20th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
The 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act was celebrated on July 26, 2010. A national movement was undertaken to gather signatures and a recommitment to fully implement the ADA in communities. A local ADA Recommitment Task Force was formed with the goal of Kankakee County...
Catholic Charities will host their 15th Annual Back to School Fair in collaboration with the Chicago Bears on Saturday, July 31 at Olivet Nazarene University from 9:00 am-3:00 pm. Students must pre-register at Catholic Charities Office at 270 N. Schuyler Ave., Kankakee. For more information and...
You can make a difference in the life of a child in Kankakee County. Be a Foster Parent. For information call John Ellison, Foster Care Licensing Supervisor at 630-790-6825.
The Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department received special recognition at the Illinois Disaster Assistance Program Statewide Conference held in Springfield on March 12, 2010. The agency was presented the award in recognition of their dedicated service to Illinois residents affected by the 2008...
Community members are urged to complete and mail back their Census forms to ensure we receive our fair share of federal funding which includes resources for services such as health care, education, and roads. Most Census questionnaires will be delivered from March 15-17, 2010. Completed forms...
When winter temperatures drop and warming centers are needed, the following local centers and shelters are available for people needing assistance:
Kankakee County
The Salvation Army, 148 North Harrison Avenue, Kankakee 815.932.3919
Department of Human Services, 285 N. Schuyler Avenue, Kankakee...
H1N1 Influenza Information is available on the following Public Health websites:
Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department- www.fiphd.org
Kankakee County Public Health Department- www.kankakeehealth.org
Illinois Department of Public Health - www.idph.state.il.us
Centers for Disease Control and...
Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country, Although the start and end dates can vary slightly depending on the organization and source, Red Ribbon Week generally takes place the last full week in October. This year the celebration takes place October 17-...
Celebrate Family Day, Monday, September 28th. Dinner Makes a Difference. Learn more at www.CASAFamilyDay.org.
More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their...
The 2009 Edition of the KAN-I HELP Directory of Family Services is available for purchase at $10.00 per copy. They may be purchased at the Iroquois-Kankakee Regional Office of Education's Pledge for Life Partnership Office at 189 East Court Street, Suite 403, Kankakee, IL. The printed edition...
Say It Out Loud, a public awareness campaign, has announced new materials on its website at www.mentalhealthillinois.org.
With data suggesting one in five Illinoisans is experiencing anxiety and fear as a result of the economic recession, Say It Out Loud is offering tips on how to reduce stress...
Public Health Officials of the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department issued a public health advisory regarding outbreaks of swine influenza now present in the United States. Doug Corbett, Public Health Administrator, has asked that at this time, schools, nursing homes, daycare centers, etc. be...
The University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee Unit, is encouraging local gardeners to plant food to be distributed by their local food pantries. The national effort," Plant a Row for the Hungry" was started here last year by the U of I Extension, Kankakee Unit and the Compassionate Ministries...
Success by Six, a joint initiative by the United Way of Kankakee County and the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley, has launched a web site targeted to local parents to promote early childhood learning. The idea for the web site came from a 25 member coalition representing area...
The third week in March has been designated National Poison Prevention Week to focus on the dangers of poisoning and how to prevent them. This year's themes are "Children Act Fast, So Do Poisons" and "Poisoning Spans a Lifetime". To learn more about ways to prevent poisonings, visit...
Trained volunteers, using IRS material, will assist with income tax filing at the Salvation Army located at 148 N. Harrison Street, Kankakee, IL. This is a walk-in site with no appointments. Use Court Street entrance. In March volunteers will be available Monday through Wednesday from 9:30...
The 13th Annual Family Fun-a-thon to benefit the Iroquois-Kankakee Regional Office of Education's Life Education Centers will be held at McHie Arena at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais on Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 1:30- 4:30 p.m. For event highlights and registration information,...
The State of Illinois has announced the Good Samaritan Initiative to help low-income Illinoisans pay for utilities. It provides more affordable services for some individuals who have had their utilities disconnected. It applies to qualifying customers of utility companies including Nicor Gas,...
Preparedness Guide for Senior Citizens and People with Disabilities
Emergency Preparedness Tips for Those with Functional Needs and other emergency preparedness information may be found on the Ready Illinois website at www.readyillinois.gov. Preparedness tips are provided for people with visual, cognitive, or mobility impairments, citizens who are deaf or hard of...
There is help for Veterans returning from war. Afterdeployment.org is a new wellness resource site developed by DoD and VA Service Members, Veterans, and Military Families. The VA has also released a Public Service announcement urging veterans in distress to contact the Suicide Prevention...
Applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will be available in Illinois beginning November 1 through a network of community action agencies across the state. Illinoisans can call 1-877-411-WARM for more information.
The open enrollment period for Medicare Part D starts November 15 and runs through the end of the year.Seniors and persons with disabilities who qualify for Medicare coverage can switch their Part D Plans- private prescription drug benefits that are reimbursed by the federal government. The cost...
The Kankakee County Sheriff's Department, Emergency Service Disaster Agency and Local Emergency Planing Committee are seeking volunteers for the state and local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTS). The goal of CERTS is to train and prepare for major emergencies by bringing together local...
Register to receive Emergency Text Messages.
Parents can be alerted to school closings and other school-related emergencies via text message and e-mail through School Alert — a service made possible by the I-KAN Regional Office of Education’s Emergency Response and Crisis Management Project and...
An E-Waste Recycling Program has been developed for the Kankakee metropolitan area and its surroundings. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, annd Thursday. E-Waste drop off sites are located at the Kankakee Department of Public Works at 401 West Oak Street in Kankakee...
Say It Out Loud has launched a new web site during statewide celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental health is a vital part of overall health and well-being.
For ideas on how to promote good mental health
for yourself and your family, visit www.mentalhealthillinois.org.
For mental...
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials remind residents of Iroquois and Livingston counties that the deadline to apply for assistance from flood damage is May 6, 2008. Residents should call the FEMA Helpline at (800) 621- FEMA or TTY (800) 462-7585 for speech or hearing-impaired...
John Pickering had been the administrator of the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department since the agency was created in 1980. He retired from the agency on February 29, 2008. He began his career in public health in his native England and later emigrated to the U.S.
Pickering has received many...
Iroquois County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency
For Watseka and Iroquois County Flood Related Information Contact Iroquois County ESDA
Iroquois County ESDA - 550 South 10th Street - Watseka, IL 60970 - (815) 432-6997
Email ESDA Director, Carl Gerdovich IQESDA@IQESDA.com
website: www.iqesda.com
The 2006 Edition of the KAN-I-HELP Human Services Directory is available for purchase at $10.00 per copy. They may be purchased at the I-KAN Regional Office of Education's Pledge for Life Partnership office at 189 E. Court Street, Suite 403, Kankakee, IL.
Don't Look the Other Way: Vigilance encouraged during prom and graduation season.
April kicks off the prom and graduation season and the Pledge for Life Partnership is warning that underage drinking increases dramatically during this time.
“Teens are under increased pressure to use alcohol or other drugs around these events and we are hoping that parents and the community are...
FIFTH GRADERS LEARN HOW ALCOHOL DAMAGES THE DEVELOPING BRAIN
Students in Mrs. Cynthia McBarnes 5th grade class at Liberty Intermediate School in Bourbonnais received a sobering message about the dangers of alcohol on their developing brains from principal Paul Snellenberger as part of the National Reach Out Now Teach-In event held April 6 in the visiting...
Partnership to host town meeting on underage drinking
The Pledge for Life Partnership will be among hundreds of communities nationwide hosting town hall meetings this month to alert communities to the new research on the dangers of underage drinking and to discuss actions to stop it.
A town hall meeting for residents of Kankakee and Iroquois...
This year, the Pledge for Life Partnership applauds two outstanding individuals for their leadership abilities and service to the youth in their communities.
Richard Lottinville of St. Anne and Scott Watts of Watseka are the winners of the 2005 Lowe School Board Recognition Award. The...
Pam Lee and JoAnne Schwade of Kankakee are the winners of the 2005 Harold Award presented by the Pledge for Life Partnership.
The Harold Award -- named after the Life Education Center’s 8 ft. mascot, Harold the Giraffe -- recognizes outstanding examples of dedication and commitment to the...
The Kankakee-Iroquois HELP Information Network (KAN-I HELP) has been awarded a $5000 grant from the Illinois Head Start Association to determine the local feasibility of developing a comprehensive mental health system for children.
The system, which would include prevention, early intervention...
More than 50 students and adult volunteers helped lay a walking path on June 26, 2004 around the new 4,649 square ft. playground at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Hopkins Park as part of a Learn and Serve project funded through a grant from the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community...
Fifth graders at Manteno Elementary School received a sobering message about the dangers of alcohol on their developing brains from Dr. Kay Pangle, Regional Superintendent of Kankakee – Iroquois County Schools, as part of the National Reach Out Now Teach In event held yesterday in the visiting...
Reach Out Now targets teachers, parents of fifth graders
The nationwide event targets teachers and parents of 5th graders and is an initiative of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The I-KAN Regional Office was one of only three sites in Illinois invited to participate and the event is one of several activities...
To encourage communication on the dangers of early alcohol use, the I-KAN Regional Office of Education and the Pledge for Life Partnership will participate in the 2004 Reach Out Now National Teach-In Campaign April 26-30.
The nationwide event targets teachers and parents of 5th graders and is an...
KAN-I HELP web site invites the community to “Make a Pledge” to reduce underage drinking
Families, businesses and individuals can now register their “Pledge for Life,” a commitment to reduce underage drinking through compliance with the laws governing alcohol and other dangerous substances, on-line at www.kan-i-help.org.
The “Pledge for Life” registration gives community members the...
The new and improved KAN-I HELP website makes it even easier for individuals to utilize the internet to gain access to services provided by government and non-profit agencies. Funding was provided by a one-time grant from Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging through the National Family...
