Illinois.gov - Illinois Government News Network (IGNN)

CHICAGO – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced new Keep Warm Illinois community workshops that will be held across Illinois. At these workshops, run by Community Action Agencies, Illinois residents will receive information from energy conservation experts on how to reduce energy use and bring down their heating bills during the cold winter months.

“Families across Illinois are feeling the budget-strain of their first winter heating bill and are looking for ways to bring down their energy costs as soon as possible,” Governor Blagojevich said. “These workshops can help people learn how to cut down on this year’s bills and offer energy saving tips that can make a difference in years to come.”

The Keep Warm Illinois campaign, through the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), has partnered with Community Action Agencies for events in Carlyle, Centralia, Chicago, Cicero, Clinton, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, Freeport, Greenville, Havana, Joliet, Lincoln, Marion, Monticello, Mt. Vernon, Newton, Okawville, Petersburg, Princeton, Rock Falls, Salem, Springfield, Streator, Trenton, West Frankfort, Wheaton, and Woodstock.

“We realize that a lot of families were shocked when they received their last heating bill and attending one of these workshops can help to lower costs,” said Barry Maram, Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. “Workshops are just one of the many options that Governor Blagojevich’s Keep Warm Illinois campaign offers to help families keep warm and safe this winter while reducing heating costs and I encourage families to take advantage of all the resources that are available. I encourage Illinois residents to visit the Keep Warm Illinois website (www.keepwarm.illinois.gov) and call the Keep Warm Illinois hotline (1-877-411-WARM) where they can learn more about saving energy and getting energy assistance.”

If residents follow the home weatherization recommendations, which can also be found on the Keep Warm Illinois website, such as caulking windows and doors, increasing insulation in their attics, sealing electrical outlets and purchasing energy efficient appliances, they can save as much as 30 percent a year in energy costs. The times and locations of the workshops are listed below.

	Community Organization	Location and Address	Date and Time

BCMW Community Services, Inc.	Bond County Senior Center 305 S. 3rd St., Greenville	January 25, 2006 11:00 a.m.
	Bond County Housing Authority 220 E. Winter, Greenville	January 27, 2006 6:30 p.m.
	Central City Lions Club South Morrison, Central City, Centralia	January 27, 2006 6:30 p.m.
	Trenton Nutrition Site 520 N. Main, Trenton	January 31, 2006 11:00 a.m.
	Okawville Senior Nutrition Center 305 N. Nashville St. Okawville	February 1, 2006 12:30 p.m.
	Assembly of God 1890 Franklin St., Carlyle	February 2, 2006 6:30 p.m.
	BCMW Senior Nutition Site, #26 Salem Business Center South, Salem	February 2, 2006 12:30 p.m.

CEDA	Town of Cicero/CEDA Near West 5410 W. 34th St, Cicero	January 26, 2006 10:00 a.m.- 2:00p.m.
	Richard Daley Public Library 3400 S. Halsted, Chicago	January 28, 2006 10:00 a.m.
	Homan Square Comm Center 3559 W. Arthington, Chicago	February 3, 2006 10:00 a.m.
	Brighton Park Public Library 4314 S. Archer Ave, Chicago	February 11, 2006 10:00 a.m.
	Town of Cicero/CEDA Near West 5410 W. 34th St, Cicero	February 16, 2006 10:00 a.m.- 2:00p.m.

Central Illinois Economic Development Corporation	Piatt County - CAP Office 125 W. Lafayette St, Monticello	January 25, 2006 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
	Dewitt County - CAP Office 1700 E. Main St, Clinton	January 25, 2006 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
	Mason County - CAP Office 532 S. Schrader, Havana	January 26, 2006 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
	Menard County - CAP Office 809 Old Salem Rd, Petersburg	January 26, 2006 1:00 p.m.-3:00p.m.
	Logan County - CAP Office 800 5th Street, Lincoln	January 31, 2006 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m.-3:00p.m.

Crosswalk Community Action Agency	Wit & Wisdom Center 225 E. Poplar St, West Frankfort	January 24, 2006 11:00 a.m.
	Sunshine Center 521 Perkins Ave, Mt. Vernon	February 7, 2006 10:00 a.m.
	Marion Senior Citizens Center 507 W. Main St., Marion	February 10, 2006 10:00 a.m.

DuPage County	Peoples Resource Center 201 Naperville Road, Wheaton	January 25, 2006 10:00 a.m.
	Senior Citizens Center 935 Maple, Downers Grove	January 25, 2006 1:00 p.m.
	West Chicago Community Education Center Branch of the College of DuPage 930 E. Roosevelt Rd., West Chicago	January 28, 2006 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Embarras River Basin	Jasper County Senior Center 904 W. Jordan, Newton	January 26, 2006 11:45 a.m.

Lake County Community	Rep. Kathleen Ryg Vernon Hills – Exact Location TBD	February 7, 2006 2:00 p.m.

Mid Central Community	Reading Township Office 1630 S. Illinois St, South Streator	January 25, 2006 10:00 a.m.

McHenry County Community	Continuum of Care Committee McHenry Co. Gov. Admin. Building Conference Room C 620 Ware, Woodstock	January 26, 2006 9:00 a.m.
	McHenry County Community College Conference Center Annual Forum 8900 Rt. 14, Crystal Lake	February 4, 2006 11:00 a.m.
	AAUW Basement of Amcore Bank 5100 Northwest Highway Crystal Lake	February 6, 2006 8:00 p.m.

Northwestern IL Community Action Agency	Stephenson County Farm Bureau 210 West Spring St, Freeport	February 16, 2006 9:30 a.m.

Sangamon County Dept of Community Services	IL Employment & Training Center 1300 S Ninth St, Springfield	January 26, 2006 10:00 a.m.

Tri-Co Opportunities Council	Bureau County Senior Center 16 W. Marion St, Princeton	January 27, 2006 12:30 p.m.
	Tri-Co Opportunities Council 405 Emmons Ave, Rock Falls	February 2, 2006 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 1:00-3:00 p.m.
	Tri-Co Opportunities Council 405 Emmons Ave, Rock Falls	February 9, 2006 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Will County Center for Community Concerns	Monee Township Office 22 Towne Center Dr, Univ Park	January 24, 2006 9:00 a.m.
	Joliet Senior Service Center 251 N Center St, Joliet	February 8, 2006 9:00 a.m.

In October, Gov. Blagojevich launched the Keep Warm Illinois campaign, a multi-agency, comprehensive effort to help families reduce their heating bills by conserving energy and weatherizing their homes. The Keep Warm Illinois campaign brings resources together from the Illinois Departments on Aging, Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), Human Services (IDHS), the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) as well as public and private partnerships to coordinate efforts in preparing communities across the state for higher home heating costs this winter.

This fall, the Governor also announced that Illinois’ major utility companies – Ameren, Nicor Gas, and Peoples Energy – have agreed to his request to waive reconnection fees and suspend deposit requirements for customers receiving benefits through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) program to ensure that LIHEAP funding was being used directly for heating costs, not administrative add-ons. With LIHEAP funds covering actual usage charges only, and not administrative reconnection fees and security deposits, which can add more than $400 to a bill, the state can help more low-income households with their heating costs this winter.

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Bond County Senior Center

Bond County Housing Authority

Central City Lions Club

Trenton Nutrition Site

Assembly of God

CEDA

Town of Cicero/CEDA Near West

10:00 a.m.

Homan Square Comm Center

10:00 a.m.

Brighton Park Public Library

10:00 a.m.

Town of Cicero/CEDA Near West

Piatt County - CAP Office

Dewitt County - CAP Office

Mason County - CAP Office

Menard County - CAP Office

Logan County - CAP Office

Wit & Wisdom Center

Sunshine Center

Marion Senior Citizens Center

DuPage County

Peoples Resource Center

Senior Citizens Center

West Chicago Community Education Center

Branch of the College of DuPage

Embarras River Basin

Jasper County Senior Center

Lake County Community

Rep. Kathleen Ryg

Mid Central Community

Reading Township Office

McHenry County Community

Continuum of Care Committee

McHenry County Community College Conference Center

AAUW

Northwestern IL Community Action Agency

Stephenson County Farm Bureau

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