Angela Balentine of North Chicago accepted a new job last year at a facility in Mundelein and then realized she had neither the protective clothing she needed nor money to fill her car’s gas tank to get to and from work for the first week.
Ballantine, a resident of the Shields Township portion of North Chicago, turned to officials in Waukegan Township and got the help she needed through its emergency assistance program. Waukegan Township began providing those services to Shields Township residents a year ago.
“It was a frigid factory job,” Ballantine said. “They helped me get a sweater, the right pants and gave me a $40 gas card so I could get to work for the week.”
Ballantine is among the scores of people receiving emergency general assistance and other services from Waukegan Township, including people who live in nearby townships, supplementing the work done there.
With 18th Street in North Chicago — the midst of the Sheridan Road business district — dividing Shields and Waukegan townships, Waukegan Township Supervisor Marc Jones said for years residents of north Shields Township gravitated north to Waukegan when an emergency need arose.
Unfortunately, Jones said the township is only able to help its residents despite the need. When someone arrives from elsewhere, they are directed to the township where they live.
Now, Jones said Shields Township pays Waukegan Township a monthly fee to provide emergency services to residents from the neighboring township. The program expanded to the general assistance efforts in March.
“We know the needs of our community members extend past any invisible boundary lines,” he said. “We are fortunate that Shields Township was willing to collaborate with us to make it possible to extend our resources to all of our neighbors south of 18th Street.”
For the past year, Jones said Waukegan Township has helped 258 people with emergency services and 27 were Shields Township residents, all from North Chicago. Shields Township includes all of Lake Bluff, North Chicago south of 18th Street and a large part of Lake Forest.
After serving North Chicago residents from Shields Township for nearly four months, Jones said another opportunity arose when Catholic Charities stopped handling AgeGuide, providing emergency services to seniors 60 and over.
Receiving a grant from AgeGuide, Waukegan Township was authorized to handle emergency services for seniors from Warren, Benton, Zion, Shields, Libertyville and Newport townships, as well as Waukegan Township.
“This is a supplement to the already outstanding senior programs being offered in the six townships, as well as Waukegan,” Jones said.
Emergency assistance for Waukegan and Shields Township residents includes housing assistance for both people who are homeless and those behind on rent or a mortgage. Jones said there is also help with people in danger of losing gas, electric or water service.
With proof of a prescription for medication, Jones said emergency services also include help paying for the medicine up to $300 with proper documentation. Gas or bus cards are part of the package for people who are unable to get to work. With proof, there is burial help up to $500.
“We verify employment,” Jones said, adding that everything is checked before help is given.
General assistance is available to people out of work and seeking employment. Jones said the township offers $450 monthly for basics. There are requirements like classes and proof of the search.
“You do not qualify if you get unemployment, disability or Social Security,” he said. ”Sometimes, we hand it off to Lake County Workforce Development.”
Individuals 60 or over are part of a separate program offering help to them through AgeGuide. Jones said it also includes people with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 59. It is funded by AgeGuide of Northeastern Illinois,
Benefits offered through AgeGuide include senior housing, assisted living, financial help with rent, mortgage or utilities, health services, food and nutrition support, legal and advocacy resources, transportation and caregivers. Jones said more than 160 people from the neighboring and Waukegan townships have received help through the program since November.
Angela Brady of Zion is one of those taking advantage of the AgeGuide program. After she received a particularly large electric bill, she said she was new to the area and unsure of what to do. She went to the Waukegan Township office, bill in hand, and it was covered.
“The bill got higher than I could afford to pay,” Brady said. “I was so grateful to them.”
Along with the emergency. general assistance and AgeGuide programs. Jones said the free yard care service for seniors is getting underway for Waukegan Township residents over 55.
