Kankakee Economic and Community Development Agency

Some of the feedback we often hear is about the support needed for our younger residents - education, childcare, transportation, programming, and the like. Our friends at Birth to Five Illinois support much of that work!

Attend one of their upcoming community meetings to learn more about the latest changes to early childhood education. You'll have the opportunity to share your thoughts on how those changes may affect you, your family, and our community!

The deadline to register is tomorrow, June 23rd -- register at http://bit.ly/4nH68N8

You're invited! We have a QuikTrip coming soon right here in the City of Kankakee and you are invited to the groundbreaking ceremony!

Join us on Friday, June 26 at 11am to mark this significant milestone for our community! Help us celebrate a $20 million investment that will bring new jobs, expanded services, and continued economic growth to Kankakee's south corridor.

Nonprofits with strong financial health contribute to stronger communities—and we’re here to help make that happen. 💪

Mission: Possible is a a FREE workshop series designed for small, Kankakee County nonprofits to strengthen operations and grow grant writing success. Join us June 30th for a conversation on Finances!

Register today at: bit.ly/KCmissionpossible ((Missed the first session? No worries! Sign up and join us for session 2!))

This series is a collaborative effort between United Way, Kankakee Economic and Community Development Agency, and our friends at Kankakee Community College with the goal of equipping local nonprofits with the tools, knowledge, and confidence they need to make their missions possible. 💓

The ECDA office will be closed on Thursday, June 18th and Friday, June 19th. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Juneteenth Freedom Festival on Saturday, June 20th and hope you have a fun and safe holiday weekend.

Kankakee's business community is full of great stories — are you telling yours?

Join us for a Lunch & Learn IN ONE WEEK on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 where local marketing expert Katherine Henson will share simple, actionable social media tips to help your business grow online. FREE to attend. Lunch is prepared by Stefari Café and sponsored by MCA Adult Day Center.

Space is limited so reserve your spot today at the link in our bio or at https://bit.ly/ECDAJune23

Our friends at the American Lung Association want you to know:
Protect your future with annual lung cancer screenings. If you are an Illinois resident between 50-80 years of age and currently smoke or have quit within the last 15 years, lung cancer screenings can help find cancer early when it is much easier to treat. Call 844-ALA-LUNG to talk to a Lung Health Navigator to find out if you are eligible for screening or visit Lung.org/LCS-assistance to learn more.

You can also find this information at the ECDA table at an upcoming community event!

This evening's Community Conversation in partnership with the University of Illinois Extension Office at 5:30pm at the Kankakee Public Library has been canceled due to the anticipated weather.

Please stay tuned for more details about future events!

The ECDA is looking forward to participating in next week's Juneteenth celebrations! Make plans to attend one or all!

We'll be at the Lunch and Learn as well as the Freedom Festival. See you there!

Join us THIS THURSDAY for our next Community Conversation with our friends from the University of Illinois Extension Office as we discuss healthy food access!

We hope to see you on Thursday, June 11 at 5:30pm at the Kankakee Public Library to learn about nutrition insecurity, identifying healthy options, and the relationship between food insecurity and our health. Get your questions answered, share your thoughts, and meet your neighbors.

Registration is not required, but encouraged. An interpreter will be available. You can find it at the link in our bio or here - bit.ly/ECDAjune26commconvo

This month we have a special guest blog from our friends at the Kankakee Area LGBTQ Network! Read what they have to share at the link in our bio, or here - bit.ly/ECDAjuneblog2026