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

July 7, 2008

In a series of town hall meetings scheduled for the next two weeks, the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office will provide an overview of the office’s low-interest loan programs for Illinois residents in the wake of recent storms.

The Treasurer’s office is coordinating the town hall meetings with other local, state and federal assistance agencies for Monday, July 7 to Wednesday July 16 in Adams, Calhoun, Edgar, Hancock, Mercer and Winnebago counties. (See schedule below.)

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.

“The State Treasurer's loans can be processed in as little as 48 hours so they provide an opportunity for 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: 6 to 7 p.m.
DATE: Monday, July 7
PLACE: Shiloh Community Unit School District 1
21751 N. 575th St.
Hume

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Monday, July 7
PLACE: Farm Bureau Building
330 S. 36th St.
Quincy

TIME: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
DATE: Tuesday, July 8
PLACE: U of I Extension Office
818 S. Park St.
Hardin

TIME: 6 p.m.
DATE: Tuesday, July 15
PLACE: Machesney Park Village Hall
300 Machesney Road
Machesney Park

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Tuesday, July 15
PLACE: Jersey County Administration Building
200 N. LaFayette St.
Jerseyville

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Wednesday, July 16
PLACE: U of I Extension Building
550 N. Madison St.
Carthage

TIME: 6 to 8 p.m.
DATE: Tuesday, July 22
PLACE: West Central Elementary School
RR 1
Biggsville