Governor Quinn Opens Illinois Warrior Summit

CHICAGO – April 24, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today attended the third annual Illinois Warrior Summit resource fair and encouraged Illinois’ veterans to access available state and federal services. The event is a first-of-its-kind welcome home celebration for servicemembers returning from deployment and provides them with information about housing, healthcare, education, jobs and other benefits.

“Here in Illinois we work hard to provide some of the nation’s best benefits and services for our servicemembers when they return home,” said Governor Quinn. “The Illinois Warrior Summit is the perfect ‘one-stop shop’ for our veterans to take advantage of all that is available.”

More than 100 veteran organizations, 50 employers, 20 universities and other organizations participated in the summit, which was hosted by the local chapter of the Student Veterans of America. Available services included health and wellness screenings, as well as workshops on the Yellow Ribbon Program, the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill educational programs.

“We are proud to participate in the Illinois Warrior Summit and to help provide essential information on benefits for returning servicemembers, and all veterans who need it,” said IDVA Director Dan Grant, who joined Governor Quinn at the event.

In 2009, Governor Quinn signed more than two dozen bills creating or expanding veterans’ benefits, including the Veterans Higher Education Bill, which provides greater access to resources for veterans attending public colleges and universities statewide.

The third annual Illinois Warrior Summit was held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Forum, located at 725 South Roosevelt Road in Chicago.

For more information on programs available to Illinois veterans, please visit www.Veterans.Illinois.gov.