Since 1970, 47 years ago this week, Dove, Inc. has been providing services to the community in Central Illinois.  These services are the services the community, our churches, our state, and our country have asked us to provide.  We have stepped up time and time again to address unmet needs and social injustices. 

At Dove, we operate with minimal staffing, a wonderful pool of passionate staff and volunteers, and significant cost controls.  The new budget will pay approximately 87% of the work which the State contracted with Dove to provide in the 2016-17 Fiscal Year. Dove will take a hit of a bit over $100,000 for the year for services which we have already provided in good faith.  While this is difficult, we understand that this is a necessary part of beginning to unravel the State’s ongoing financial issues. We are grateful to the many community members who have stepped forward with donations and grants to keep us able to serve the needs of our community. Many thanks to the amazing Dove staff and volunteers who have given so much of themselves to make ends meet.

For the 2017-18 Fiscal Year we have been proactive at seeking non-state funding, in order to maintain cash-flow and continue operations in all of our programs.  We do not, at this time, have a full sense of how or when FY17 payments and FY18 contracts will be processed even with the budget deal as there was no prioritization scheme included in the final budget. 

As for how the State got here and how the elected officials chose to resolve it, we can only urge you to hold your elected officials responsible.  Reach out to your elected officials, advocate for your needs and those of our community, and please participate in every opportunity to get educated and vote.  We understand the many passionate viewpoints in this trying time and are grateful for support you have given which has provided Dove with the opportunity to continue to serve the community.