Since 1970, 47 years ago this week, Dove, Inc. has been
providing services to the community in Central Illinois. These services
are the services the community, our churches, our state, and our country have
asked us to provide. We have stepped up time and time again to address
unmet needs and social injustices.
At Dove, we operate with minimal staffing, a wonderful pool
of passionate staff and volunteers, and significant cost controls. The
new budget will pay approximately 87% of the work which the State contracted
with Dove to provide in the 2016-17 Fiscal Year. Dove will take a hit of a bit
over $100,000 for the year for services which we have already provided in good
faith. While this is difficult, we understand that this is a necessary
part of beginning to unravel the State’s ongoing financial issues. We are
grateful to the many community members who have stepped forward with donations
and grants to keep us able to serve the needs of our community. Many thanks to
the amazing Dove staff and volunteers who have given so much of themselves to
make ends meet.
For the 2017-18 Fiscal Year we have been proactive at
seeking non-state funding, in order to maintain cash-flow and continue operations
in all of our programs. We do not, at this time, have a full sense of how
or when FY17 payments and FY18 contracts will be processed even with the budget
deal as there was no prioritization scheme included in the final budget.
As for how the State got here and how the elected officials
chose to resolve it, we can only urge you to hold your elected officials
responsible. Reach out to your elected officials, advocate for your needs
and those of our community, and please participate in every opportunity to get
educated and vote. We understand the many passionate viewpoints in this
trying time and are grateful for support you have given which has provided Dove
with the opportunity to continue to serve the community.
Christine Gregory
Executive Director
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