Rockford Sun

City of Rockford Community Action Agency Board met March 18.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

I. CALL TO ORDER 

A. Roll Call 

Attendee Name	Organization	Title	Status	Arrived
Karen Hoffman	City of Rockford	Alderman	Remote
Gina Delrose	City of Rockford		Present
Dorothy Redd	City of Rockford		Present
Jeremiah Griffin	City of Rockford		Present
Laura Snyder	City of Rockford		Absent
Tiana McCall	City of Rockford		Late	12:08 PM
Mary Yoho	City of Rockford		Present
Markayla Herbert	City of Rockford		Absent
Jeffrey Bailey	City of Rockford	Alderman	Late	12:10 PM
Mary Cacioppi	City of Rockford		Present
Ken Oliver	City of Rockford		Absent

II. ACTION ON MINUTES 

1. Approval of Minutes from January 21, 2025

RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]  MOVER: Gina Delrose SECONDER: Dorothy Redd AYES: Hoffman, Delrose, Redd, Griffin, McCall, Yoho, Bailey, Cacioppi ABSENT: Laura Snyder, Markayla Herbert, Ken Oliver

III. PROGRAMMATIC REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES 

1. Community Services Programmatic Reports

A. CSBG: 

1. The 2025 Scholarship applications were made available to the public on March 3, 2025. Applications must be returned to our office no later than Friday, April 4, 2025 (Flyer Attached). We will be asking the CAA Board to review applications and make recommendations on April 24, 2025, further details TBA via email.

2. The 2025 Gardens applications closed on March 7, 2025. We have received 11 Garden applications, including three (3) returning participants and eight (8) new applicants. Currently, we are in the review process of selecting the approved participants for the upcoming program year.

3. As of March 12, 2025, all funds for the 2025 Barrier Reduction Program (BRP) have been fully utilized. We are currently awaiting confirmation from IACAA regarding the availability of additional funding. Through this program, we were able to provide support to those in need, including assistance to three (3) domestic violence survivors, car repair for two (2) individuals, security deposits and/or first month’s rent for 29 individuals, and rent arrears payments for 75 households to prevent eviction. This support has helped clients achieve stability, while allowing them to secure or maintain employment.

4. The 2024 Getting-Ahead program, sponsored by Bridges to Prosperity, ended in February 2025. We celebrated seven (7) graduates at City Hall Council Chambers on February 28th, alongside the Mayor (Photo Attached). This program empowers participants by teaching life skills, building confidence, and preparing them for long-term life success. Six (6) graduates are enrolling to pursue further education, two (2) escaped domestic violence, and one (1) secured subsidized housing after a year of homelessness.

5. After review with our OCA Grants Manager, we will need to request a quarterly extension until our bylaws align with the board composition we select.

6. During our most recent 2026 OCA Grant Application Workshop, we were informed that the Community Service Block Grant will transition to an 18-month period, with no additional funding allocated. B. Homelessness: 

The homeless numbers currently are listed below: 

Population	3/11/2025
Veterans	2
Chronically homeless	1
Youth (16-24)	20
Families w/children	29
Single adult(s)	158
Total	210

1. Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board (IMPACT) program-Have 5 residents living in TH as of today. Staff is working on securing 3 more units. Renewal grant application was just released and submitted in mid-February. Final job posting for the last position just closed, so we will be setting up interviews soon.

2. Landlord Engagement: Job was posted and interviews are being scheduled. LL Engagement specialist is continuing to look for units and is scheduled to speak at the Rockford Apartment Association later this month.

3. HUD CoC grants-waiting for FY2024 contracts to be released. CoC Specialist position was posted and interviews are being held next week.

4. State ESG-was monitored by the State on 2/3/2025. Monitoring went very well, only one observation that we have already corrected.

5. Street outreach-continues on Thursday nights.

6. Overnight Café has closed for the season. Homeless staff members worked Tuesday nights assisting with client intakes while other agency’s staff covered different nights.

7. Medical Respite Grant-Rockford Rescue Mission has agreed to partner and let us use 2 rooms to “house” our 4 program participants. Working to finalize our MOU and Policy/Procedures. We have begun purchase of the needed furniture and items for the program. Goal is to have first move in this month.

8. In calendar year 2024, our homeless staff went to over 700 reported locations for outreach. Additionally, we housed 247 households (or provided referrals through the Coordinated Entry system) in the following categories:

21 Veterans

1 Chronically homeless

48 Youth (ages 16-24)

71 Families w/minor children

106 Single adults

C. LIHEAP: 

1. We are up to date with verifications being within 28 days of applications! There are pending applications with documents to be entered, but we have made incredible progress on these, and are within 30 days for these. We are now using the HHS 2025 award for client benefits. Our HHS 2024 client benefits are exhausted, as are our 2025 STATE client benefits.

2. A desk monitoring of the LIHEAP/PIPP programs took place and all questions were answered.

3. As of 3/1/25, we have taken 8474 applications for program year 2025 (started in October). Of these, 8013 applications have been verified and received benefits. Our first Outreach events have continued to draw about 100+ applicants each week (exception one particularly snowy Wednesday).

4. PIPP- The COMED issues are slowly getting resolved after many weekly meetings with DCEO, ICC, COMED and their respective IT departments. The COMED billing system and the STARS database now have matching customer information, so this is significant progress. Agreement has been made about making customers whole, but the logistics of such a statement are overwhelming. COMED is hoping to have the situation resolved by 3/31 - however they have missed several benchmarks in the past 2 weeks. When all is corrected, COMED will be sending a letter out to PIPP customers trying to explain what they are supposed to pay going forward.

5. Furnace: 72 Vouchers are currently underway and/or completed. We have 4 approved Furnace Contractors.

D. Weatherization: 

1. PY25 has begun but we are still having issues with the software OCA rolled out. It is not just an issue for us but also for our contractors.

2. Weatherization has begun and we have 11 RHA properties and 9 traditional weatherization homes in progress.

3. Biweekly calls continue even though OCA rescinded their production policy due to the failed rollout of the new IWX system. The system is not 100% ready and the set backs are rippling through the network.

4. The Weatherization team will be reduced from 3 to 2 as we say goodbye to our newest assessor. He has put in his 2-week notice and his last day is Friday the 14th.

5. OCA made a visit last month to assist and will be making another visit end of March to help with final inspections.

RESULT: DISCUSSED

IV. PROGRAMMATIC REPORT HEAD START 

1. Head Start Programmatic Report

A. We still have several positions available:

1. 5-Family Support Specialists - 49 weeks

2. 1-Family Support Specialist - 37 weeks

3. 1-Bilingual Family Support Specialist-37 weeks

4. 3-PACE Teachers

5. 6-Head Start Teacher- Interviewing

6. 2-Early Head Start Home Visitor Teacher-Posted

7. 1-Head Start Site Coordinator Formerly Community Partner Coordinator

8. 1-Maintanince Technician

9. 1- Health Services Assistant formerly Program Support Assistant Currently Interviewing

10. 1- Professional Development Coordinator (finishing the job description)

a. Vacancies will be filled and some eliminated pending Change in Scope approval

B. Currently we have posted -Health Services Assistant, EHS Home Visitor, Head Start Teacher

C. As of end of January 2025, we are at 52% of enrollment, 371 of 714 slots are filled in both Head Start and Early Head Start.

1. HS services on Pause at YMCA (40 slots).

2. Will reevaluate in April 2025 (meeting scheduled for April 4, 2025).

D. As of the end of February 2025 we are at 52% of enrollment, 372 of 714 slots are filled in both Head Start and Early Head Start.

E. Updated Corrective Action Plan (CAP) due to regional office March 21, 2025.

1. Health & Safety follow up monitoring review scheduled for April 2, 2025.

2. Documentation to support the work done to correct deficiencies due March 21, 2025.

F. No word on the FA1 (Focus Area 1) Monitoring Visit

G. Continuation Grant- Returned for revisions- final submission on March 13, 2025.

H. Change of Scope submitted February 2025.

1. Returned for revisions and due March 21, 2025.

2. Most likely will have many changes due to upcoming changes in childcare partnerships

I. We are need of Policy Council Reps. If you someone that would be interested please let me know and we will reach out to invite them to a meeting.

1. As of February, we currently have 9 representatives.

J. Spring Break March 24-28.

K. Fall school year to begin August 18.

RESULT: DISCUSSED

V. PROGRAMMATIC REPORT FISCAL 

1. Fiscal Report

A. Fiscal Reports

1. Health and Human Services Award Dashboard.

B. Monitoring/Auditing

1. City-wide audit is underway; fieldwork is expected to conclude on May 2nd.

RESULT: DISCUSSED

VI. EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT 

A. Faniqua Hughes: The continuing resolution for the federal budget passed. All of our programs are funded through at least September 2025. Head Start has been flat funded which means there won’t be any increases or decreases. There will be no COLA this year. At least we still have funding.

B. Christopher Greenwood: At the State meeting earlier this month, the State officials believe we will continue to receive the funding through at least 2026. We will continue as normal. The funding will be flat funded and remain the same as 2024.

VII. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

A. Gina Delrose: Has the attendance level for the Belvidere outreach events increased?

1. Te’Airia Robinson: We might get one or two a week. It has not increased.

2. Avery Dillon: What event is it?

a. Te’Airia Robinson: We are on site in Belvidere every Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM to service the Boone County area.

The turnout has not been great but we will continue to reach out faithfully.

B. Gina Delrose: For anyone who has lost track, Illinois Rep. Ronald Wait’s memorial visitation is this Friday (3/21). He was with the housing authority and different community support programs. It’s from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

1. Faniqua Hughes: For the new guests, our grants on the community services side covers Winnebago and Boone County. Head Start is only Winnebago.

C. Jeff Bailey: On March 27th at 3:00 PM, Rock Valley is having their ground breaking ceremony for their Downtown West Campus.

VIII. GUEST REPORT/ PRESENTATIONS 

IX. GENERAL DISCUSSION 

1. Discussion regarding Changes to the Community Action Agency Bylaws for 2025

A. Discussion Regarding Proposed Changed to the Community Action Agency Bylaws for 2025.

1. Faniqua Hughes: The bylaws for the CAP board still need to be updated. We had one submission. I talked with Anqunette prior to this meeting. We will need any suggestions submitted by our next CAP board meeting on May 20th. The specific due date will be determined and sent out. It’ll be approximately two weeks before the meeting. In the meantime, we will have to submit a report to the state that says we have pending bylaw updates.

B. Community Services

1. Christopher Greenwood: I do want to share something about the work we do. Te’Airia can talk a little bit more about this. We assisted a family in getting a ramp for their home. This resident hasn’t been able to leave his house since at least October 2023.

What they said to Te’Airia was our agency has done more for them in three months than any other agency has done in 18 months.

a. Te’Airia Robinson: They were going out for ice cream.

He had a medical crisis which led to him being hospitalized. Doctors had to do home visits because he couldn’t leave.

RESULT: DISCUSSED

X. APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS XI. NEW BUSINESS 

XII. ADJOURNMENT 

The meeting was closed at 12:40 PM

http://rockfordcityil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=12&ID=2734&Inline=True