CHICAGO - With Black Friday and Cyber Monday receding in the rearview mirror, today marks a day dedicated to giving back as Illinoisans are encouraged to join a new tradition of generosity on #GivingTuesday.

Nonprofit organizations around the state are working to raise $12 million in one day through #ILGIVEBIG, or the "I'll Give Big" initiative. Joan Vitale, director of special initiatives with Voices for Illinois Children, says her organization hopes to inspire people - especially the millennial generation - to spend with a purpose.

"We decided this was a good way for us to encourage younger people who are just beginning to think about philanthropy, donating and giving back," she says. "It's giving those younger folks an easier way to do that."

The Donor's Forum is organizing the #ILGIVEBIG initiative, and hundreds of nonprofits are involved. Voices for Illinois Children is using the hashtag #4MYFUTURE, and Vitale says any donation today will be matched by a fellow child advocate. Illinoisans are asked to share and retweet #4MYFUTURE and #ILGIVEBIG to spread awareness about the campaign.

Vitale adds Voices for Illinois Children works in a variety of ways to help kids and families with health care, education, economic security and other needs, and says an investment in children is an investment in the future.

"That's where our investment should be," she says. "Making sure all kids have a good opportunity, that they're healthy, happy and ready to succeed and that they have all the tools that are in place for themselves and their families."

Vitale says it's especially important to consider helping those less fortunate in Illinois, given that the personal income tax will decrease at the end of this year.

"We will go from a five percent personal income tax to 3.75," she says. "That means even more cuts in social services, which is going to make the job of advocates even more crucial."


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As Nebraskans anticipate the upcoming holiday season, some might also be looking ahead to the 2025 tax season, which will include a new tax credit for family caregivers, including those looking after military veterans.

Starting in 2025, a new state law provides eligible family caregivers up to $2,000 in tax credits for out-of-pocket expenses. The cap increases to $3,000 if the family member receiving care has dementia or is a veteran.

Jina Ragland, associate state director of advocacy and outreach for AARP Nebraska, said those who served have access to care benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs but added it sometimes is not enough.

"Because some of their service-related illnesses or injuries, they extend beyond what they're able to afford, or maybe what the coverage is through the VA," Ragland explained.

She pointed out it puts more pressure on loved ones assisting them on a daily basis. During National Veterans and Military Families Month, supporters of the new law hope more families will see if they are eligible. Ragland noted while it helps reduce the financial strain, greater awareness of resources is also needed, to help all family caregivers avoid burnout.

Ragland emphasized one example is providing caregivers information about where to turn for guidance when a loved one is first discharged from a hospital. She argued entities at all levels need to maintain progress, because their outreach shows a demand for solutions.

"Over 90% of Nebraskans say that they want to age in place with the lowest level of care," Ragland reported. "In order to do that, oftentimes we have to rely on family caregivers."

There are no age restrictions to qualify for the tax credit. As for eligibility factors, the law includes an income limit of $50,000 dollars for individuals and $100,000 for married couples.

Health care providers and schools across North Carolina could soon benefit from tax credits to help projects get off the ground and serve thousands of people.

The Self-Help Ventures Fund, a North Carolina-based nonprofit focused on expanding economic opportunities in underserved communities, recently secured a $50 million boost from the U.S. Treasury's New Markets Tax Credit program.

Sarah Brennan, structured finance sector leader at the fund, said the tax credits will support critical community projects that otherwise could not move forward, driving development where it's needed most.

"It can be really difficult for a community facility to pull together the millions of dollars in equity that they would need to get traditional financing," Brennan explained. "They are able to go forth and build projects that literally would not have been able to happen otherwise."

She noted the fund will roll out the credits across six to eight projects in the next few years, with a focus on health and education facilities in North Carolina and several other states where they operate. The organization pointed out how transformative the investments can be, funding essential services such as health clinics and schools for areas most in need.

Emma Haney, director of business development and project management for Self-Help Ventures Fund's real estate team, said with construction costs soaring, the need for this type of funding is more critical than ever.

"Most projects that you could have filled the gap with $5 million in allocation or around that much, you might need $10 million or $15 million now," Haney pointed out. "It's just sort of an exponential increase in the need per project with a finite amount of resources."

With the latest allocation, Self-Help has administered tax credits totaling $483 million. The organization hopes Congress will expand the tax credit program to keep up with demand, as each dollar plays a vital role in lifting underserved communities.


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As Michigan prepares for tomorrow's big election, skilled-trade and union workers are calling for continued federal support to keep their industry strong.

Many are hoping the next administration will prioritize funding similar to the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which fueled repairs and upgrades to roads, water systems and the power grid.

Felicia Wiseman, recruitment officer for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 58 in Detroit, said the Infrastructure Act and the CHIPS and Science Act also created pathways for new talent through apprenticeship programs.

"The work that's coming down the pipeline, we need people to do it," Wiseman observed. "It's making them open up doors, so that people can get into these apprenticeships. There's a lot of programs that are out there kind of prepping people, because they don't know about how to get into the different skilled trades."

Michigan will receive more than $11 billion from the Infrastructure Act by 2026, funding major skilled-trade jobs and projects in transportation, water and energy.

As a single mother, who once faced the struggle of balancing work and affording child care when she first entered the trades, Wiseman also praised the child care requirements within the CHIPS and Science Act.

"Just for the industry to realize that, and they're kind of doing it now because we have so many single fathers now," Wiseman explained. "They're, like, 'Hey, this is a problem.' And we're, like, 'Duh! No kidding.'"

When asked what top priority the next administration should bring to the skilled trades, Wiseman was clear.

"I want to see labor and people in labor - not only union, all people in labor - continue to be respected and you know paid what they're worth for the jobs that they're doing," Wiseman emphasized.

According to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Michigan expects about 45,000 new skilled-trade job openings each year through 2028.


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