Rep. Robin Kelly Secures $6,905,444 for Chicago’s South Suburbs

March 28, 2024

Matteson, IL – U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (IL-02) announced the approval of $6,905,444 in federal funding for projects in Chicago’s South Suburbs. Rep. Kelly secured this funding allocation is part of the Fiscal Year 2024 government appropriations package.

Rep. Kelly secured investments for the following projects:

$2,500,000 is allocated for the Army Corps of Engineers to provide technical planning, design, and construction assistance to replace water mains that are aged and deteriorated. In addition, it will assist East Hazel Crest, Steger, Flossmoor, and Park Forest improve their storm and sanitary sewers.

$900,000 is allocated for the South Suburban Association of Chiefs Police Taskforce for technology, training, and equipment. These funds will also be distributed to the South Suburban Emergency Response Teams (SSERT), the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force (SSMCTF), and the Suburban Major Accident Response Team (SMART).
$850,000 is allocated for Respond Now as part of its Food Pantry Expansion Project. This funding would enable Respond Now to provide its clients with a shopping market experience, allowing them to directly choose their food as if they were at a grocery store.

$850,000 is allocated to the Village of Burnham for its Burnham Avenue Grade Separation Project. This funding will eliminate the existing at-grade crossing of Burnham Avenue and CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation (NICTD) railroads, increasing community connectivity between the City of Chicago and its near-by South Suburbs while improving pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and efficient movement of freight.
$637,194 is allocated for the Village of Lansing Emergency Operations Center. This project will fulfill the Village's Emergency Operations Center’s (“EOC”) goal to deliver emergency dispatch services with professionalism, integrity and exceptional customer service to the Village's citizens and neighboring communities by the Village's first responders as immediately and efficiently as possible. The proposed new Public Works facility constructed on existing Village property located at the northeast corner of South Burnham Avenue and 170th Street and would house a new EOC and command room.

$525,250 is allocated for UCAN’s Riverdale Community Center. UCAN strives to build strong youth and families through compassionate healing, education, and empowerment. Included in this work is UCAN’s Violence Intervention & Prevention Services (VIPS) program, which works in Chicago neighborhoods most impacted by poverty and violence.

$500,000 is allocated for Will County as part of its Eastern Will County Truck Routing Project. This project will design and construct highway improvements along the Crete-Monee Corridor to support truck travel, increase safety, and be built to appropriate standards for heavy truck utilization.

$143,000 is allocated for the Village of Phoenix Police Department to improve technology and purchase safety equipment to make the village safer for officers and residents.

"I am proud to secure these critical investments for our communities in the South Suburbs," said Congresswoman Robin Kelly. "I look forward to continuing to work with community leaders to ensure that everyone in the Second District has the opportunity to thrive.”

“The Section 219 of the Water Resource Development Act plays a pivotal role in our nation's infrastructure development, ensuring vital water resource projects are planned, executed, and maintained effectively, said Col. Kenneth Rockwell, Chicago District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “This allocation plays a crucial role in bolstering our nation's infrastructure, ensuring resilience, and safeguarding communities against environmental threats, promoting equitable access to clean water for generations to come.

“The South Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police (SSACOP) is the largest Police Chiefs organization in the Chicagoland area, covering more than 65 agencies in the region. Regional Crime affects a large area of public safety for our residents, businesses, and all stakeholders throughout the Southland. SSACOP has taken a cooperative approach to reduce crime and crashes through many of our shared multi-agency task forces such as the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force (SSMCTF), South Suburban Emergency Response Team (SSERT), and Suburban Major Accident Reconstruction Team (SMART),” Chief Michael Jones, Chief of Police of the Matteson Police Department. “These task forces, as well as many others, pool our resources and experts effect our region. An increasingly beneficial aspect for these teams and our region is technology. SSACOP submits to the method of smarter policing through technology. With the help of our federal governmental partners, we are looking to implement smarter policing technology that will greatly improve on the safety and security of our regional communities and increase their quality of life.”

“The funding being received, thanks to the hard work of Representative Kelly and her office, will be transformative in the way Food Pantry services are delivered for people in the Southland. Respond Now is dedicated to offering services with dignity and respect,” said Carl Wolf, Executive Director of Respond Now. The development of our Food Pantry into a supermarket style model, a development made possible by this funding, will continue to advance our work in this regard. Just as any one of us goes to the supermarket and inspects the labels, picks up the fruit, and compares nutritional values, the people who utilize food pantries should be afforded that same opportunity. It's not only a question of dignity and respect, but a question of empowerment, and allowing people to make choices that best meet their lifestyle needs.”

“This long sought-after grade separation is important for Burnham and its neighboring communities” said Mayor Robert Polk, Mayor of the Village of Burnham. It will improve mobility for everyone around the congested rail crossings and, just as important, it will improve public safety by reducing response times for emergency services and first responders.”

“Approval of Community Project Funding for the Village of Lansing’s Regional Emergency Operations Center (or “EOC”) will help meet a critical local area initiative to deliver emergency service by first responders more effectively. The Village’s Enhanced 9-1-1 Dispatch Center is located inside Lansing’s Police Headquarters and currently acts as the closest thing to an EOC to address the potential needs of the region’s residents in the event of an emergency,” said the Village of Lansing. “The generous approval by Congresswoman Kelly’s office for this Community Project Funding will significantly help the Village improve efficiency and assure that emergency services continue to be provided in the future to Lansing’s residents and those of its neighboring communities with the same professionalism, integrity and exceptional customer service by the Village’s police and fire first responders as always.”

“UCAN extends its gratitude to Congresswoman Kelly for her invaluable support of the renovation of our Riverdale Community Center,” said Christa Hamilton, CEO/Executive Director of UCAN. “The allocated funding will be instrumental in facilitating both exterior and interior repairs and updates. This space serves as a crucial hub where we facilitate visits for foster children with their biological parents, deliver essential workforce development services, conduct youth development programming, and provide a safe haven for at-risk youth participating in our violence prevention programs.”

“This funding will ensure that this critical project can move forward, reducing congestion and improving roadway safety throughout Eastern Will County,” said County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County. “This long-planned project will redirect truck traffic towards a dedicated freight corridor and away from local neighborhoods. I greatly appreciate Congresswoman Kelly’s support of this project and for her continued advocacy for Will County residents.”

“On behalf of Mayor Terry Wells and Village of Phoenix we are honored to be selected to receive this most important funding to improve the health and safety of our community,” said Chief Roy Wells, Chief of Police for the Village of Phenix Police Department. “With this funding we will be able to upgrade and purchase safety equipment such as a new records management system and a speed trailer to help reduce the amount of traffic accidents. We thank our federal partners for making sure the residents of Phoenix live in a safe and technologically advanced community.”

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