A bill passed through the state legislature would give townships more options to support those in need.
The bill [SB 3565] would allow townships to put public aid money that they levy toward administering in-kind aid. That general assistance money is currently only able to be used to give up to $500 monthly to people in specific circumstances — chiefly those who are in between jobs or unemployed.
Under the bill, a township could also use money coming from that levy to establish and administer food banks, food pantries and other programs to benefit more homeless, indigent or poor residents in need of immediate assistance. That would help those who couldn't qualify before.
“So things like a food pantry being established, hygiene pantries, clothing pantries, being able to provide toilet paper, paper towels, and other paper good products — we would be able to use those tax funds to help those people now,” said Krystle Able, Normal Township supervisor.
The Normal Township office is already host to a few of these offerings. There is clothing available to wear during job interviews, as well as hygiene products available. Bloomington’s Unitarian Universalist Church also donated a 'little free pantry" for people to drop off nonperishable goods, hygiene products and household supplies.
But unless the bill is signed into law, those options can be stocked solely by community donations.
“This bill would possibly give us the opportunity to be able to stock those pantries and curate some of those like clothing items and hygiene items ourselves, so that they stay full all the time, and we can offer those three pantries to more people,” said Able.
The Normal Township office sees approximately 80 to 125 applications for assistance every month, but only about a dozen of those are approved each month because others are ineligible.
“These people are often very desperate,” said Able. “They don't know what they're going to do. They make just a little bit too much money to qualify for assistance, but not enough to get their bills paid because of inflation and the rising costs of everything, and SNAP benefits being cut.”
If and when cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] affect residents, Able said broadening the scope of what general assistance money can go toward will “allow us to really help a lot more people.”
Deb Skillrud, City of Bloomington Township supervisor, said she did not anticipate much change for her office to come from the bill, if signed. She said there are many food pantries already in Bloomington, and if the township supports one, it has to support all.
Rural communities
Able said the wording of the bill is broad to allow townships of different sizes to administer funding differently. In Hudson, north of Bloomington-Normal, township supervisor Mike O’Grady said it will not change much.
“In Hudson's case, we have maybe one emergency general assistance claim a year,” said O’Grady.
Unlike Normal, Hudson does not tax for a general assistance fund. When assistance is needed, the town fund levy covers it.
This means Hudson Township works differently than bigger municipalities.
In Normal, Able said her office works as the social service arm of the government with general and emergency assistance, senior services at the Activity and Recreation Center [ARC] and the assessor’s office. O’Grady said his office mostly works on roads, the town hall and cemeteries.
O'Grady added when someone in Hudson Township needs help, they are processed through the City of Bloomington Township.
The bill has been sent to the governor for his signature. It was co-sponsored by state Rep. Sharon Chung, a Democrat from Bloomington.
Here's how to apply for assistance through your local township:
