Advocacy Group Expands Reach in McLean County

The Alliance for Community Services aims to amplify voices of seniors, working poor, and people with disabilities

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:49pm

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A serene oil painting depicting an elderly person sitting alone on a park bench, surrounded by warm sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of solitude and the need for greater community support.The Alliance for Community Services advocates for the rights and dignity of underrepresented groups, including seniors, in Bloomington-Normal.Bloomington Today

The Alliance for Community Services, a statewide advocacy group, is growing its presence in the Bloomington-Normal area of McLean County, Illinois. The coalition, which has eight organizations across the state, is focused on promoting civil equity and justice, as well as fighting for the rights of seniors, the working poor, and people living with disabilities.

Why it matters

The group's efforts to center the voices of marginalized communities and advocate for policy changes around issues like healthcare, housing, and voting rights are crucial in a region that has historically lacked strong advocacy for these vulnerable populations.

The details

Over the past few years, the Alliance for Community Services has been involved in public policy advocacy, such as the Humanize Long Term Care Campaign, which has helped secure new protections for nursing home residents. The coalition's Bloomington-Normal branch, led by Coalition Coordinator Fran Tobin, has been seeing more people with disabilities, seniors, and frontline workers join their efforts to ensure legislators and political leaders hear their concerns.

  • The Alliance for Community Services has been active in McLean County for around 10 years.
  • The group is holding a public meeting on April 20, 2026 at the Life Center for Independent Living in Bloomington, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The players

Alliance for Community Services

A statewide advocacy group promoting civil equity and justice, and fighting for the rights of seniors, the working poor, and people living with disabilities.

Fran Tobin

The Coalition Coordinator for the Alliance for Community Services' Bloomington-Normal branch.

Rickie Leebenecky

The Executive Director of the Life Center for Independent Living in Bloomington, and a member of the Alliance for Community Services coalition.

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What they’re saying

“It's been exciting, frankly, in a strange way, that a lot of folks are stepping up and saying this isn't the country we wanted to be in, this is not the America that we believed in. There's been a real increase of folks who have not been particularly involved in politics and public policy issues stepping up, saying we want better.”

— Fran Tobin, Coalition Coordinator

“Humanizing of each individual is important, I think. Instead of looking at numbers, look at the person. If you are inherently discriminated against, being made to feel like you are less than, that is all the more reason for somebody to show up and speak up to their legislators.”

— Rickie Leebenecky, Executive Director, Life Center for Independent Living

What’s next

The Alliance for Community Services is putting special focus on addressing public policy issues like Medicare and Medicaid cuts, continuing to address healthcare and food needs in the community, as well as fighting for the rights of congregate housing residents. The group is also working with the Life Center for Independent Living to provide voter rights education ahead of the upcoming election, ensuring people with disabilities know their rights and have access to voting.

The takeaway

The growing presence and advocacy efforts of the Alliance for Community Services in McLean County highlight the importance of amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and fighting for policy changes that address their unique needs and challenges. By centering the lived experiences of seniors, the working poor, and people with disabilities, the group is working to create a more equitable and just society.