Shields Twp. Partnerships Promote Community Resources

By law, townships in Illinois are required to do three things: assess property for local taxes, provide general assistance to the needy, and maintain roads in their unincorporated area. But townships offer so much more, Shields Township Supervisor Cynthia Maloney explained to attendees at a recent workshop held at the Career Resource Center in Lake Forest (CRC). The workshop, “5 Steps to Your Next Job,” was hosted by CRC and presented by the Lake County Workforce Development Job Center. Townships from the central Lake County area were also invited to discuss their services.

Maloney said while each township differs in their full list of offerings, each has extensive partnerships with other organizations and groups and is able to tap into a deep understanding of their community and is aware of all of the help that is available.

In fact, when Jan Cline Leahy is looking for additional information to offer assistance in her role as CRC’s Executive Director, one of the first contacts she makes is to the Township Supervisor in the person’s home district. “They know the resources in their community,” Leahy told participants at the career workshop. She said the special week long presentation was the result of an ongoing partnership CRC has with the Job Center team from Workforce Development. The “5 Steps to You Next Job” workshops will continue throughout the county. Visit the Job Center for a complete list of upcoming locations: http://www.lakecountyjobcenter.com/Pages/default.aspx. More information on the Career Resource Center can be found at www.CareerResourceCenter.org.

The five days of the CRC workshop addressed a different career and job search topic every day. Representatives from Moraine, West Deerfield, Vernon, and Shields Townships provided details of the services they offer so attendees would have a full understanding of resources available. Each township does their best to customize assistance to meet residents’ needs, Maloney explained.

In Shields Township, for example, the following services are offered to residents:
• Dial a Ride- PACE’s public transportation for seniors and those with a disability. Service area and times of operation are expanding in 2016.
• Top Box- healthy boxes of food at affordable prices. Open to all. Purchasing food from Top Box saves money on groceries and helps support the program so others can benefit from it.
• Food Pantry- groceries for residents who are experiencing a financial hardship or who are on fixed incomes and have difficulty making ends meet. Note: The Food Pantry is for residents only.
• Passport applications without appointments- the $25 fee goes directly to support the Food Pantry. Open to residents and non-residents.
• General Assistance and Case Manager- experienced, caring assistance for those undergoing extreme financial difficulty. Emergency help is also available. There are income restrictions, but any resident is eligible to apply.

In addition, by working with other groups, associations and organizations, the Township is able to make connections and stretch resources across village or city borders. CRC’s Leahy said that knowledge and awareness of the community is important and part of what makes townships necessary. “There isn’t anyone else that can take on that job,” she said.

For more information on Shields Township services call 847.234.0802 or visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ShieldsTownship