The City of Kankakee Economic and Community Development Agency (ECDA) will resume hosting community conversations for the residents of Kankakee in the upcoming year. The gatherings will be held throughout the City of Kankakee to reach residents across the seven wards. Community conversations will be on the second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m., from March through October, with a rotating focus of discussion each month. With the gathering location changing each month, residents are encouraged to attend the dates and locations that best suit them.
The ECDA receives state and federal grant funding to improve housing conditions throughout the city, improve city infrastructure, as well as create and improve business and economic opportunities. These community conversations will be hosted to build data and narratives from Kankakee residents to improve the ECDA grant programs. Information collected in these gatherings will help the Economic and Community Development Agency better advocate for funds that will benefit Kankakee residents and visitors. The ECDA will utilize these times to provide information related to available programming for Kankakee residents, as well as, collecting feedback on current and future programming.
The first community conversation of 2024 is scheduled for Thursday, March 14, at 6 p.m., and will be held at the Kankakee County Museum, 801 S. Eighth Street in Kankakee. The highlighted topic of discussion will be around community service needs.
“While the Community Conversations are an opportunity for residents to learn more about the ECDA, we would really prefer for most of the talking to come from the residents. We want to hear their thoughts about their neighborhoods and give space for neighbors to engage with one another,” said Community Outreach Coordinator Samantha Rocknowski. “We look forward to that dialogue each month.”