FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS —
Anyone familiar with television’s “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars” knows the viewers’ votes are critical to the success of the performers.
The public’s votes are also critical to the success of a Southern Illinois nonprofit agency in securing a $500,000 donation — and a former Hamilton County resident is trying to help make it happen.
Jeremy Biggerstaff, who works for the Illinois Center for Autism, is asking people to support ICA by voting for the school online in the Kohl’s Cares 10th anniversary contest on Facebook.
Biggerstaff, a 2001 graduate of McLeansboro High School, said ICA has taken nearly $500,000 in funding cuts, “so we’re trying to go after grants to recover some of that funding.”
Kohl’s, a national department store chain, will donate $500,000 each — a total of $10 million — to the top 20 schools in the contest, according to an ICA news release. The top 20 schools will be those that receive the most votes by Sept. 3 and meet the criteria, the news release said.
ICA is a nonprofit, community-based mental health treatment and education agency. Its funding sources are varied, from private foundations to state and federal funding, and it is also a United Way agency, Biggerstaff said.
But the school has been dealing with a major loss of state funding for the past two years and is looking for other avenues of revenue, said Rachel C. Newsome, ICA’s director of communications/development.
“Being one of the 20 schools to win would afford ICA the opportunity to repair and update our playground/recreation area and our facility,” she said.
In its 33rd year, ICA has both school and adult programs and works with individuals from throughout Southern Illinois, Newsome said.
“Presently, we serve between 350 and 400 children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and their families,” she said.
Historically, individuals with autism were thought to need lifelong care and monitoring, but with specialized training, many people with ASD “can achieve varying levels of independence and personal fulfillment,” Newsome said.
In the contest, one person may vote up to 20 times, but is limited to a maximum of five votes for any one school.
As of Tuesday night, ICA had received 1,619 votes in the contest.
Biggerstaff works in ICA’s transition services program with individuals from age 14 to 21, helping them to become “as independent as possible” in preparation for moving out of the program, he said. He’s worked at ICA for about three years.
The Facebook contest has another benefit for ICA, he noted.
“It gives us the opportunity to let the public know what we have to offer,” Biggerstaff said.
GETTING INVOLVED
The Kohl’s Cares contest requires that you have Internet access, a valid e-mail address, and you must become a fan of the Kohl's Facebook page, where you can find and enter the contest via the Kohl's application.
You may access the link to Kohl’s Cares via ICA’s Web site or http://apps.facebook.com/KohlsCares/school/1127011/illinois-center-for-a.
