Keep Kids Safe – Save Afterschool Programs in Illinois!

On Friday, April 3, Governor Bruce Rauner suspended $26 million in social services and public health grants as part of his push to tackle a $1.6 billion shortfall in the current FY15 state budget. Effective immediately these programs and services that benefit thousands of children and families across Illinois must cease operations and close their doors; leaving our already vulnerable population at risk.

The programs directly affected by these cuts include services for persons with autism and those with epilepsy, the developmentally disabled, the mentally ill and homelessness, addiction prevention services for immigrants seeking to become U.S. citizens, and afterschool services for children and youth.

This $26 million cutbackto the Department of Human Services Grants and the Department of Public Health will not only affect the individuals and families who access these services, it will incur in greater costs for taxpayers in the future. These cuts counteract and undermine the important work we all do to support youth, families and communities.

Restoring social services and public health grants should be an urgent priority. We encourage both organizations and individuals to use social media to contact their Illinois state legislators and be heard on why this funding is vital to support our work.

We have provided social media contact information for the Senate and House leadership serving on the Appropriations committees working on the budget. Additionally, a list of sample Facebook posts, and tweets are included to get you started. With your help, we can advocate to restore funding that provides quality community schools and afterschool programs for thousands of children and youth in our state.

Join us and be part of a state-wide campaign to support afterschool programs!

Thanks for your support,

Melissa Mitchell

Executive Director

Here are a few Tweets and Facebook Posts to get you started.

Be sure to insert your Representative’s handle from pages 6-7.Not sure who your Representative is? You can use your address to search for them here.

Sample Tweets - Choose the one that resonates most with you and your community.

Sample Tweet 1
@InsertRepHandle, keep kids safe and engaged in#afterschoolprograms.#Communityschoolscan't afford cuts.#twill#saveafterschool
Sample Tweet 2
I condemn @GovRauner’sreckless grant terminations that close doors to thousands of children & families. @InsertRepHandle, #saveafterschool
Sample Tweet 3
Law enforcement says #afterschool keeps kids safe; @GovRauner still springs cuts on families.@InsertRepHandle#twill [Add the image below to your Tweet!]
Sample Tweet 4
@GovRauner’s$26 million cut will save #IL millions. But constituents are paying the price. @InsertRepHandle,#SaveAfterschool #twill
Sample Tweet 5
In#IL, 65,000 students & 11,000 adults count on#afterschool programseach day. @InsertRepHandle,#SaveAfterschool #twill
Sample Tweet 6
Nonessential? #TeenREACH keeps kids safe & supports working parents. @InsertRepHandle, #saveafterschool #twill [Add the image below to your Tweet!]
Sample Tweet 7
Cuts to #afterschool increase delinquency & make kids less safe. @InsertRepHandle,#SaveAfterschool #twill[Add the image below to your Tweet!]

Sample Facebook Posts - Choose the one that resonates most with you and your community.

Sample Facebook Post 1
#Afterschool programs, like #TeenREACH, keep kids safe and engaged. Why then are these programs deemed “nonessential”? Thousands of youth and families are being affected by these cuts. We urge you to save afterschool in #Illinois.
[Add the image below to your Post!]
Sample Facebook Post 2
#TeenREACH keeps youth safe and supports working families. In #Illinois 65,000 students and 11,000 adults count on #afterschool programs each day. #Saveafterschool
[Add the image below to your Post!]
Sample Facebook Post 3
According to The Chicago Tribune | April 4th 2015
Governor Rauner’s$26 million cut will save Illinois millions. But constituents are paying the price. Jimi Orange of Children's Home and Aid faces the unenviable task of telling up to 25 of the 100 children in Chicago's impoverished West Englewood neighborhood they can't come to Earle Elementary School for after-class tutoring and cultural activities because the state has recalled the remaining $3.1 million of Teen REACH money for kids ages 7 to 17.
Let’s not close this door to the youth and families who need these resources the most. #SaveAfterschool
Sample Facebook Post 4
I condemn Governor Rauner’sreckless grant terminations that close doors to thousands of children & families. Cuts to #afterschool programs increase delinquency and make kids feel less safe. #Saveafterschool #TeenREACH[Add the image below to your Post!]

Find your Senator and Representative on Social Media

Not sure who your State Senator and Representative are? Find them here.

House Appropriations – Human Services Committee
Name / District / Party / Twitter Handle / Facebook
Greg Harris / 13 / Democrat /
Robyn Gabel / 18 / Democrat / @RobynGabel /
Patricia R. Bellock / 47 / Republican
Edward J. Acevedo / 2 / Democrat / @EdwardJAcevedo
C.D. Davidsmeyer / 100 / Republican / @RepCD /
Tom Demmer / 90 / Republican / @tomdemmer /
Sara Feigenholtz / 12 / Democrat / @StateRepSara /
Randy Frese / 94 / Republican / @ElectFrese /
Esther Golar / 6 / Democrat
Elizabeth Hernandez / 24 / Democrat / @RepHernandez /
Sheri L Jesiel / 61 / Republican /
Dwight Kay / 112 / Republican / @RepDwightKay
David R. Leitch / 73 / Republican
Camille Y. Lilly / 78 / Democrat
Natalie A. Manley / 98 / Democrat / @repmanley /
Rita Mayfield / 60 / Democrat / @RitaMayfield
Charles E. Meier / 108 / Republican /
Michelle Mussman / 56 / Democrat
Michael Unes / 91 / Republican / @mikeunes /
Kathleen Willis / 77 / Democrat / @repwillis77
Senate Appropriations Committee I
Name / District / Party / Twitter Handle / Facebook
Heather A. Steans / 7 / Democrat / @HeatherSteans
Dan Kotowski / 28 / Democrat / @SenatorDan /
Daniel Biss / 9 / Democrat / @danielbiss /
William Delgado / 2 / Democrat / @SenDelgado
Michael E. Hastings / 19 / Democrat / @HastingsforIL /
Mattie Hunter / 3 / Democrat / @SenatorHunter /
Andy Manar / 48 / Democrat / @AndyManar /
Steve Stadelman / 34 / Democrat / @SteveStadelman /
Donne E. Trotter / 17 / Democrat /
Patricia Van Pelt / 5 / Democrat / @SenatorVanPelt /
Matt Murphy / 27 / Republican / @SenMattMurphy /
Jason A. Barickman / 53 / Republican / @jasonbarickman /
Tim Bivins / 45 / Republican /
Dan Duffy / 26 / Republican / @SenatorDanDuffy /
Chapin Rose / 51 / Republican / @SenChapinRose /

33 West Grand Avenue, Suite 300

Chicago, Illinois 60654

(312) 836-0854

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