45 Human service providers in the tri-county area are hoping to educate the public about the impact they have in the area.
The Human Services Collaborative of Greater Peoria's economic study shows the agencies combined employ more than 25-hundred people, and directly contribute more than 237-million dollars to the regional economy.
Jim Runyon is with Easter Seals. He says it’s important for the business community and public to know how human service agencies contribute to enhancing the economy, workforce and quality of life in the Greater Peoria area.
“We work together. Often there is a common, but misconception out there that we are competing with each other and that’s simply not true. We really work diligently to serve folks in variety of different ways through shared services, shared programs and activities, (and) referring across the lines to each other as well.”
Runyon says representatives with the Human Services Collaborative plan to give presentations to the business community. The group is also highlighting individual organizations in an advertisement in the Peoria Journal Star every Thursday.