For Immediate Release – November 8, 2021
Coles County Peace and Justice Fund awards grants for 2021
(MATTOON, Illinois) Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation recently announced the recipients of the Coles County Peace and Justice Fund for 2021. The recipients include Douglas-Hart Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Illinois, the Children’s Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois, CASA of East Central Illinois and the Friends of the Mattoon Public Library – RealiTea ProjecT.
Douglas-Hart Foundation received $2,000 to support the “Project EARTH” program at the Douglas-Hart Nature Center. “Project EARTH” (Educate and Advocate for Recycling, Togetherness, and Hope) is a proposed recycling partnership between the Eastern Illinois Area of Special Education’s LIFE Academy Recycling Program and the Douglas-Hart Foundation. Project EARTH hopes to help alleviate the current community recycling issue. Find more information about Douglas Hart at https://www.dhnature.org/.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Illinois received $1,500 to support JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) training for all staff, board members and volunteers and round table discussion for youth on how to handle social injustice and bias. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Illinois provides at-risk youth with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships. Find more information about BBBS at https://joinsomethingbig.org/.
Children’s Advocacy Center of East Central Illinois received $1,500 to help ensure continued coverage for phone and internet access at the center to allow ongoing communication with clients. CACECI is a not-for-profit agency that works with law enforcement, child protection services, States Attorney offices, mental health, and medical agencies to provide a child-friendly environment to conduct forensic interviews of child victims and witnesses. Find more information about CAC of East Central Illinois at https://caceci.org/.
CASA of East Central Illinois received $1,000 to implement a more diverse Board of Directors and volunteer base. The goal is to recruit diverse members and implementing protocols to ensure that the organization is free from racial and gender biases and to promote and recognize diversity, equity, and inclusion. CASA volunteers advocate for justice on behalf of children who have experienced abuse and neglect in Coles and Cumberland counties. Find more information about CASA of East Central Illinois at https://casaeci.org/.
Friends of the Mattoon Community Library – RealiTea ProjecT received $1,000 assist local conversations and mitigate technology costs at community facilitated discussions. The RealiTea ProjecT hopes to be the bridge to help connect the disconnect of racial injustice, traumatic experiences and cross-cultural differences. This can be achieved through open conversation in a safe environment to further encourage unity within our community. Open discussion can be interviews, social media platforms, training and speaking engagements. Find more information at https://www.facebook.com/TheRealiTeaProjecT.
The Coles County Peace and Justice Fund is a fund of Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation that awards grants to organizations in Coles County for programs and activities that encourage mutual trust and promote cross-cultural understanding on matters of social justice and human rights, religious tolerance, and environmental protection. The Coles County Peace and Justice Fund Advisory Board include Bob and Marilyn McClean, Bruce Karmazin, Elaine Fine, LaTonya Davies, and Vinnie Walk. For more information, contact Kristen Bertrand, Program Officer, at 217.342.5413 or kristen@enrichingourcommunity.org.
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