Illinois awards funding.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has announced that more than $400,000 in Opportunity Returns funding has been awarded to eight Southern Illinois organizations. The grants will support recycling initiatives that will help create 10 new jobs and advance recycling collection and processing efforts throughout the area.

Each organization will receive grants to expand recycling collection by adding and servicing additional drop-off sites, purchasing new equipment or servicing new customers. These grants are part of Opportunity Returns, Blagojevich's regional economic development program designed to create jobs and to promote economic growth in the Southern region of the state.

"Throughout the Southern region, Opportunity Returns is designed to give business and industry the resources they need to be more competitive and more productive," says Blagojevich. "Through the Illinois Recycling Grants Program, we are expanding markets for a very important industry in our state, strengthening its capacity to create more jobs and continuing to make a positive impact on Southern Illinois."

The grant recipients for the Southern region are:

* Choate Mental Health & Development Center, $45,234;

* Southern Recycling Center, $100,000;

* Burris Disposal Service LLC, $50,000;

* Southern Illinois University, $37,813;

* City of DuQuoin, $27,054;

* Wayne County Board, $50,000;

* In a Pinch, Herrin, $50,000;

* Ripped to Shreds Inc., $48,352.

Grant awards are determined on a competitive basis, and the grantee is required to provide a matching investment of at least 50 percent of the funding required for the project.