COVID fund issues $50K grant to two Elgin nonprofits
The Elgin Covid Response Fund is awarding $50,000 in grant money to Centro De Información and the YWCA of Elgin to provide direct cash assistance to Elgin residents in need.
The $50,000 was contributed to the fund by the United Way Metro Chicago (formally United Way of Elgin), adding to the $200,000 already distributed by the group to help people struggling to pay for housing, utilities, food, child care and medical needs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“United Way Metro Chicago is proud to contribute another $50,000 to the Elgin COVID Response Fund,” Marcia McMahon of United Way Metro Chicago said in a news release. “The people of Elgin have and will continue to be of the utmost importance to the United Way.”
The Elgin COVID Response Fund was formed in May to support nonprofits serving Elgin residents to ensure there was money to directly help those facing pandemic-related hardships.
Free COVID-19 testing in Elgin, Carpentersville next week
The Illinois Department of Public Health will be offering free coronavirus testing in Elgin and Carpentersville in the last two weeks of December.
The mobile testing unit will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, at the Elgin Sports Complex, 709 Sports Way, and Sunday, Dec. 27, at Dundee Crown High School, 1500 Kings Road, Carpentersville.
Testing is open to anyone regardless of symptoms, a news release from the Kane County Health Department said.
A phone number and name are required in order to receive testing results. Photo ID is not needed.
Testing will be done using a drive-thru process, meaning a functioning car window is needed and patients cannot exit their vehicle, the release said.
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There is also a free drive-through testing site open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week at 2450 N. Farnsworth Ave., across from the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora, the release said.
For more information, go to Test-Illinois.com.
Batavia recycling center now offering Saturday hours
The Kane County Recycling Center at 517 E. Fabyan Parkway in Batavia is now open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays to determine if there is a need for weekend hours.
Weekday hours at the center are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The pilot program will not affect the West Dundee Recycling Center 900 Angle Tarn, which will continue to be open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and does not have weekend hours, a news release said.
Both locations accept Christmas lights and any holiday light strands.
They also accepted non-freon appliances, including washers, driers, stoves, microwaves and hot water tanks, new books, clothing and textiles, and electronics.
Scrap metal is accepted at the Batavia location only.
Drop holiday lights for recycling at East Dundee Depot
The Village of East Dundee, in partnership with Elgin Recycling, will accept holiday lights for recycling through Jan. 31.
Residents and businesses can drop-off unwanted holiday lights from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays at the Depot, 319 N. River St. A drop-off bin will be located inside the building, a news release said.
All colors and lengths of holiday string lighting, including mini-lights, C7 lights, C9 lights, rope lights, LED lights and extension cords are accepted. Garland, live greens, wreaths or other nonrecyclables are not accepted, the release said.
For more information, call 847-426-2822.
S. Elgin Boys & Girls Club to get 620,000 face masks
The Muslim Coalition for America will be delivering 620,000 face masks Friday to the Boys & Girls Club of South Elgin for distribution to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America across the country.
The nonprofit group’s COVID-19 Relief Task Force is covering the expense of the masks, and will be delivering them at 2 p.m. via Uber Freight, a news release on the initiative said.
“MCA is committed to ensuring lower income families and underprivileged children can be safer while engaging in productive activities,” the release said. “Boys & Girls Clubs of America is filling a critical gap for thousands of youth as schools remain closed for in-person learning.”
The organization has already provided 90,000 masks to all 458 Boys & Girls Clubs across California, and the goal is to distribute a million to vulnerable and underserved populations by February 2021, the release said.