Thread by @GovPritzker

As Dr. Ezike and I told you yesterday, our rate of rise is looking less and less exponential.

That indicates to us that we are in fact bending the curve.

There is even some evidence we may be moving toward a flatter curve, but we need to keep watching the daily data.

Keep in mind, our case numbers and the death toll are still growing, and thus our fight must continue – but they’re growing more slowly, and that’s a very good thing.

It is all of you, the families and individual residents of Illinois, who are making the biggest difference in our fight against COVID-19.

You all are the first line of protection in your communities, in your households, for yourselves.

Your individual decisions to keep social distance, to not gather in groups, to wash your hands and to wear a mask outside have resulted in collective action that is saving people from getting sick and being hospitalized.

It’s been one week since we launched #AllInIllinois, and in that week, people from all across the state – people around the world with ties to East St. Louis or Macomb or Cairo or Rock Island or Chicago – have declared themselves ALL IN for Illinois.

In under seven days, the #AllInIllinois campaign has reached more than 3 million people on social media.

And across the state, countless individuals and organizations have come together to fight for things far larger than themselves.

Fighting for the safety of youth in care, @AuntMarthas has developed a first of its kind program, opening this month, designed to give @IllinoisDCFS kids who have been exposed to COVID-19 a safe place to quarantine.

Fighting for safe and expansive nutrition access, @LakeviewPantry, which serves food to people all across @chicago, is serving 82% more individuals than they were before this crisis began – and they've expanded capacity for online orders every week.

Fighting for our elderly residents, the @IL_DoA has supplied $7 million in Emergency Assistance grants to help meet increased demand for home-delivered meals for our seniors: last week alone, they processed nearly 1,000 new home-delivered meal referrals per day.

Fighting for our residents with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living in Lake Co & Mt Vernon have offered more workers, training & supplies to keep people safe in their own homes. Group homes across the state offer a message of hope by displaying hearts on their windows.

Fighting for students and their families, Bella Ease in Adams County is providing dinner and snacks to local residents to supplement the breakfast and lunch Quincy children receive from their local public schools.

Fighting for those needing behavioral health services, @HASChicago has restructured its operations to expand tele-health and phone counseling options for those seeking services to battle addiction or work through mental health needs.

Fighting for our health care workers, @lewisandclarkcc in Godfrey, gathered up critical PPE from their health sciences program and donated hundreds of boxes of masks, gloves, gowns and hand sanitizer to local hospitals.

Fighting to provide services and housing for the homeless, @LaCasaNorte continues to help individuals throughout DuPage, Kendall, Cook and Kane Counties find permanent shelter for themselves and their families.

Fighting for small businesses, the communities of Southern Illinois came together to launch Marion United, a live stream benefit featuring local artists, musicians & community leaders sharing hope and encouragement. They raised nearly $200,000 from hundreds of donors.

Fighting for equitable community support, @latinopolicy is working to ensure fair food access statewide and that early education providers serving essential workers in our Latino community have the diapers, wipes & formula they need to support the families they serve.

I could go on… but the point is, all across Illinois, individuals and communities and nonprofits and grassroots organizations have stepped up to meet this moment.

I am so proud of each and every one of them.

And I hope you are, too.

Know that everywhere you look, there are helpers.

The truth is that Illinois is home to the kindest and most generous people in the nation.