5 McHenry County Organizations Receive $2.7M In Grant Funding

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Five local organizations will receive financial assistance after the McHenry County Board approved the distribution of more than $2.7 million in grant funding that will go to assist the local groups.

The Housing Opportunity Development Corporation of McHenry, the Northern Illinois Food Bank, the McHenry County Housing Authority, Home of the Sparrow, and the Harvard Community Senior Center all receive grant money in the latest round of funding, county officials said Wednesday.

The grants are distributed by Advance McHenry County, which is a groundbreaking program that is looking to invest tens of millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 recovery funds into local organizations, according to a news release.

In January, Advance McHenry County handed out its first round of funding totaling $3.7 million which benefitted McHenry County College, Community High School District 155, and the Child Advocacy Center of McHenry County. Another $2.1 million was awarded in February to the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center and the Manufacturing Pathways Consortium, according to the release.

McHenry County has awarded over $8.5 million of the nearly $29.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding it intends to invest directly into infrastructure projects, workforce development and jobs programs, nonprofit agencies, special districts, and local governments, the release said. Applications are still being accepted, and eligible entities are encouraged to apply.

“The COVID-19 pandemic put a lot of hurt on people and families in the forms of housing and food insecurity,” Board Chairman Mike Buehler (R-Crystal Lake) said in the release. “The awards approved Tuesday evening make critical investments in our outstanding network of service providers to help these people and to strengthen our social safety net to face future challenges.”

The latest funding included:

• The Housing Opportunity Development Corp. will receive $800,000 to assist with the development of 54 affordable housing units in the City of McHenry. The project consists of building the Taylor Place Apartments, a three-story, 46-unit apartment building at West Crystal Lake Road and North Mill Street, and repurposing two existing structures into four townhome units and a community center/leasing office.
• Northern Illinois Food Bank requested $825,000 to purchase nutritious food items that are not commonly donated, which in turn will be donated to McHenry County food pantries at no cost. The allocation also will help fund a program, in cooperation with the United Way of McHenry County, to offer home food delivery through DoorDash in 11 selected communities.
• The McHenry County Housing Authority will receive $467,500 to help finance the purchase of a new facility to accommodate additional staff required to administer grants. Since it purchased its current building in 1987, the authority has grown from 16 employees to 30, who administer 15 distinct grant programs.
• Home of the Sparrow which requested $414,000 to acquire a two- to three-unit property in McHenry to expand its Subsidized Apartment/Supporting Housing Program, which offers independent but supported living for low-income people and families exiting homelessness and housing insecurity.
• The Harvard Community Senior Center will receive $234,040 to create the McHenry County Senior TechConnect program. The grant will cover the cost of equipment, data, training, and fees to help an estimated 210 socially isolated seniors each year connect with their families, friends, medical providers, health and wellness programs, and community services.

More information about the Advance McHenry County grant program may be found here.