items until Dec. 19. The Warm Our Heroes drive is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to honor and support the men and women who have served our country and maintain Illinois' status as the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.
"We need to always take care of those who have borne the battle, especially during the holiday season," Governor Quinn said. "Warm Our Heroes supports our veterans and their families and I encourage everyone to take a minute to give back to those who have sacrificed so much."
Warm Our Heroes was launched by the Governor in 2012 as a state employee initiative to provide much-needed items to Illinois veterans in need. In its first year, state employees collected more than 3,500 donations which were distributed to veterans' organizations across the state. This year the Governor expanded the program to allow the public to participate.
Warm Our Heroes will collect warm winter clothing, dry and canned food and personal items such as toothpaste and soap to give to community veterans organizations and VA hospitals. The donation drop-off sites include :
· The E.J. Giorgi Center - 200 S. Wyman, Rockford, 61101
· Illinois State Capital - 401 S. 2nd Street or 207 State House, Springfield, 62706
· James R. Thompson Center - 100 W. Randolph St., Chicago, 60601
· Kenneth Hall State Regional Office Building - 10 Collinsville Ave., East St. Louis, 62201
· Marion Regional Office Building - 2309 W. Main St., Marion, 62959
In addition, Illinois Department of Transportation district headquarters offices are accepting Warm Our Heroes donations. These include :
· 201 W. Center Court, Schaumburg, 60196
· 819 Depot Avenue, Dixon, 61021
· 700 E. Norris Dr., Ottawa, 61305
· 401 Main St., Peoria, 61602
· 13473 Illinois Highway 133, Paris, 61944
· 2300 S. Dirksen Pkwy, Springfield, 62703
· 400 W. Wabash, Effingham, 62401
· 1102 Eastport Plaza Dr., Collinsville, 62234
· 2801 W. Murphysboro Rd.,Carbondale, 62901
For more information visit Illinois.gov/WarmOurHeroes.
Throughout his career in public service, Governor Quinn has been committed to Illinois veterans, servicemembers and their families. In 2009, Governor Quinn became the first Governor in Illinois history to dedicate state capital dollars to supportive housing for veterans. In 2011, when soldiers began returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, Governor Quinn launched Welcome Home Heroes to help these brave men and women resettle and become homeowners, helping more than 1,600 veterans and active military men and women to date.
As Lieutenant Governor, Governor Quinn championed the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund Act, which established a voluntary fund to provide grants to families of Illinois National Guard members and Illinois residents serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve called to active duty. These grants help with the costs of food, housing, utilities, medical services and other expenses they struggle to afford because of the disparity between military and civilian pay. The fund has distributed more than $15.1 million to 29,625 Illinois military families.
Other programs championed by Governor Quinn include the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program that helps veterans transition back to their daily lives and the Veterans Cash instant lottery program with all proceeds going to benefit Illinois veterans' organizations.
For more information about these and other programs for our veterans, visit OperationHomefront.org/ or call the IDVA at (217) 782-6641 or (312) 814-2460.
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