March 9, 2007

Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias on Friday held a roundtable with Polish-American leaders to discuss how the Treasurer’s Office can better assist and strengthen local neighborhoods and communities.

The roundtable came on the heels of the community’s annual Casmir Pulaski Day celebration and in advance of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, the first settlement in North America, which became home to the first wave of Polish-German immigrants in 1608.

Giannoulias pledged to help the Polish-American community by backing low-interest loans to small and large businesses. He also will target the community with the office’s Our Own Home program, which helps people with no or unconventional credit history purchase homes.

As a former banker, Giannoulias spoke of the importance of access to capital for establishing and expanding businesses, which serve as the heart and soul of immigrant communities.

"Access to capital is access to power and self-determination; it allows you to take charge of your own destiny," Giannoulias said.

The son of Greek immigrants, Giannoulias recognizes the importance of maintaining a dialogue with community leaders to hear their concerns and know the issues that are important to people.

“It is important for me to reach out to this thriving immigrant community to open lines of communication and hear how the Treasurer’s Office can better serve their needs,” Giannoulias said. “I look forward to spending time with members of this community and will work to help expand their businesses and promote homeownership among immigrant families.”

The discussion was moderated by Frank Spula, national president of the Polish National Alliance.

“This was a great opportunity to build a bridge between the State Treasurer’s Office and the community,” Spula said. “We need to be more connected and involved with the political process.”

According to the 2000 census, about 1 million persons of Polish ancestry live in Illinois. About 65 percent of those Poles live in the suburbs of Chicago and 23 percent reside in Chicago.