The Poshard Foundation for Abused Children handed out an increased amount of grant funds Friday to agencies throughout southern Illinois.
Foundation co-founder Glenn Poshard said agencies needed more money this year because of the ongoing budget stalemate. He urged Governor Rauner, Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton to do what's right for the groups trying to help these less fortunate kids.
"We can't leave children's lives in the waste while we're trying to solve our budget problems. These social service agencies don't deserve to go through what they're being put through right now because they're taking care of our most vulnerable children."
Foundation director Jo Poshard said child abuse is a big problem in southern Illinois. She said in the southern 34 counties in 2014, there were over 38-hundred substantiated child abuse victims.
"We receive, in the southern region, approximately 350 new reports every week of child abuse. In one week, just the southern counties. Then, it's DCFS job to get in there and investigate. But, that's a huge number...I think."
Poshard said, as of April 1 of this year, there were over 44-hundred children in foster care in southern Illinois.
The foundation distributed a total of $100,000 to 29 agencies dealing with abused, abandoned and neglected children. That's a $30,000 increase over previous years.