LCCF and Efforts to Prioritize Poverty
“It’s a huge misconception that poverty is an urban issue.”
-Maggie Morales, LCCF Executive Director
FIRSTHAND: Living in Poverty Zion, IL story
"Growing up in Zion, Illinois, Gary Ladehoff remembers seeing poverty all around him, from dirty alleys to vacant buildings to low-income, single-parent families like his living in Section 8 housing."
On Tuesday, January 23, 2018 over 175 participants joined LCCF for Right Now in Lake County, an event held at the new Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. The standing room only audience comprised of donors, business and nonprofit executives, municipal leaders, agency partners and concerned residents speaks to the magnitude of the issue of suburban poverty right here in Lake County.
Dr. Scott Allard, author of Places in Need: The Changing Geography of Poverty, delivered remarks as well as a panel of three nonprofit health and human service providers who shared examples of successful local efforts that are under way to address the growing issue of poverty.
Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor read a proclamation joining LCCF in declaring January 23, 2018 as Lake County Poverty Awareness Day. We were honored to have Mayor Rob Lansing (Lake Forest), Village President Kathy O’Hara (Lake Bluff), Mayor Steve Lentz (Mundelein), Mayor Charlie Pecaro (Highwood) and Mayor Nancy Rotering (Highland Park) show their support through the creation of their own community specific proclamations.
Our 2018 Lake County Poverty Awareness Day served as a launching point to build awareness of poverty and its effects in suburban Lake County and fostered further dialogue, community engagement and philanthropy to address it.
- Click HERE to access recordings of our 2018 Right Now In Lake County
- Access the recording of the “Addressing Poverty Right Now In Lake County” webinar HERE
A year since the first Poverty Awareness Day, efforts continue in Lake County to raise awareness and drive positive change:
- Zion Township hosted its own Poverty Awareness Day on June 26, 2018.
- The food insecurity rate continues to decline. LCCF has begun to see positive progress through its collaborative efforts to increase access to affordable, nutritious food throughout Lake County.
- The Alliance for Human Services, a coalition of over 30 health and human service organizations across Lake County, has committed to providing hands-on professional development opportunities for its members and other community stakeholders to further understand the issues of suburban poverty and how we can work together to collaboratively address them.