Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich announced more than $400,000 in Opportunity Returns funding has been awarded to eight Southern region organizations to support recycling initiatives that will help create 10 new jobs and advance recycling collection and processing efforts throughout the area.
Each organization will receive grants to expand recycling collection by adding and servicing additional drop-off sites, purchasing new equipment or servicing new customers. These grants are part of Opportunity Returns, Governor Blagojevich’s regional, pro-active economic development program to create jobs and promote economic growth for the Southern region.
“Throughout the Southern region, Opportunity Returns is designed to give business and industry the resources they need to be more competitive and more productive. Through the Illinois Recycling Grants Program, we are expanding markets for a very important industry in our state, strengthening its capacity to create more jobs and continuing to make a positive impact on the Southern Illinois economy,” Governor Blagojevich said.
The grant recipients for the Southern region are the following: Choate Mental Health & Dev. Center, $45,234; Southern Recycling Center, $100,000; Burris Disposal Service, LLC, $50,000; Southern Illinois University, $37,813;
City of DuQuoin, $27,054; Wayne County Board, $50,000; In a Pinch
Herrin, $50,000; and Ripped to Shreds, Inc., $48,352
Grant awards are determined on a competitive basis, and the grantee is required to provide an applicant investment of at least 50 percent of the funding required for the project.