On Wednesday, February 4th, Governor Pat Quinn signed SB 1132, the supplemental appropriations bill that included funding to restore both the JTED and the EOGP programs.

Participants and endorsers of the IWF campaign participated in the advocacy for this restoration by making phone calls, writing letters, and attending meetings in district and at the state capitol.  For the first time in years, members of the General Assembly became aware of these programs and the faces behind them.

“It was really compelling for legislators to hear first hand from constituents who are participants or graduates of these programs,” observed Jennifer Kottler, IWF campaign director.  “Legislators don’t automatically see the faces of those who need these job skills training programs.  For once, they saw the faces, heard the stories, and voted to restore the funding that had been cut from the budget.”

IWF encourages everyone to take time to say thank you to all the legislators and to Governor Quinn.  This bill passed unanimously out of both chambers of the General Assembly on January 13th.