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Stretched Thin: YWCA Adult Services Struggle To Keep Up With Demand

YWCA of McLean County

Editors Note:  "Stretched Thin," is examining the effect of the state budget impasse on local social service agencies to put a human face on how the stalemate is affecting the daily lives of Illinois residents.
The McLean County YWCA is mandated by the state of Illinois to offer a variety of services to adult residents who are elderly or disabled. But in a Catch 22 for the agency, the state has not provided funding for these services for several months, according to Liz German, the YWCA's vice president for operations.

One of the YWCA's largest programs offers 245 adults a variety of home care services, like cooking, cleaning and medical support so those residents can live on their own. German says programs like this one actually save taxpayers money because they help people remain at home instead of in hospitals or other care facilities.

German said another of the YWCA programs hard hit by the budget crisis is the RSVP program, which matches retirees with community organizations that need volunteers. Last fall, the agency had to lay off the employee who responded to organizations' calls for volunteers for lack of funding.