Faraci announces essential items drive for Champaign and Urbana students

CHAMPAIGN – In partnership with CU Schools Foundation, State Senator Paul Faraci is hosting an essential items drive to support local students and Champaign and Urbana public schools.

“CU Schools Foundation provides an amazing opportunity for the community to donate essential items like shoes, clothes, and backpacks,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “All of the items donated go to students in need, free of charge.”

Community members who wish to participate can view the list of items in need by visiting SenatorFaraci.com/Students.

The essential items drive will run from Tuesday, Jan. 30 through Friday, March 1. This is a great opportunity to provide direct support to local students without having to jump through any hoops.

"We created Operation Caring Closets to encourage our community to help support students with basic needs, so they can continue to come to school and learn alongside their peers,” said Kelly Hill, Executive Director for the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation.  "We appreciate Senator Faraci stepping up and helping us to get the word out about this simple opportunity to provide a hand up to our students in need."

For more information or any questions, call Faraci’s Champaign office at (217) 355-5252.

Faraci hosting community food drive to help homeless veterans and Danville food pantry

DANVILLE – State Senator Paul Faraci is collecting food items to support homeless military veterans and to support the Danville Township Food Pantry. 

“Let’s come together to address this pressing need in our community,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “Every little bit helps, as we can assist those who have selflessly served our country.”

From now until Feb. 19, community members can drop off donations at Senator Faraci’s Danville office, located at 201 N. Vermilion St., and at the Danville Public Library, located at 319 N. Vermilion St.

Items most in need include: chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, noodles, macaroni, apple sauce, canned tuna, canned meat, canned salmon, beans, shelf-stable milk, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, rice and snack crackers.

The collected items will benefit homeless military veterans and their families at Cannon Place on the campus of the Illiana VA and the Danville Township Food Pantry.

"We are seeing, since the pandemic, increasing numbers of first time visitors, senior citizens coming in for help with basic groceries because they can't stretch their social security incomes as far as they used to,” said Tina O’Brien, Danville Township Program Coordinator. “We are grateful for this food drive, it will help." 

For more information or questions, please contact Betty at Senator Faraci’s office at (217) 442-5252.

Faraci announces library funding for school districts

CHAMPAIGN – State Senator Paul Faraci announced that seven school districts in the 52^nd Senate District will receive more than $20,000 to provide resources to libraries through books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs.

“This funding to school district libraries isn't just an investment in books, it's an investment in the heart of our communities and the minds of our future,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “We want to empower these libraries to be able to make the necessary investments for our children.”

Based on a statutory formula, school districts receive $0.885 per student enrolled at each school with a qualified library. Funding for the School District Library Grant Program originates from the General Reserve Fund and is appropriated for this purpose by the Illinois General Assembly.

The following school districts in Faraci’s district received a total of $20,051:

• Champaign School District 4 - $8,782
• Danville School District 118 - $3,823
• Oakwood School District 76 - $850
• Rantoul School District 137 - $1,364
• Rantoul School District 193 - $850
• Urbana School District 116 - $3,411
• Westville School District 2 - $971

The grants, awarded once every fiscal year, will support school library services for over 1 million students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade across the state.

For a full list of libraries that received funding, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

New Faraci law will guarantee students’ admission into Illinois universities

SPRINGFIELD – A new law sponsored by State Senator Paul Faraci will give community college students a clear path to in-state four-year universities.

“I believe that any student who grew up in Illinois should have the opportunity to attend one of our state’s universities,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “This new law will give community college students a clear path to stay in-state.”

Under the new law, all Illinois four-year public universities will be required to create a four-year admissions program that admits community college transfer students each semester, beginning with the 2024-2025 academic school year.

The new program would guarantee university admission to all applicants who have enrolled at an Illinois community college after graduating from an Illinois high school, have earned a minimum of 36 graded, transferable semester hours at the time of application to the university, have attained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all completed transferable coursework, and have satisfied the university’s English language proficiency requirement.

Faraci’s legislation builds upon two existing laws that provide automatic admissions to Illinois universities, with one designated for high school graduates and the other for community college graduates. The University of Illinois began guaranteed admissions last year for community college transfer students who meet certain requirements, and Faraci’s initiative extends that guarantee to all state public universities.

"If a program is working at one school, why shy away from implementing it across the state?” said Faraci. “This is a common-sense change that will help students across the state continue their higher education journey right here at home.”

House Bill 3760 takes effect Jan. 1.