The Kane County Health Department (KCHD) is encouraging parents and caregivers to talk to their pediatrician about lead testing at 12 and 24 months of age to help identify lead exposure as early as possible. Early detection is key to protecting children during critical stages of development and connecting families with resources that can prevent lifelong health effects. To help ensure more children receive this important screening, Illinois now requires blood lead testing for all children at 12 and 24 months of age.
Effective July 1, 2026, Illinois expanded its lead screening requirements to better protect children across the state. Previously, blood lead testing was required only for children living in designated high-risk ZIP codes. Under the new law, all children in Illinois must receive blood lead testing at 12 and 24 months of age, regardless of where they live. In addition, children age 6 and younger must be assessed for lead exposure risk during routine health care visits using a standardized questionnaire.
"There is no safe level of lead exposure for children, and even low levels can affect a child's health and development," said Michael Isaacson, KCHD Executive Director. "Blood lead testing helps identify exposure early, allowing families to receive the support and resources they need to reduce further exposure and improve long-term health outcomes."
Lead exposure can damage the brain and nervous system and may cause developmental delays, behavioral problems, learning difficulties, slowed growth, and hearing or speech problems. Because many children with elevated blood lead levels show no obvious symptoms, testing is the only way to know if a child has been exposed.
Under Illinois law, children with confirmed blood lead levels of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL) or higher receive a public health response. This may include a visit to the home by KCHD lead specialists to identify potential sources of lead exposure and provide education on ways to reduce and prevent further exposure.
KCHD's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program works with families to identify lead hazards, provide education, and connect residents with resources to create safer home environments.
To learn more about lead poisoning prevention go to KCHD's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (https://www.kanehealth.com/Pages/Lead.aspx), or to find a healthcare provider who offers blood lead testing, visit KCHD's Lead Prevention webpage or the Community Resources page (https://www.kanehealth.com/pages/community-organizations.aspx?FilterField1=Category&FilterValue1=Medical), or contact the department's Information and Referral Specialist (https://www.kanehealth.com/Pages/Case-Management.aspx.)
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Even in a community known for opportunity, hunger affects an estimated 64,000 Kane County residents at any given time. Throughout July, Kane County Connects is spotlighting the work of the Northern Illinois Food Bank, exploring how it partners with local organizations, volunteers and community groups to fight hunger and expand access to food across Kane County.
For the past 25 years, Shannon Thompson has helped connect people with a simple way to make a difference: volunteering at Northern Illinois Food Bank.
As Director of Volunteers, Thompson helps oversee the team who recruit and coordinate approximately 1,000 volunteers each week who sort, pack, and distribute food that ultimately helps provide more than 93 million meals annually across the food bank's 13-county service area.
The food reaches people through a network of food pantries, mobile markets, and community partners. But Thompson says it's important to remember who those meals are serving.
"We call them our neighbors," she said. "Because we are all neighbors when it comes down to it."
Hunger doesn't discriminate, Thompson explained.
"It's not a certain type of person that hunger affects. It affects everyone," she said. "And we need volunteers all year long because hunger doesn't choose seasons either."
Most volunteers spend two to three hours at the food bank's warehouse sorting and packing food. Volunteers must be at least 8 years old, and the primary physical requirement is the ability to stand for most of the shift and a willingness to help make a difference in the lives of others.
Others volunteer at outdoor food distributions and Mobile Markets, helping neighbors access the food they need. Volunteers can participate individually or as part of a group, and many discover that serving others also helps combat social isolation and creates meaningful connections.
The impact of volunteers is difficult to overstate.
Volunteers account for nearly one-third of the food bank's workforce, contributing approximately 150,000 hours of service annually—the equivalent of about 70 full-time employees.
Thompson has seen a growing number of businesses embrace volunteerism as part of their community engagement efforts. Volunteering together gives employees the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while strengthening relationships, building teamwork, and connecting around a shared purpose.
While people arrive for different reasons, many stay because of the experience.
"It's hard to put into words the feeling volunteers experience," Thompson said. "People come for different reasons, but often they stay because of the relationships they build and the reality that they're making an impact in the life of someone they'll probably never meet."
She noted that while food donations are essential, volunteers are what turn those donations into meals.
"We can fill our building with the generosity of donations, but if we don't have volunteers to help move it out the door, it doesn't make the impact it's meant to."
Over the years, Thompson has heard countless stories from volunteers, many of whom are simply trying to pay forward kindness they once received themselves.
"You can look at somebody and have no idea they're struggling," she said.
A lot has changed since Thompson joined Northern Illinois Food Bank 25 years ago, but one thing remains constant.
"The thing that hasn't changed is the heart of the people who volunteer," she said. "People have thousands of places they could volunteer, so I always feel grateful when they choose Northern Illinois Food Bank."
While the organization recruits through social media, email campaigns, and advertising, Thompson says its most effective recruitment tool remains simple: word of mouth.
"People trust their friends and family to direct them to a good experience."
With food prices remaining high and many families continuing to face economic challenges, Thompson says the need for volunteers remains strong.
"Now is the time to get involved," she said. "There's not a better time to volunteer. The need hasn't gone away – in fact, it continues to grow. We are so grateful for any time people choose to volunteer."
Ready to help? Making a difference starts with just a few hours and it's as easy as the click of a mouse at https://solvehungertoday.org/how-to-help/volunteer/
ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK
For over 40 years, Northern Illinois Food Bank has been dedicated to solving hunger and empowering neighbors. Our vision at Northern Illinois Food Bank is for everyone in Northern Illinois to have the food they need to thrive. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and proud member of Feeding America, we serve our neighbors in 13 counties with dignity, equity and convenience, providing 320,000 meals a day. We bring together manufacturers, local and corporate grocers, area farmers, corporations, foundations, and individuals who donate food and funding, and each week nearly 1,000 volunteers help us evaluate, repack, and distribute food. We also proudly partner with more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth and senior feeding programs to provide nutritious food and resources. Our distribution centers are located in Geneva, Lake Forest, Rockford and Joliet. Find out how you can get help, volunteer, donate or get involved at SolveHungerToday.org, or follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn.
After nearly four months of extensive repairs, the only elevator serving all four floors of Building A at the Kane County Government Center is back in service.
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Building A houses dozens of County employees and serves residents conducting business with several departments. It was originally constructed as a seminary in the 1920s, and was purchased by Kane County in 1975. Throughout the repair project, County staff worked to minimize disruptions by reconfiguring office space and relocating services to ensure accessibility and continuity of operations.
"The elevator outage required flexibility across multiple departments," said Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog. "Employees worked together to quickly adjust office locations and service delivery so residents could continue accessing the services they rely on."
Among the changes:
"The elevator company told us this type of repair is something they typically see only once every 40 to 50 years," said Roger Fahnestock, Kane County's Executive Director of Building Management and Information Technology. "We believe this new cylinder should keep the elevator running for many years to come."
The elevator outage also prompted County officials to evaluate whether Building A should be retrofitted with a second elevator. After a brief discussion, a committee of the Kane County Board rejected the idea citing the significant cost and structural challenges with installing a second elevator in the nearly century-old building.
A Complex Repair
The project began on March 17, when the elevator's hydraulic cylinder failed during a routine load pressure test. An inspection determined that both the hydraulic cylinder and jack assembly had failed and required replacement.
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A purchase order for replacement components was approved the following day, and fabrication of a new hydraulic cylinder began—a process expected to take six to eight weeks.
Repairs started in mid-May but uncovered an unexpected complication.
As crews prepared to install the new cylinder, they discovered the elevator casing had deteriorated and was damaged beyond repair. The finding required additional engineering approvals and significantly expanded the scope of the project.
To keep the project moving, the County approved emergency work to excavate and drill a completely new elevator shaft. Contractors worked an expedited schedule, including off-hours, to complete the excavation and boring work before installing the new hydraulic cylinder and jack assembly in early July.
The elevator successfully returned to service on July 14, restoring full access to all four floors of Building A.
Elevator Repair Timeline
County officials thanked residents, employees and visitors for their patience throughout the project and recognized the collaboration among multiple departments that ensured County services remained accessible while repairs were underway. The experience demonstrated how departments adapted quickly to continue serving the public despite the temporary loss of the building's only elevator.
Explore Kane County's current and upcoming capital improvement projects managed by the Building Management Department at https://www.kanecountyil.gov/Capital
Kane County's Growing for Kane Food & Farm Technical Assistance initiative is demonstrating how strategic business support can help local farms attract new investment and strengthen the agricultural economy.
Earlier this year, the initiative provided one-on-one technical assistance to help farms identify funding opportunities, develop competitive projects, and prepare grant applications. Outreach resulted in three grant applications and three successful awards. Two Kane County farms secured a combined $152,500 through the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Grant and Illinois Local Food Infrastructure Grant to support investments in food processing infrastructure, refrigerated transportation, and cold storage.
These results also highlight the lasting impact of Kane County's 2024 Food & Farm Resiliency Program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). While the program invested directly in strengthening local food and farm businesses, it also helped producers build the foundation needed to pursue future funding opportunities. Through business planning, infrastructure improvements, and operational investments, participating farms became better positioned to compete for competitive grant programs.
The Growing for Kane Technical Assistance initiative built on that foundation by providing individualized coaching to identify funding opportunities, refine project ideas, and prepare competitive grant applications. The combination of prior business investment and targeted technical assistance translated into successful grant awards that brought new state funding into Kane County.
Together, these programs demonstrate how economic development extends beyond a single grant. Strategic public investment can strengthen businesses, improve grant readiness, and help local producers compete for additional outside funding. As Growing for Kane continues to connect producers with technical assistance and funding opportunities, Kane County remains committed to supporting a resilient agricultural economy by helping local businesses build capacity, expand opportunities, and attract future investment.
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