Annual Reports

As I write this, we are nearing the darkest day of the year, and we are experiencing our first really cold days of the coming winter. Earlier this week, legislative leaders stated that “there’s not going to be any new spending” in Illinois’ fiscal year 2026 budget as they and the Governor will be dealing with a reported $3 billion deficit. And the incoming Presidential administration just announced that Chicago and Illinois will be part of their “day one” agenda to enact their pledge to undertake mass deportations.

Only 29% of the incoming 104th General Assembly served during previous austere times, dating back to Governor Quinn’s administration and before, and so would have significant experience making difficult budget decisions. In fact, the majority – 58% – of the incoming legislature has worked only with Governor Pritzker, and 40% have only served when President Biden was in the White House.

We will face some challenging times, both fiscally and otherwise, with leaders who may have limited experience in meeting those challenges.

But just as the days will begin to lengthen in a week or so, we have other rays of light to look toward for inspiration and strength.

I always look first to our organizational values – Collaboration, Equity, Dignity, Strategy, and Catalyzing Change.

While we have fully defined what these values mean to us on our website, a few phrases leap out at me today:

Building bridges to create shared solutions

Centering, respecting, and affirming everyone’s humanity

Planning proactively and acting intentionally

Taking healthy risks

These values are foundational and will help guide us in finding our path forward.

Next, I look to the strength of our coalition. As you will see later in this report, collectively we served nearly half a million people last year and employed more than 14,500 people. Our members contributed more than $2 billion to the Illinois economy. This is a muscle that we must flex when we are speaking and acting on behalf of the children, families, and communities that we serve.

About a third of the population in Illinois is age 24 and younger, and half of our young people are children and youth of color. Experts estimate that 4.3% of Illinois’ population, or more than 539,000 people, are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and that 28% are raising children. Almost 700,000 children in Illinois have parents who are immigrants.

Where others may seek to deprive, isolate, or exploit our communities, it is on us to protect, include, and nurture them. I look forward to working with you on this in 2025!

Andi Durbin, CEO of ICOY