Illinois Department of Human Services - Family Community Resource Center - Pekin (IL)

1 /5 Conner Malo: Has been closing early for the past week when they are not supposed to and being super unprofessional...

1 /5 Andrew Pate: It literally being part of my job to contact different social service agencies throughout the country, I can safely say that this phone system and the difficulty Ive had with reaching the county employee who reached out to me first is literally the worst. And then the person who did eventually answer acted like I was just asking the hardest question in the world getting an employees email (with tons of background noise because I guess she was working at home?). I then followed her instructions and of course the email did not go through. I cannot imagine the struggle these clients must go through every day with this place.

1 /5 Bee Bee: contacted this office regarding my LINK benefits and was met with some of the most unprofessional and condescending behavior I’ve experienced in any government setting. Mr. Guthrie, the initial employee I spoke with, rushed through a required “rights and responsibilities” script at what felt like a hundred miles per hour—not so I could understand it, but so he could check a box and move on. I told him upfront I had already received benefits before and was familiar with the process. I asked if we could expedite the script and get to the interview. Instead of adapting, he became argumentative, insisting on reading the entire thing and pretending it was some sacred legal doctrine when in reality it was nothing more than a scripted liability shield that no average person could reasonably be expected to understand. I told him plainly: > “You’re not here to ensure people understand—you’re here to get them to say yes.” He didn’t like that. Things got heated. Then came Mr. Green, the supervisor. I began calmly explaining the situation and voicing legitimate concerns about how the process is designed to confuse and dismiss people. Instead of listening, Mr. Green interrupted me mid-sentence—then had the nerve to say he’d end the call if I kept acting ‘belligerent.’ So I asked: > “How is you interrupting me belligerent on my behalf? Explain.” He couldn’t. He hung up. That tells you everything you need to know about this office. They don’t want clarity, they want compliance. They’re not here to help people navigate a broken system—they’re here to protect themselves from accountability while pretending they’re doing you a favor. I didn’t call because I was desperate. I called expecting professionalism. Instead, I found a system that treats respect like a luxury and real people like an inconvenience. Shame on Mr. Guthrie. Shame on Mr. Green. And shame on this office for forgetting who they’re supposed to serve.

1 /5 Nicole: These people are rude and notoriously difficult to get in touch with. I have tried for WEEKS to get a live person on the phone. Left numerous voice messages. I have become super frustrated. The times they have called, they mysteriously never ring through on my phone and go right to voicemail. I literally have zero logs of them calling me on a scheduled interview date and time yet they were able to leave me a voicemail even though I had my phone on me and turned up for the 2 hour time slot they scheduled me for. How is it they are able to do this? When someome did finally call me back she left a very rude message claiming different times and dates they "called" me which a few were false and had a VERY snotty tone. I do not appreciate being treated like crap just because we need some extra help. We work, pay income and property taxes, and just need a little tiny extra help. To be treated like scum by people getting paid by the state with our own tax dollars anyways, makes me sick. These people have no compassion.

1 /5 Leeland Williams: I was warned on the phone that the people at this office dont like to do their job but I didnt realize how right they were. I turned in all paper work needed, on time, and they lost it. So I brought the documents in AGAIN and THEY STILL DIDNT DO THEIR JOBS!!!!!! I HAD TO CALL THE 800 NUMBER AND THEY FIXED IT!! As far Im concerned you should have no staff in that office because its a waste of tax payers dollars. They are refusing to do their job and then laughing at the people who pay their salary. To the lady in the office my wife dealt with, you arent even qualified enough to work at mcdonalds. You need to be fired.......