The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

New directory opens doors to those in need

Daily Egyptian

Looking for a free hot meal, counseling service, or even a wig can be just a mouse click away with a new website directory aimed at Southern Illinois residents.

Access SI, which went up on Dec. 2, has more than 500 agencies listed on their website, providing 700 services in five Southern Illinois counties.

The site operates under the categories of health, social services, education, governmental, cultural, recreation and workforce employment training and transition services.

Kevin Clark, an Access SI coordinator, said the need for an Internet-based directory came about from a joint research project between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Southern Illinois Healthcare's Community Benefits Department.

"Printed directories can go out of date in a matter of days," Clark said. "With Access SI, an agency can go on the site and update their information immediately."

Funding for the new website came from a grant from the Man-Tra-Con Corporation of Marion and by the Verizon Foundation.

Clark said the goal at this point, with the new website, is spreading the word and trying to get other agencies to join.

"Eventually we would like to include all of the counties in the Southern Illinois region," he said.

Lisa Manis, of the American Cancer Society of Southern Illinois, said she hopes the website will help the organization's "Wig Closet" which provides wigs, turbans and temporary prosthesis for cancer patients.

Although the site is in its early stages, she believes it will help people find out what they have to offer.

"This is going to be a good resource for us," she said. "We are always looking for ways to get our name out, so I definitely think this will help. Eventually people will know we are there."

Factoid: Access SI is located at www.accesssi.org. There is no fee for an agency to join.

Reporter Brad Brondsema can be reached at bbrondsema@dailyegyptian.com

Today's News | Sports | Voices - Editorial | Letters
Newsbriefs | pulse - Arts & Entertainment | Calendar | Photo Staff
Apts & Rentals | Photo Personals | Live DE NewsCam | Classified Ads

[Macro error: Can't include because the file is larger than 32767 characters.]
[Macro error: Can't include because the file is larger than 32767 characters.]