Recent News

In the October 31, 2020 Boston Review, Michael Gecan, senior adviser at the Industrial Areas Foundation, has written a timely opinion piece regarding organizing and politics.

Metro IAF, parent organization of Lake County United, has issued two statements on the subject:

• Metro IAF Statement on Police Killing of George Floyd
• Anger, Faith, Hope

Lake County United was one of two non-profits invited by County Chairwoman Sandy Hart to be on the Strategic Advisory Committee. This Committee is advising the County Board on how best to use $122 million in federal funds to address impact from COVID-19.

Here are our recommendations.

Will America respond to the coronavirus the way it answered a horrific Catholic school fire?
An article in the New York Daily News by Mike Gecan, senior adviser at Metro Industrial Areas Foundation

A reflection on voting, protests, prayers and research from Richard Townsell, Executive Director of the Lawndale Christian Development Corporation

On June 8, 2020 Lake Behavioral Hospital opened in Waukegan with 146 beds.

What has quickly become clear is that while we could quite easily identify the need for medical supplies among the many healthcare providers here in Illinois with whom we are working, the prices we (and they) were quoted by distributors were often five to 10 times higher than they were before the COVID-19 crisis began.

News from IL Dept of Public Health
The Illinois Department of Public Health operates the Health Alert Network/SIREN system and document library serving as a single central point for finding, creating, and sharing information for the general public, medical professionals, long-term care facilities and emergency responders.

Shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are reported daily in the news. Metro IAF's efforts in dealing with this issue are reported in the links below.

Intercept story on Metro IAF's pressure on 3M
https://theintercept.com/2020/04/01/coronavirus-3m-n95-masks-price-gouging/

A team of leaders met with Governor Pritzker on crisis stabilization units and housing.