IL: Poverty Issues
Do work requirements 'work' to keep people out of poverty?
Members of the U.S. House Work and Welfare Subcommittee came to Illinois this month to drum up support for work requirements for anyone seeking …
Congressional budget impasse threatens IL community health centers
Community health centers in Illinois are stuck in financial limbo as Congress contends with another potential government shutdown. More than forty …
Health group hopes for funding amid looming deadline
The price of healthcare has many Americans struggling with costly prescriptions, doctor visits and hospitalizations. Uninsured people are the focus …
IL co-op to develop solar projects for low-income, BIPOC communities
By Lydia Larsen for Inside Climate News.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Netwo…
IL advocacy group insists state’s tax system hurts children
A new analysis of state tax systems finds the Illinois tax structure is unfair to low- and middle-income households, especially those with children…
Farm Bill delays could affect food benefits for many Americans
The once-every-five-year Farm Bill will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from finding a path forward…
Report: Childcare Biggest Challenge for IL Families
Having access to reliable, affordable, high-quality child care benefits both children and adults, but a new report said it is not the norm for …
Increased Work Requirements Mean Fewer SNAP Benefits for Ilinoisans
Almost 2 million people in Illinois receive SNAP food assistance, but several hundred thousand are expected to lose access to it at the end of …
Financial Assistance Available for Stopping Water Shutoffs in IL
CHICAGO -- Illinois residents struggling to pay utility bills can apply for assistance through the state, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced this week $…
IL Child Well-Being Improved in Last Decade, Although Disparities Remain
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Child well-being in Illinois was looking up in 2019 compared with 2010, but advocates say the full impact of COVID-19 is yet to …
IL Moratorium on Utility Shutoffs Ends, Natural Gas Prices Spike
CHICAGO -- As a state moratorium on utility shutoffs comes to an end, more than 800,000 customers in Illinois are behind on their utility bills and …
Report: 1 in 5 IL Families Unsure About Next Rent Payment
CHICAGO -- At least 20% of Illinois families with children said they had only "slight or no confidence" they'd make their next rent or mortgage paymen…