This spring, the Ecology Action Center was awarded funding through an Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Grant –IPCF Annual Campaign Fund Green Endowment that allows for the purchase of recycling carts to be granted to eligible Town of Normal households, on needs-based criteria.
We invite all eligible Normal residents to apply for this free program. Full program details, including rules of eligibility and links for application, can be found below.
What is the Normal Recycle Cart Program?
This program seeks to increase the accessibility of recycling for low-income Normal residents. It provides a 65-gallon recycling cart, free of charge, to Town of Normal residents that currently receive garbage collection services by the Town of Normal, reside in a single-family housing unit, and meet the U.S. Department of Housing’s (HUD) maximum income limit guidelines.
How Does the Program Work?
- Residents must fill out an application and provide proof of household income. Acceptable forms of income verification include a copy of a current pay stub, prior year federal income tax returns, or other documentation, as needed. Failure to disclose income information or willful misrepresentation will result in denial of the application. Applications will be accepted until all available carts have been claimed.
- Applications are subject to review by the EAC. If the application is approved, the resident will receive an approval notice from the EAC with detailed instructions outlining the household’s scope of participation requirements.
- After approval, residents will receive notice of when their recycling cart is to be delivered and recycling pick-up services are scheduled to begin. In addition, residents will be required to track their weekly recycling behaviors and periodically respond to questionnaires sent by the EAC regarding residents’ recycling knowledge and behavior over the course of eleven months, or until June 30, 2019.
- Once recycling carts have been distributed and the program has ended, residents will be able to keep the distributed carts and continue to receive scheduled recycling pick-up indefinitely while living at the original address stated on the application form.
Do I Qualify?
- Applicant must live within the Town of Normal and receive garbage collection services by the Town of Normal
- Applicant must live in a single-family housing unit
- Household income must be within HUD income guidelines (refer to Maximum Income Limits table below)
If you do not meet the criteria for eligibility in this program but know someone who does, please feel free to share the program and application information.
| Number in Household | Maximum Income Limit |
| 1 Person | 50,250 |
| 2 Person | 57,550 |
| 3 Person | 64,750 |
| 4 Person | 71,900 |
| 5 Person | 77,700 |
| 6 Person | 83,450 |
| 7 Person | 89,200 |
| 8 Person | 94,950 |
How Do I Apply?
Paper applications for assistance are available at the Ecology Action Center, by calling 309-454-3169, or by applying via our online form below. Proof of income (pay stubs, federal income tax returns) must be included with the application. Copy machines are available at the EAC.
Please contact Molly McCready, EAC Education Coordinator, at [email protected], or 309-454-3169 x.12 with any questions.
The Ecology Action Center is a not-for-profit environmental agency with a mission to inspire and assist residents of McLean County in creating, strengthening and preserving a healthy environment. The EAC acts as a central resource for environmental education, information, outreach, and technical assistance in McLean County.
