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For Janina Turley, director for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center Project Success program, Tuesday, Nov. 3 was better than Christmas Day. 

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois’ Joint Community Outreach Committee gave the program $500 worth of toys and school supplies. The items included board games, arts, crafts and healthy snacks, as well as playground items like jump ropes, baseball gloves, and basketballs as part of its participation in the national Make A Difference Day.

“It’s better than Christmas,” said Turley. “It feels really good knowing that others are thinking about our children, and the good work that we do here at the SIUE East St. Louis Center Project Success Program. More importantly, this donation will make the children feel loved and important knowing that someone cares.”

The Project Success Program is a comprehensive after-school tutorial enrichment childcare program, which serves children 5-14 years of age living within the St. Clair County area. The program is funded by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. It is designed to serve children who are in protective custody and are referred by the Department of Children and Family Services caseworkers.                                                        

The Joint Community Outreach Committee was formed in 2002 for the purpose of educating the community about the Court’s functions and to encourage and facilitate community involvement. Most importantly, the program encourages employees to become more aware of the needs and issues of the district in order to improve the quality of life for the residents in the area, according to Lisa Tidwell, courtroom services supervisor for the U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois.

The committee participates in the national Make a Difference Day held each year on the fourth Saturday of October and began as a USA Today initiative, added Tidwell.

“This year, the committee selected two recipients: Project Success and The Night’s Shield, an organization in West Frankfort, which provides emergency shelter to children in crisis situations,” said Tidwell. “We specifically selected these two organizations as they advocate for the smallest of the small, and they do it on a shoestring budget.”

“We reached out to Mrs. Turley, Project Success program director at SIUE’s East St. Louis Center, to learn more about her program specifically designed to give children in foster care extra support to succeed both academically and socially,” Tidwell continued. “We were impressed by the after school program and the summer program that she coordinates.”

SIUE East St. Louis Center: With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals—from pre-school through adult—in the Metro East region.  The Center offers programs that give the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.

Photo (L-R):  The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois’ Joint Community Outreach Committee donated supplies to the Project Success Program. Hannah Tidwell, student intern in Southwestern Illinois College Paralegal Program; Janina Turley, Project Success program director at SIUE East St. Louis Center; Lisa Tidwell, courtroom services supervisor for U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois; Meg Robertie, staff attorney for the U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois; and Rosalind Wells, assistant site director for Project Success.