Public Statement By VACWC
August 6, 2026
Our Veterans Assistance Commission of Winnebago County (the “VACWC”) was called this afternoon by a local TV station to discuss a petition being circulated by a local citizen. Since we nor the reporter had seen or been given a copy of the petition, we can have no comment at the time of this writing. This organization has a long history of successfully representing indigent military veterans and their family members to obtain necessary services especially when those military veterans have been injured or disabled while serving their country. The VACWC has obtained for local military veterans and their family members millions of dollars in federal and state benefits owed to this County’s military veterans and their families. The VACWC has filed with the Federal Veterans Administration hundreds of claims for military veterans, and the VA is continuing to review and to approve those claims. Additionally, the VACWC continues to actively work with the military veterans and their family members residing in Winnebago County to obtain General Assistance financial benefits as authorized by Illinois laws. Employees of the VACWC remain on the job ready to assist new applicants to obtain their benefits authorized by Federal and/or Illinois laws.
Twenty-two (22) military veterans from eleven (11) local Military Veterans Service Organizations serve as the governing body of the VACWC known as the “Commission”. This Commission has been and will continue to be diligent to fulfill its statutory duty to oversee the operations of the VACWC. The Commission has and will continue to follow Federal and Illinois Laws and its written policies to ensure that the staff of the VACWC render efficient and professional services to our local military veterans. The Commission has and will continue to take any and all employment actions as may be necessary to ensure that our county’s military veterans and their family members receive the services and benefits to which they are entitled.