SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Nearly two dozen Illinois communities will receive $2.8 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announced Tuesday the money will go toward helping families learn skills, gain experience and get jobs in an effort to gain self-sufficiency.

Grants will go to housing authorities in Bloomington, Chicago, East St. Louis, Elgin, Joliet, Freeport, Peoria, Rock Island, Rockford, Springfield, Waukegan, and the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Henry, Kankakee, Lake, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Menard, St. Clair and Winnebago.

The money will pay for developing strategies to coordinate public housing programs with public and private social services. The goal is to help families earn more, become smarter about money, reduce reliance on welfare and progress toward independence.