Oak Park receives $150,000 grant to aid migrants

OAK PARK, Ill. - The village of Oak Park has secured a $150,000 grant aimed at bolstering their capacity to assist asylum seekers.

The grant is part of the Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services program, for which Oak Park submitted an application in September, seeking $7.5 million in funding. This grant was designed to support Oak Park organizations that provide essential services to migrants, including transitional housing, food, healthcare, and overall well-being.

On October 6, Oak Park was informed that it would receive $150,000 in grant funding. On two separate occasions, the village engaged in discussions with their partners to strategize how to utilize the grant money.

It's important to note that currently, Oak Park officials say no migrants are being housed on public property, in contrast to the city of Chicago, where asylum seekers are being accommodated in police stations. However, migrants from these Chicago police stations frequently visit Oak Park, where they have access to vital services such as showers, laundry, respite, and childcare facilities at locations like St. Catherine-St. Lucy Church.

The village says it continues to seek ways to best support migrants and that conversations with partners are ongoing.