>> COOK COUNTY SET ASIDE 20 MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS TO US.

ASSIST MIGRANTS IN THE SUBURBS LAST FALL.

TOMORROW IS THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS.

AND ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY WBEZ, ONLY 2 SUBURBS HAVE A PLIGHT.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE OUR CHELSI THOMAS EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR AT EMPOWERMENT ANYWHERE.

AND CARL WULFF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RESPOND NOW.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

AND CAROL, I WANT TO GO TO YOU.

WHAT IS THE COOK COUNTY DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY FUND AND HOW CAN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS OBTAIN RESOURCES FROM THIS FUND?

>> YES, SO COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT MADE 100 MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE LAST YEAR FOR DISASTER RELIEF AROUND THE MIGRANT CRISIS AND 20 MILLION.

>> OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE YOU ARE TO BE USED BY COOK COUNTY SUBURBS.

AND THOSE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR ANYTHING FROM A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SHELTER, FOOD CASE MANAGEMENT AND AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTER IN THESE REALLY FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

AND THE THE PROCESS OF RETAINING WERE ACCESSING THESE DOLLARS.

AS FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES IN COOK COUNTY TO APPLY FOR THESE DOLLARS.

2 TO RECEIVE THE DOLLARS PERHAPS PARTNER WITH AGENCIES SUCH AS RESPOND.

NOW, IF THEY WOULD LIKE PARTNER WITH AGENCIES SUCH AS RESPOND, OUR OTHERS TO HELP DELIVER THESE FUNDS AND TO THE COMMUNITY FOR MIGRANTS WHO ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.

>> UNTIL SEAGOING EU FORD HEIGHTS IS ONE OF THE ONLY 2 SUBURB COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR FUNDING.

WHAT ARE THESE FUNDS BEING USED FOR?

FORD HEIGHTS?

SO FOR US, THE FUNDS ARE BEING USED FOR SHELTER.

AND SO WE ALL HAVE A 40 BED HOMELESS SHELTER.

WE ALSO USING IT FOOD, FOR SECURITY, FOR THE SUPPLIES THAT WE NEED TO TO TAKE CARE OF THEM WHILE THEY THEY AT WILL BE THEIR AS WELL AS WE'RE USING IT FOR JEOPARDY THE S L TRAINING SO THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE THERE, THEY PREPARED TO LIVE A ARE YOU INCREASE OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND THE SUBURBS?

YES, WE DEFINITELY.

AND I WHEN I FOUND INTERESTING, KARL, WAS THERE MORE THAN 100 SUBURBS IN COOK COUNTY.

WHY DO YOU THINK ONLY TO HAVE APPLIED FOR THE FUNDING FOR THIS GRANT?

>> WELL, I THINK PROBABLY A COUPLE OF REASONS.

ONE IS IS IT'S A CAPACITY ISSUE, PERHAPS FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES TO TO TO DO THIS APPLICATION AND THEN TO ADMINISTER THE DELIVERY OF THESE DOLLARS INTO THE COMMUNITY.

BUT BUT ALSO, I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS AS WELL.

>> ARRIVAL OF OF OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM.

>> THAT'S WHY THROUGHOUT CENTRAL SOUTH AMERICA IS IS ONE OF CONTROVERSY FOR FOR MUCH OF CHICAGO AND THE UNITED STATES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST MAKES ME WONDER WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS INTO WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, OUR MUNICIPALITIES YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S MONEY THERE.

THERE'S MONEY THERE.

THERE'S 20 MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO WITH AS FAR AS RESPOND NOW IS CONCERNED IS GOING TO BE IT IS AN IMPENDING CRISIS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THE SOUTH SUBURBS WHO ARE SETTLED OUT HOMES AND RENTING HOMES AND THEY'VE RECEIVED 3 MONTHS WORTH OF ASSISTANCE OR 6 MONTHS WORTH OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE THEY HAVE YET TO RECEIVE THEIR WORK AUTHORIZATIONS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND NOW THAT THAT ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE IS RUNNING OUT.

THEY ARE IN DANGER OF EVICTION.

AND SO WE ARE CONCERNED THAT RESPECT.

NOW THAT THESE FAMILIES THAT HAVE SETTLED OUT IN THE SUBURBS IN THE SOUTH SUBURBS ARE GOING TO BE IN DANGER OF EVICTION AND THEN HOMELESS.

OF COURSE, JUST HAD SOME OF THE SERVERS HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO.

>> TRY TO HELP.

>> WELL, YES, I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE ONE HUMAN FAMILY AND OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE HERE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD FOR WHATEVER REASON.

BUT THEY YOU KNOW, FOLKS ARE HERE AND WE NEED TO TO BUILD A COMMUNITY TOGETHER UNTIL SEE GOING TO YOU.

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY PUSH BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT OPENING A MIGRANT SHELTER?

CAN YOU JUST TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR PROCESS?

I THINK THINK PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED LIKE WE HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE HERE.

WHY DO WE WANT TO HELP >> BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF ADMISSIONS TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO WIN NO MATTER WHAT LAST WALK BY, THEY COME FROM.

>> IS I THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN BIGGEST FOCUS AND NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU COME FROM, WE WANT TO HELP EVERYONE.

AND SO EVEN THOUGH THERE IS PUSHBACK, THIS IS OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO HAVE MORE JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY.

OPPORTUNITY FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO GET BACK.

IF THEY WANT TO BALANCE HERE, THEY WANT TO SERVE.

AND SO WHILE THERE MAY BE SOME PUSHBACK AND SOME PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT UNDERSTAND IT, I KNOW THAT IT'S PASSION TO HELP OTHERS.

AND SO THAT ITS LACK THE I MEAN, SOME OF THESE FAMILIES WE HAD MET A FEW OF THE FAMILIES.

I THINK THAT WAS ONE IT WAS IT WAS SUCH A CRAZY MOMENT WHERE WAS ABLE TO MEET SOME OF THE MIGRANTS WHO HAD COME HERE AND TALK LIKE HOW LONG IT TOOK THEM TO GET IT.

AND THAT REALLY IGNITED MY PASSION IN TO SEE SOMEONE WHO WOULD TRAVEL MONTHS TO COME TO THIS COUNTRY JUST REALLY WANT TO HELP SEE THEM AND HOW IS THAT COMMUNICATION BEEN LIKE WITH ALSO PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY CONNECTING PEOPLE JUST GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER.

HAVE >> YOU GUYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AS WELL.

SO THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.

WE JUST GOT APPROVED TO OPEN TODAY.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE FAMILIES MOVE THIS COMING TUESDAY.

BUT I THINK THAT AS THAT HAPPENS, WE WILL BE COMMUNICATING WHAT'S GOING ON AND JUST HELPING THEM IS MY GOAL TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING.

AND OF COURSE, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS WILL BE OFFERING UP THE SHELTER?

SO AT THE SHELTER, WE WILL BE OFFERING ESL.

WE LEARNING LAB WHERE THEY CAN GO TWICE A DAY WITHOUT SOME OF THING THAT INSTRUCTIVE WE PARTNERED WITH CORN TO HAVE JOB THEY HAVE TRAINING AS WELL AS JACK PLACEMENT AS WELL AS JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE FED MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO THAT THE END OF 90 DAYS WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY WILL GET HOUSING.

WE WORKING WITH HOUSING FOR THEM SO THAT THEY CAN GET HOUSING AT THE TRANSITION KYRA, YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BUT CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE SERVICES RESPOND NOW PROVIDES?

AND IF YOU WERE TO RECEIVE MONEY FROM THIS FUND?

>> HOW WOULD YOUR ORGANIZATION SPENDING?

>> RESPOND SINCE 1969.

HAS BEEN PROVIDING HEALTH HUNGER AND HOUSING SERVICES IN THE FAR SOUTH SUBURBS.

WE ARE LOCATED IN CHICAGO HEIGHTS.

IF THIS FUNDING WAS TO BECOME AVAILABLE AND ANY OF THE ONE OF THE SOUTH SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE AND THEN RESPOND.

I WAS ASKED TO HELP DELIVER THESE DOLLARS.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, SHELTERS VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S IT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL THING.

THE 4 NIGHTS IS TAKING THIS STEP.

BUT BUT THERE'S ALSO A NEED FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN THE COMMUNITIES FOR THESE FAMILIES ARE FACING EVICTION AND SO RESPOND NOW AS ORGANIZATION HAS CAPACITY FOR 50 YEARS NOW TO DELIVER THESE KINDS OF DOLLARS AND TO THE COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING EVICTION, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR A LONG TIME.

AND WE'RE READY TO DO WE JUST REALLY URGE OUR SUBURBAN MUNICIPALITIES IN WHICH WE SERVE FOR THE FOR THOSE FOR THOSE GOVERNMENTS TO APPLY.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS YOU THE MOST?

>> THROUGH YOUR WORK.

>> IMPACTS ME.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT.

>> TO KNOW THAT THE YOU KNOW, THAT THE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE GENERALLY WE LIVE IN THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

>> AND AND >> AND FOR THERE TO BE RESOURCES TO, TO SERVE ALL GENERALLY.

BUT THEN FOR THERE TO BE THIS SPECIFIC INSTANCE AS WELL WHERE THESE DOLLARS ARE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET THOSE FOR WHATEVER REASON IS A HUGE IMPACT VERY IT'S DISHEARTENING.

AND CHELSEA, LAST QUESTION TO YOU.

THE DEADLINE IS TOMORROW.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO STAY TO THEIR SUBURBS?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT ACT NOW?

>> I THINK IS IMPORTANT, IT'S I BELIEVE THAT AVIGATION TO SERVE TO PEOPLE.

BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT THEM TO LOOK AT IT AS JUST I KNOW FOR US.

WE'RE IN IT FOR THE LONG SO WHILE >> THEY ARE OFFERING THIS FUNNY FUNDING, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RENOVATE A BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR 7 YEARS IN THAT COMMUNITY.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OFFER JOBS TO THAT COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN UNDERSERVED.

AND WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE.

BUT ONCE THE FUNDING RUNS OUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HOMELESS SHELTER THAT WE CAN ALSO USE TO HELP HOME THE PEOPLE THAT HERE IN CHECK.

CARLY LEFT THOUGHTS.

>> HOPE THAT THE MUNICIPALITIES GET A HOLD OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TOMORROW.

WHETHER OR NOT RESPOND NOW IS