$13.5M In Funds Goes To 7 Aurora Organizations, Thanks To Bill Foster

AURORA, IL — Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) secured almost $26 million in Community Project Funding for the 11th District. This includes more than $13.5 million for seven Aurora organizations.

The year-end omnibus spending bill totaled $25,821,367. The total includes funding for all 15 Community Project Funding requests he made on behalf of the 11th Congressional District, his office said. The package passed both the Senate and House of Representatives and has been sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

Only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities were permitted to receive funding, which, by law, cannot benefit Foster or his immediate family.

“I’m proud that we were able to deliver this important funding to the 11th District,” Foster said in a statement. “One of my constant priorities as Representative of the 11th District of Illinois is making sure our communities receive their fair share of federal resources, especially for important projects that serve so many people. We received many worthwhile submissions, and it was difficult to narrow it down to 15, but I am proud of the projects we selected and can’t wait to see them come to fruition.”

In Aurora, Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, the Aurora Police Department and Fox Valley Park District are just a few of the organizations that received funding. Bolingbrook, Joliet and Montgomery, part of the 11th District, also received grants.

Take a look at who in Aurora received funding and what it will be used for.

Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, 834 N. Highland Ave.

• Amount: $1,800,000
• Project description: This enhanced response to food insecurity will be undertaken through formalized collaborations with service partners and novel education program development. The project includes purchase of property and use of that property for coordinated access to critical wrap-around services from community partners on food distribution days. Moreover, the expansion includes desperately needed renovations to the purchased site and the current food distribution center to improve safety, flow, access, and client dignity.

Fox Valley Park District, 101 W. Illinois Ave.

• Amount: $4,000,000
• Project description: This Project consists of final engineering and construction of a 780′ long bicycle and pedestrian bridge spanning the Fox River. The project eliminates a major barrier to trail access.

VNA Health Care, 400 N. Highland Ave.

• Amount: $500,000
• Project description: Funding will be used to support the construction of a new healthcare center in Joliet built on land already owned by VNA. It will support 24 examination rooms, a wellness kitchen, waiting areas, a lab, nursing stations, and a mental and behavioral health service department.

Aurora University, 347 S. Gladstone Ave.

• Amount: $955,000
• Project description: Funding request for the Emerging Technologies Learning Lab is a one-time request to purchase technology and equipment to create three high-impact learning spaces within the Lab: Virtual Reality Classroom, Visualization Room, and Workplace Simulation. This innovative and dynamic center for student success will include experiential and immersive learning opportunities powered by emerging technologies such as virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality.

Association for Individual Development, 309 W. New Indian Trail Court

• Amount: $3,000,000
• Project description: AID, Hesed House, and The Neighbor Project have formed a partnership to purchase and renovate an existing apartment building in Aurora, IL into a mixed-use Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) + Pathway to Homeownership residence.

City of Aurora Public Safety Technology Project, 44 E. Downer Place

• Amount: $2,280,000
• Project description: The Aurora Police Department is in the process of upgrading its technology infrastructure to improve public safety. The project is taking a holistic approach that includes the 911 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), the camera/recording system in the interview rooms, and the phone system in the city’s 911 Dispatch center. The PSAP will improve the effective delivery of emergency communications to first responders. The backup 911 Dispatch center at Fire Station 8 and the main Aurora Police Department 911 Dispatch center will be modernized with new and advanced workstation consoles, enhanced innovative noise control solutions, and next-generation technologies/capabilities.

City of Aurora “Montgomery Rd/Hill Ave Intersection,” 44 E. Downer Place

• Amount: $1,000,000
• Project description: The project consists of improving the intersection of Montgomery Road and Hill Avenue by modernizing traffic signals, reconstructing and widening the roadways to include additional travel (through) lanes & turn lanes, constructing bike paths and sidewalks, making ADA ramp improvements, making a right-of-way acquisition to do the improvements, working on drainage, and other pertinent improvements. The project will improve traffic capacity, safety, and traffic operations while minimizing environmental impacts.