PEORIA, Ill. – An initiative spearheaded by Illinois Central College while Peoria’s mayor still worked there is finally getting off the ground, bringing education, job training, and family resources to what’s been called “one of the most distressed zip codes in America.”
$500,000 in combined private and federal funding is jump starting the “Cradle to Career Initiative” as part of a larger goal to get more funding.
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) hosted a press conference at ICC Thursday, along with city, Peoria Public Schools officials, and representatives of PNC Bank, whose foundation donated money toward the program, along with the federal government.
The current and potential future funding can be a great help to residents of 61605, according to Peoria Mayor Rita Ali.
“(South Peoria) has a lot of challenges,” said Ali. “But, it also has a lot of great people, has a lot of great organizations — both faith-based, not-for-profit. Not a whole lot of businesses — we want to bring a lot of businesses back. It’s a food desert. But, there’s a lot of good things.”
Ali says the residents of the South Peoria zip code “deserve better”.
The college is hiring three what are called “Family Resources Navigators” that will go into homes there to teach and provide resources from well-being to workforce readiness. They hope that by demonstrating this can be done, millions more in funding could eventually sustain the program long-term.
“We need to break a cycle (of poverty),” said Sheila Quirk-Bailey, ICC president. “The best way to support those children is to make sure that family is stable, and they have the resources they need, so kids can be kids, and can focus on their education, and that they can change cycles on the south side of Peoria.”
Peoria Public Schools says 2,500 of the district’s students live in the 61605 zip code, with seven schools and programs being located there.
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