JOLIET, Ill. — From neighborhood gardens to community partnerships, University of Illinois Extension is helping residents access research-based solutions close to home. Members of the Illinois Extension leadership team saw that work firsthand during a visit to Joliet and Bourbonnais on Monday, where they toured horticulture partnership sites and met with staff and community leaders. The visit marked the final stop in a statewide tour of Extension units serving all 102 Illinois counties, offering leaders a closer look at local impact.
“Illinois Extension is the ‘kitchen table’ of the University of Illinois,” said Illinois Extension Associate Dean and Director Matthew Vann. “Since our creation after the passage of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, we take the research and expertise from across our land-grant college, from agriculture to engineering to medicine, and make that knowledge accessible and relevant for everyday life.”
Vann, who began his tenure as Extension’s new director in September 2025, set out to visit all 27 multi-county units statewide. The visit to Illinois Extension in Grundy, Kankakee, and Will counties marked the final stop on that tour.
Joining him on Monday’s visit was Assistant Dean and Program Leader for Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Shibu Kar, and Assistant Director of Strategy, Planning, and Implementation Amanda Cole. They were joined by Associate Director Durriyyah Kemp, who leads Illinois Extension’s Region 1, and local advisory leadership, including Extension Council Chair Johari Kweli.
The team visited a variety of sites around Joliet, including Union School Greenhouse and Gardens Program, St. Raymond's Promised Land Food Donation Garden, Joliet Central Garden Club, and CASA Children's Garden. The delegation connected directly with community members and partners who help bring these programs to life. The breadth of projects showcased Extension’s commitment to local communities:
“Many of these programs have been a part of our community for well over a decade,” said Nancy Kuhajda, horticulture educator. “What’s most meaningful is seeing that impact come full circle. People will tell me, ‘I work at the park district now because you helped me discover nature-related careers,’ or ‘I’m studying natural resources at Illinois now because of what I learned through Extension programs.’ Sometimes it’s as simple as, ‘I was in this program, and now my kids are, too.’ That’s really special."
This consistent presence helps Extension stand out from other organizations, according to Vann:
“Not many organizations can bring the full backing of a land-grant university while also having boots on the ground locally,” said Vann. “You need to have a passion and commitment to the community in order to do Extension work, and our staff live and work in the communities they serve.”
Across the state, Extension reaches over 831,000 people and contributes to a 1-to-10 return on investment for communities, according to a recently published impact report.
Vann, Kar, Cole, and Kemp wrapped up the day with a discussion at the Kankakee County office, where they spoke on Illinois Extension’s strategic plan, its history, and its impact across the state.
“From complex issues like the environmental implications of data centers, to everyday questions like gardening and environmental conservation practices, we are here to help,” said Kar. “We can connect people with research-based resources such as fact sheets, webinars, videos, and website content, and we stand behind what we create. We want to work in partnership with our communities, and we encourage people to reach out so we can continue the conversation and help.”
Find your local Illinois Extension office at go.illinois.edu/ExtensionOffice.
SPOTLIGHT IMAGE CAPTION: "Members of the Illinois Extension senior leadership team visit partnership sites across Joliet. From left to right: Marilu Andon (County Director), Durriyyah Kemp (Associate Director of Region 1), Amanda Cole (Assistant Director of Strategy, Planning, and Implementation), Nancy Kuhajda (Horticulture Educator), Associate Dean Matthew Vann (Associate Dean and Director of Illinois Extension), Shibu Kar (Assistant Dean and Program Leader for Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy). Image Credit: Anthony Warmack / University of Illinois Extension."
SOURCES: Matthew Vann, Associate Dean and Director, Illinois Extension; Shibu Kar, Assistant Dean of Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy, Illinois Extension; Amanda Cole, Assistant Director of Strategy, Planning and Implementation, Illinois Extension; Durriyyah Kemp, Associate Director of Region 1, Illinois Extension; Marilu Andon, County Director, Illinois Extension; Nancy Kuhajda, Horticulture Educator, Illinois Extension.
WRITER: Anthony Warmack, Communications and Marketing Program Coordinator, Illinois Extension.
INTERVIEWS: Contact Anthony Warmack, warmacka@illinois.edu, to request specialist interviews on this topic.
MEDIA ACCESS: Images in this story can be downloaded for media use.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.