West Cook News

Today, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution recognizing the county's achievement in receiving 78 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards for 2025. These awards highlight innovative government programs that improve services for residents and advance equity.

“These awards are a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of our employees who work every day to make government more accessible, equitable and effective,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “We’re proud to be recognized nationally for programs that put residents first and reflect our core values of innovation, justice and service.”

The awards cover areas such as health equity, digital inclusion, sustainability, housing access, and workforce protection. The winning programs demonstrate Cook County’s commitment to creating responsive public services.

Among this year’s award winners is the Community of Care initiative by the Justice Advisory Council. This program supports community-based violence prevention organizations through arts-based programming and other activities.

Another notable program is the Fair Housing Advertising Campaign by the Department of Human Rights and Ethics. It used various media platforms to educate residents about their housing rights under the Just Housing Amendment.

The Healthy Work Initiative by Cook County Health developed infrastructure for workplace health and safety strategies, reaching over 250,000 workers with training.

The Equity Fund Purchase Assistance Program by the Cook County Land Bank Authority offers down payment assistance to help low- to moderate-income buyers purchase homes in disinvested areas.

The Dollars and Sense financial counseling program provided personalized support to participants in a guaranteed income pilot, resulting in improved credit scores.

Lastly, as part of its Salvage Program, over 1,000 items from Oak Forest Hospital were donated to various organizations supporting recently arrived residents.

Cook County also coordinated Digital Inclusion Week events aimed at bridging broadband gaps across communities. The county's award-winning submissions are selected based on innovation and measurable impact. More information about these awards can be found at www.naco.org.