Over 1 million Illinois families will put turkey on the table this Thanksgiving with the help of federal food assistance, including more than half of the households in Pulaski and Alexander counties.

October job numbers for Illinois remained disappointing, with an unemployment rate that was third highest in the nation. There are 346,000 Illinoisans who need a job.

Nearly 2 million Illinoisans – or more than 1-in-7 – received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in July 2024. One-quarter of county offices reported more than 1-in-5 residents received food help.

Declining reading and math scores decrease opportunity for students in Illinois. Apprenticeships, which provide paid on-the-job training and classroom instruction, are an in-demand alternative to a college degree that can build key skills and help meet future employment needs.

Published Oct. 16, 2024 Illinois finds itself at a crossroads: will it empower minorities and poor people to unleash their potential, or will it perpetuate an inequitable status quo? For far too many Illinoisans, opportunity is unfairly and unnecessarily out of reach. Illinois ranks in the bottom ten among all states in social mobility and...