The mission of the Housing Authority for LaSalle County is to strengthen the community by creating opportunities for diverse housing options and providing the opportunity for self-sufficiency by promoting adequate and affordable housing, economic opportunity, and a suitable living environment.

Programming includes:

• Public Housing: The Public Housing program provides affordable housing to over 1600 families in our community.  Stretching across LaSalle County, the HALC owns and operates more than 1000 units of affordable housing.  This includes a variety of housing sites including multi-family developments, scattered site homes, and high rises.
• Section 8: This Housing Choice Voucher Program is the Federal government’s major program, designed for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the participant, they are able to find their own housing.
• Rural Development: Through funding received from the Department of Agriculture, the Rural Development Agency funds three apartment complexes in Lasalle County.  A total of 38 units at locations in Ottawa, Leland and Sheridan are available.

Tri-County Opportunities Council will investigate the impact of poverty throughout our service area and will work in partnership with individuals, families and communities to provide opportunities that support movement toward stability and self-sufficiency. Tri-County Opportunities Council serves nine counties in northwest Illinois: Bureau, Carroll, LaSalle, Lee, Marshall, Ogle, Putnam, Stark and Whiteside.

Programming includes:

• Housing Programs: Help for eligible income-eligible households to pay for the rising cost of winter energy services.
• Early Head Start: A comprehensive child and family development program to promote self-esteem, self-confidence, and school readiness for children ages 0-3.
• Head Start: A comprehensive child and family development program to promote self-esteem, self-confidence, and school readiness for children ages 3-5.
• LIHEAP: Help for eligible income-eligible households to pay for the rising cost of winter energy services.
• Weatherization: Concentrates on weatherizing homes to make them safe by inspecting, cleaning and/or repairing the heating system, and to reduce the amount of fuel it takes to heat the home comfortably.

General Assistance:  Rutland Township provides financial aid to township residents on behalf of eligible assistance units by the General Assistance Office.  This program is an ongoing process in which you will work one one-on-one with your case worker to ensure the proper steps are taken to create a successful outcome. Together we will set and reach your goals. The most valuable service we provide is directly connecting residents to the resources they need.

Emergency Assistance:  The Rutland Township General Assistance office provides emergency assistance for township residents.  Residents who have demonstrated a verifiable need for a certain category of emergency aid and limited to once every 12 months.   The General assistance application will need to be completed in this process as well.

The Marseilles Food Pantry is open the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month, from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM. Serving all those that have a Marseilles mailing address.

The Community Food Basket is a 501(c)(3) food pantry located in Ottawa, IL. At the Community Food Basket of Ottawa our mission is to unite the community in a cooperative effort to feed those in need in a spirit of love and compassion.

All households are eligible to visit twice per month, in addition to our monthly mobile pantries. Clients are asked to bring either a piece of mail with their name and address or a photo ID. You are encouraged to bring your own containers (bags, boxes, etc.), to pack your groceries into as you shop.

Hours of operation:

• Monday: 9:00 - 12:00 PM
• Tuesday: 9:00 - 12:00 PM
• Wednesday: 3:00 - 6:00 PM
• Thursday: 3:00 - 6:00 PM

North Central Behavioral Health Systems serves clients in Central and North Central Illinois with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use services for individuals and families. From brief solution-focused counseling tailored to address common challenges like depression, anxiety, and stress, to more extensive programs encompassing intensive mental health and substance use treatments, medication management, psycho-social rehabilitation, community and home support, and other specialized services, we prioritize individualized, compassionate care.

Services include:

• Specialized Intensive & Rehabilitation: Specialized programs and services for addiction and other mental health conditions.
• Workplace Services: Online consultation, trainings and other services for employees and dependents.
• Health Promotions & Prevention Program: Health Promotions provides wellness information, education and resources to individuals and groups within our community.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP): An intensive 12-week program for alcohol and/or drug recovery.
• Online Counseling: Our Online Therapy service offers therapy at a lower cost, greater convenience and with added privacy.
• Mental Health First Aid: Education and trainings to prepare individuals and organizations to respond to psychiatric emergencies.

As a community-based agency, YSB responds to the needs of children and youth through a variety of programs with the purpose of enhancing the quality of life for all children, youth and families. YSB’s Mission is to help young people and families succeed by serving them in their home, school, and community.

Programming includes:

• Outreach Counseling: Serves youth and their families dealing with family conflict, peer relations, delinquency, truancy and personal problems experienced during adolescence.  Services are provided on a no decline basis and open to all residents.  YSB provides this service in the home, school and community.
• Solutions Counseling: Offers out-patient mental health therapy and treatment by Master degreed and licensed therapists trained in child and family centered intervention. We treat anxiety, depression, loss, teen issues, divorce, issues around blended families, abuse and neglect, anger management and more. Services include individual, marital and family counseling.
• Intact Family Services: The Intact Family Services Program is designed to work with families who have come to the Department of Children and Family Services’ attention as a result of an indicated child abuse/neglect investigation as defined in Procedure 302.388.  Intact family services are meant to provide reasonable efforts to preserve families to enable children to remain safely at home and avoid separation and/or placement of the children.
• Second Chance: Second Chance provides services to youth who would otherwise be removed from their homes and communities due to high-risk, unmanageable behavior.  These adolescents have demonstrated significant emotional concerns which may include mental health and trauma issues.
• Redeploy Illinois: Redeploy Illinois was created in 2004 by the General Assembly to provide services to youth at risk of commitment to the Illinois Department of Corrections.  The program is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services.  LaSalle County is one of 9 Redeploy sites in the state.  Youth Service Bureau provides intensive services to these youth and their families, thus reducing the incidence of criminal recidivism in our community and incarceration of adolescents in the Illinois prison system.

The ROE 35 Department of Student & Family Services is available to assist with matters related to truancy, homeless assistance, registration, compliance assistance and homeschool resources. The primary focus of the program is to provide intervention and and remediation services to potential dropouts, truants, chronic truants, McKinney-Vento indentified students in grades K-12, to increase attendance and academic achievement with a long-term objective of high school graduation.

The ROE Student & Family Services Department houses a Care Closet. Families in need for any reason can make requests through their school social worker, homeless liaison, principal, or through a ROE Student & Family Services Coordinator. 

The Marseilles Public Library provides all area residents in its service with a wide variety of resources, materials, technology, and programs in order to increase the knowledge of our community, satisfy curiosity and create young readers. The Marseilles Public Library has public-use computers that  may be used for free.

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NCAT provides door-to-door, origin to destination public bus transportation for residents and guests of LaSalle County. Service is available Monday – Friday, 6:30 am – 6:30 pm to ANYONE for ANY PURPOSE. All NCAT vehicles are lift or ramp equipped making our fleet completely accessible.

To schedule your ride, call 833-433-NCAT (6228) by 10:00 AM two days before your requested trip with the addresses of your pick up and drop off locations and the times you need to travel. Same day service may be provided based on vehicle availability.

NCAT can coordinate transportation services to get you where you need to go. We can link with neighboring providers, Amtrak, or Greyhound to complete your travel needs.

In the absence of a trusted adult, Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is not intended to suspend, expel, or punish students. Rather, the goal is to get students to “Seek Help Before Harm.”

Safe2Help Illinois is a 24/7 program where students can use a free app, text/phone, and website (Safe2HelpIllinois.com) to share information on school safety issues in a confidential environment. Once vetted, the information provided will be shared with local district and school officials and/or local PSAP/9-1-1- call center, depending on the nature of the information shared.

If you are aware of threats to other students or have thoughts of harming yourself, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Trained staff are available 24/7 to confidentially talk with you one-on-one.