<div dir="auto">Lorraine and all, FYI. <div dir="auto"><div style="font-family:sans-serif" dir="auto"><div style="width:328px;margin:16px 0px"><h1 style="text-align:center"><div style="text-align:start" dir="auto"><span style="font-size:12.8px">Illinois e-News Release</span></div></h1><hr style="font-size:12.8px"><p style="font-size:12.8px"><strong>For Immediate Release</strong><br>September 16, 2020</p><p style="font-size:12.8px"><strong>Contacts:</strong><br>Marisa Kollias<br><a href="mailto:marisa.kollias@illinois.gov" style="text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(66,133,244)">marisa.kollias@illinois.gov</a></p><p style="font-size:12.8px">Patrick Laughlin<br><a href="mailto:patrick.laughlin@illinois.gov" style="text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(66,133,244)">patrick.laughlin@illinois.gov</a></p><br><h2 style="font-size:12.8px;text-align:center">IDHS Launches New Pilot to Provide Fresh Produce to Communities on the South Side of Chicago</h2><p style="font-size:12.8px">CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced today a new Community Garden Pilot Project to provide fresh produce to communities on the south side of Chicago that have a history of poverty and that have been hardest hit by COVID-19.</p><p style="font-size:12.8px">“We are excited to announce this great new pilot program and to offer fresh produce to some of the areas hardest hit by COVID-19 and poverty in Illinois,” said IDHS Secretary Grace Hou. “Fresh produce is an extremely important part of a healthy, long-term diet and even more so during a global pandemic. We hope to continue to build this program into additional underserved communities in the future.”</p><p style="font-size:12.8px">Antioch Haven Homes, located in the Englewood area of Chicago is the first site that will participate in the Community Garden Pilot Project. The fresh produce is being grown in the gardens on the property of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church's Antioch Haven Homes.</p><p style="font-size:12.8px">“As the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, we identified the need for increased access to healthy foods in areas where food insecurity is prevalent and grocery stores are scarce,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood). “Our vision was to implement a program that would provide fresh produce grown right in our neediest communities. I’m grateful to IDHS and the many organizations working to implement this program.”</p><p style="font-size:12.8px">Broccoli, collard greens, curly kale, and stonehead cabbage will serve the residents of the 197 affordable housing units in Antioch Haven Homes. Antioch Missionary Baptist Church also plans to expand their community gardens to include all of their 600 units that serve over 1200 individuals.</p><p style="font-size:12.8px">“Englewood has a rich history of community gardening and is a worldwide leader in urban agriculture,” Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago). “As a longtime advocate for eliminating food deserts and creating local healthy food systems I am happy to see the state investing in our local solutions to improve healthy food access for all.”</p><p style="font-size:12.8px">Additional participating organizations include Fernwood Community Outreach Church, Great True Vine Baptist Church (The Laura B. Collins Community Development Center), Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) and Trinity United Church (Endeleo Institute). The organizations are partnering with the Chicago Community Gardens Association during the pilot program to provide technical assistance and farming products. The Chicago Community Gardens Association will continue their partnership with the organizations after the pilot program concludes in December 2020. All organizations will also be partnered with the Cook County Farm Bureau to apply for their annual Cookfresh Community Urban Garden Grant Program next year.</p><br><h2 style="font-size:12.8px">Attachments</h2><ul style="font-size:12.8px"><li><a href="https://www2.illinois.gov/IISNews/22091-IDHS_Launches_New_Pilot_to_Provide_Fresh_Produce_to_Communities_on_the_South_Side_of_Chicago.pdf" style="text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(66,133,244)">IDHS Launches New Pilot to Provide Fresh Produce to Communities on the South Side of Chicago</a></li></ul><hr style="font-size:12.8px"><p style="font-size:12.8px">To unsubscribe or modify your subscription click the following link <a href="https://www2.illinois.gov/pages/CommunicationsManageOptions.aspx?ui=2DB74400-C540-42EA-B369-F5FBE225685B" style="text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(66,133,244)">https://www2.illinois.gov/pages/CommunicationsManageOptions.aspx?ui=2DB74400-C540-42EA-B369-F5FBE225685B</a>. Please do not forward this email to other individuals or they will have access to your e-Subscription account settings.</p></div><div style="font-size:12.8px;height:0px"></div></div><br><br><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="auto">Cordia Pugh<br>Program Director<br>Hermitage Community Gardens<br>5647 S Honore street<br>Chicago, IL 60636<br>Phone: (773) 245-3017<br>Email: <a href="mailto:hermitagestreetcommunitygarden@gmail.com">hermitagestreetcommunitygarden@gmail.com</a></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Sep 8, 2020, 3:18 PM Julie Samuels <<a href="mailto:jsamuels1966@gmail.com">jsamuels1966@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">I can't be involved in the WebEx but I would be very interested in hearing what was discussed and decided and what the next steps are </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Julie </div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Sep 8, 2020 at 1:37 PM Hermitage Street Community garden via Communications <<a href="mailto:communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">Lorraine and May Toy<div dir="auto">I am interested in knowing more about the overall project. I am unable to attend the Web meeting tomorrow and welcome notes or a recording to view later. PLEASE keep me in the loop!</div><div dir="auto"><br><div dir="auto">Cordia Pugh<br>Program Director<br>Hermitage Community Gardens<br>5647 S Honore street<br>Chicago, IL 60636<br>Phone: (773) 245-3017<br>Email: <a href="mailto:hermitagestreetcommunitygarden@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">hermitagestreetcommunitygarden@gmail.com</a></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Sep 8, 2020, 1:32 PM Lorraine Kells via Resources <<a href="mailto:resources@chicagocommunitygardens.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">resources@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Hello everyone,<div><br></div><div>As CCGA contact, I have remained in communication with the folks at the State of Illinois, <font face="arial, sans-serif">I</font><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><font face="arial, sans-serif">llinois Department of Human Services, </font></span><font face="arial, sans-serif" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Division of Family & Community Services. The pilot project providing funds for faith-based organizations to build and expand community gardens is moving forward. There will be a web conference via WebEx tomorrow morning from </font><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">10:30am – 11:30am. May Toy and I will be speaking for CCGA and we understand the folks from the churches will be at the meeting.</span></div><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">If you would like to participate, please reply immediately so that the invitation and information can be sent to you. You will have to download the WebEx app. If you can't attend, please reply if you want follow-up or to indicate your help in time.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">You may choose to listen in just to stay in touch with no commitment to participate at this time, but May and I hope that we will find CCGA gardeners ready and willing to pitch in, where we can, to help these new community gardens build and thrive. We were able to solicit a donation of over 40 trays of cool season seedlings from Gethsemane Garden Center, so our priority with these new gardens is seeing them get beds built and soil delivered to hold the plants.</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">Regards,</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">Lorraine and May</span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"><br></span></p></div>
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