Town hall meetings scheduled for disaster areas
Treasurer’s Office offers low-interest recovery loans

June 17, 2008

In a series of town hall meetings scheduled for the next two weeks, the Illinois State Treasurer’s office and other local, state and federal agencies will present on the financial assistance available to Southern Illinois residents in the wake of recent storms.

The Treasurer’s office is coordinating the town hall meetings Monday, June 23 to Wednesday July 2 in partnership with Sen. Dale Righter and Rep. Roger Eddy, in Clark, Crawford, Cumberland and Lawrence counties; Sen. Dale Righter and Rep. Chapin Rose in Coles and Douglas counties; and Sen. John Jones and Rep. David Reis in Jasper County. (See attached schedule.)

State Treasurer’s representatives will share how residents whose homes, farms or businesses have sustained weather-related damage can qualify for low-interest loans through the State Treasurer’s Opportunity Illinois: Disaster Recovery and Cultivate Illinois: Storm & Drought Loan programs.

“This is an opportunity for Southern Illinois residents to get their lives back on track faster,” Giannoulias said. “Waiting months for insurance settlements can be very frustrating, and we want to help as much as we can in the meantime.”

Under the two loan programs, the Treasurer’s office provides low-interest loans to residents, business owners and agricultural professionals whose property has sustained substantial weather-related damage. Assistance is available to individuals living in declared disaster areas who are waiting for insurance settlements or other aid programs to take effect and to residents whose insurance policies do not fully cover natural disaster damage.

For more information on applying for a loan, finding a participating financial institution, or becoming a participating financial institution, call the Disaster Recovery hotline at (866) 523-0641 or email opportunityillinois@treasurer.state.il.us.

Disaster Recovery Town Hall Meeting Schedule

TIME: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
DATE: Monday, June 23
PLACE: Coles County Courthouse
3rd Floor County Board Room
651 Jackson Ave.
Charleston

TIME: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
DATE: Tuesday, June 24
PLACE: Clark County Courthouse
2nd Floor County Board Room
501 Archer Ave.
Marshall

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Wednesday, June 25
PLACE: Central Christian Church
303 Buchanan St.
Lawrenceville

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Thursday, June 26
PLACE: Hutsonville Grade School
500 W. Clover St.
Hutsonville

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Monday, June 30
PLACE: Cumberland County Courthouse Annex
140 Courthouse Square
Toledo

TIME: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
DATE: Tuesday, July 1
PLACE: Sunrise Community Center
1401 Clayton Ave.
Newton

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Wednesday, July 2
PLACE: Arcola Community Schools Library
351 W. Washington St.
Arcola