ABOVE: Project Success of Vermilion County’s Kimberly David and Jamie Nightlinger pose with some wrapped gifts that are part of Project Success’ 26th year of their Christmas Wish List.

It’s a busy time of year, and few places have been as busy as Project Success of Vermilion County.  It’s been year number 26 of their Christmas Wish List; serving 205 youngsters, after only having only about a dozen when it began a quarter-century ago.  As executive director Kimberly David reminds us, this wish list does not just help some special students, but entire special families.

AUDIO: These are all kids in our after school programs, and then we’ll serve all of the kids in the family.  So if they have a little brother, or sister, we get them gifts as well.  The donations come from the community.  So we publish a list with the number of the children.  And then people just call; and they’ll say “I want number 52,” and they’ll buy the items for them.  We have a lot of businesses helping, and a lot of individuals in the community.

Distribution of the Project Success Wish List items will begin the week of Monday the 15th.

And speaking of Monday, December 15th; that will be the night of a Candlelight Vigil and the decorating of a Memorial Tree in honor of those who have been lost to gun violence.  David says this will be at 5:30 PM, in the Douglas Discovery Garden at 215 South Kansas Street.

AUDIO: We’ve recently put together a Youth Council.  Jamie Nightlinger, our family outreach and violence prevention coordinator, has been working with youth, 16 to 22 approximately.

Jamie Nightlinger says the family of Aniyah Davis, a victim of gun violence in Winter Park earlier this year, will be involved.

AUDIO: So we have been planning with Aniyah Davis’ parents; they have been sitting in on our Youth Council meetings.  And the Youth Council is just looking for different ways to honor the families and the victims that we have lost to the gun violence in this city.  So we want to decorate a tree and have a ceremony; and there will be a few people speaking at the event.

Nightlinger says the plan is to keep the tree going through mid-January.  If you have a picture of someone you’d like to have honored on that tree; you can send it, by December 10th, to the Project Success Youth Council Facebook Page, e-mail it to jnightlinger@vcprojectsuccess.org , or text it to 312-869-2718.

 THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY

ABOVE: Project Success CEO Kimberly David

DANVILLE — New funding for Project Success of Vermilion County will allow additional student programming to address violence prevention.

Project Success will receive a $115,000 Restore, Reinvest and Renew (R3) Program grant through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Revenue for the $35 million in grants to support 88 local organization programs statewide comes from adult-use, recreational cannabis sales, according to the authority.

“This is completely new funding for us,” Project Success CEO Kimberly David said.

The program will fund a full-time violence prevention/family outreach coordinator to provide violence prevention programming/curriculum programs to 150 at-risk students (ages 6-17) in Project Success’ after-school programs across Danville; consistent outreach to Project Success families to strengthen relationships and to offer any needed supports; and plan quarterly family education events. Families will be supported by connecting them to needed community resources such as housing, rental assistance, mental health services, food, clothing, hygiene, etc., David said.

According to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the funds will support local organizations with smaller budgets in communities heavily affected by violence, criminal justice system overuse, and economic deprivation.

“Illinois created the most equity-centric cannabis program in the nation and the R3 program is a fundamental component of our state’s legalization framework,” said Gov. JB Pritzker, in a press release. “By funding smaller community organizations in areas harmed by years of disinvestment and excessive incarceration, we are taking enormous strides toward justice and expanding opportunities for all.”

The grant is part of the Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) Program, a key equity element of the 2019 Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. The law requires 25% of adult-use cannabis tax revenue to support communities harmed by decades of economic disinvestment, violence, and the severe and disproportionate damage caused by the war on drugs. These issues largely impact low-income Illinoisans and communities of color. To date, the ICJIA reports it has awarded more than $244 million in R3 program grants

“For too long, communities have suffered from systemic injustice and a criminal legal system that unfairly targets marginalized groups,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, in a press release. “Illinois’ equity-focused cannabis reform is a key step in addressing these issues. The R3 program not only provides funding but also empowers local organizations to create safer, stronger communities, giving every Illinoisan the chance to truly thrive.”

Grants were awarded to organizations that serve residents of designated eligible R3 zones. The R3 program empowers nonprofits, small businesses, and faith-based organizations to repair harm and build safer communities. ICJIA received 574 applications.

Funded programs will offer evidence-based, promising, or innovative service strategies within the R3 Program priority areas of civil legal aid, economic development, community re-entry from the criminal justice system, violence prevention, and youth development.

Researchers identified areas eligible for R3 funding using community-level data on gun injury, child poverty, unemployment, and state prison commitments and returns, combined with disproportionately impacted areas previously identified by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Executive Director Kimberly David says when you adopt a child on the list; sure, it’s great to include some “play type things” that they might want.  But most of these wishes, from the children, are for serious things to help them get through the winter.

AUDIO: We always ask for some fun items, some toys or gifts that they’re wanting.  But we definitely focus on warm clothing, shoes, coats, hygiene items; things like that.  We have some kids asking for bedsheets, socks and underwear; so a lot of real needs out there.

To adopt a child on the Project Success Christmas Wish List, just give them a call at 217-446-3200.

Remember that Laura Williams is reading from the list daily on her Community Connection Program on 1490 WDAN.

 (ABOVE) Project Success team poses outside the Harrison Park Clubhouse prior to their 25 Year Anniversary Celebration.

Kimberly David has been with Project Success for 23 years, and was named CEO earlier this year.  And although there was much to celebrate during Wednesday evening’s (Aug 30th) 25 Years in Vermilion County Anniversary Celebration, the major concern for this umbrella organization for children and family services is definitely funding strategies for the future.

Earlier this year, programs in some Vermilion County schools, from homework help with tutoring to enrichment and more, were lost because of grant money being overspent by the Illinois State Board of Education.  David says it was already known that more diversified funding is needed for Project Success in Vermilion County; and this drove the point home even more.

Project Success CEO Kimberly David poses outside Harrison Park Clubhouse prior to 25 Years Event.

AUDIO: We know we have a lot of support in the community, and a lot of people know who we are, but we just want to get out there more.  (We are) also trying to find funding for the schools we’ve lost.  So all of Oakwood and Giacoma in Westville, we’ve lost funding for those schools.  So our focus right now is just searching for funding so we can get it back for those students.

But despite the recent difficulties, David reminds us there are some new Project Success activities going on this new school year.

AUDIO: For the new year we have a new violence prevention program at the YMCA, that takes place after our 21st Century and other after school programs.  And we have just a lot of new field trips planned; and activities for the students, and new community partnerships and things like that.  So we’re very excited.

David says one of many things to be proud of is Project Success can help help youngsters in kindergarten all the way through their senior year of high school, including helping them reach the finish line of K through 12.

AUDIO: Just building our programs, and being able to offer it to more students in the county.  We’re really proud of our credit recovery program for high school students.  It allows them to graduate on time, or graduate at all; and just the students we’ve seen go on to be very successful.

And another definite piece of good news is that this October, for the first time in a handful of years, Project Success will once again become a United Way organization.

 THE FOLLOWING IS A PROJECT SUCCESS RELEASE

Project Success of Vermilion County, Inc. says goodbye and welcomes new CEO! Lucas Seilhymer will be leaving his position as CEO of Project Success in June, to pursue another opportunity. Lucas has been with Project Success since 2019.

“Mr. Seilhymer proved himself to be just the person we needed when this vacancy occurred the last time,” said Project Success Board President Keven Forney. “Lucas led Project Success through the challenge presented by COVID-19 and we still saw programmatic growth. He shored up our financial position and tapped into some new local and state resources. I think I always knew that he would move on to new opportunities and greater challenges. We on the Board will miss him and wish him well.”

Kimberly David has been named the new CEO for Project Success. Kimberly has been with the agency since 2000 and has been the Associate Director since 2014. Dr. Forney commented, “Ms.David was our first thought as a successor, and our conversations with her simply reinforced our thinking. She has a vast depth of knowledge about Project Success and was able to work under and learn from a number of directors throughout her 23 years with us. The Board saw no need to seek any outside applicants since we had an internal candidate who possessed every possible quality we want and need in our next CEO.”

Please join us for a celebration and welcome reception on June 21, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Catlin Community Building (109 S. Sandusky)

Site coordinators begin their day at the Project Success location, 917 North Walnut, Suite 203 in Danville; and then go out to their locations providing after school tutoring in everything from life skills, to science and technology skills, to specifics like computer coding.

As Kimberly David from Project Success recently explained on 1490 WDAN’s Community Connection with Laura Williams, a new grant from the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers, distributed through the Illinois State Board of Education, has allowed Project Success of Vermilion County to grow even more in Danville District 118, and throughout the county.

AUDIO: So we’ve expanded to Liberty Elementary, and then Edison students are bussed there by the district after school, so we have Liberty and  Edison both at Liberty Elementary.  We’ve opened our site at Southwest Elementary, and then at Danville High School.  So previously, we were at Danville High School with a Teen Reach funding (grant), but we’ve moved that funding to Salt Fork to be able to serve more students there; and now we’re at Danville High School with 21st Century (grant) funding.  So we’re very excited.

Kimberly David says District 118 has been very helpful in busing students home afterwards and providing meals.  Lucus Seilhymer from Project Success explained the plans for the March 4th Casino Night to D102’s Tommy B on The Big Show.

Project Success’ Lucus Seilhymer appeared with Tommy B on D102’s The Big Show.

AUDIO: (It’s) our first big annual fundraiser, so we’re extremely excited about this.  Like we said, it’s going to be a Casino Night fundraiser.  We’re going to have Vegas style games for everyone who attends.  All of your typical Las Vegas games are going to be there.  The only catch, of course, is that you catch those in for chips; and then the chips are what you use to win some of our great prizes.

To learn more about getting your youngster or school involved in Project Success of Vermilion County, or about attending the Casino Night fundraiser, just go to VCProjectSuccess.org.

To hear Laura Williams’ entire interview with Kimberly David and Lucus Seilhymer, go to https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/the-community-connection/

To hear Tommy B’s interview with Lucus Seilhymer, go to https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/big-show-bites-podcast/

THE FOLLOWING is a September, 2022 VermilionCountyFirst.com article about expanded programs in Danville District 118, including PROJECT SUCCESS.

https://vermilioncountyfirst.com/2022/09/16/district-118-board-approves-educational-support-programs-for-new-school-year/