T-Mobile awards Sycamore $23K grant for city beautification

SYCAMORE – T-Mobile recently awarded the city of Sycamore almost $23,000 as part of the company’s Hometown Grant program.

The grant was announced during a Sycamore Park District summer concert series event July 11. Sycamore 1st Ward Alderwoman Alicia Cosky, who leads the Sycamore Beautification Committee, said she and fellow committee member Cindy Henderson wrote the grant application to T-Mobile.

“We thank T-Mobile for their huge heart and generous spirit in helping small towns across the country thrive in ways that could not have been possible without your incredible Hometown Grant program,” Cosky said.

The wireless communications company is giving $22,932 to Sycamore for two beautification committee projects, one of which already can be seen near downtown businesses.

Sycamore in Bloom, a beautification committee collaboration with Sycamore High School students and business owners that has brought planter boxes to downtown Sycamore, is one of those projects.

“Come fall, we will be changing the plants over to fall arrangements, and then next year we hope to continue it and make it even bigger and better, and continue to beautify our downtown area,” Cosky said. “The second part of the grant application was for a mural installation. Now, we’re currently working to find a location, and we have a couple businesses interested in working with us.”

In March, Cosky told the Sycamore City Council that the committee was interested in creating an outdoor mural in downtown Sycamore but had yet to find a location and funding for the project.

That has not yet changed, but the T-Mobile grant will allow city officials to explore options for the art piece, officials said.

DeKalb T-Mobile retail store manager Jose Zarate presented a check for the grant to Cosky and Sycamore Mayor Steve Braser.

Zarate said the Hometown Grant program began in early 2021 as a part of T-Mobile’s efforts to bring 5G internet access to rural America. That program is expected to provide more than $25 million in grants over the next five years to small American cities and towns.

For this round of grant funding, Sycamore was one of 25 cities selected to receive the Hometown Grant award, Zarate said.

Cosky said there were more than 800 applicants.

Henderson, who helped write the grant application, said she serves on the beautification committee out of her love for Sycamore. She said she’s happy with how the planter boxes have turned out.

“I’m proud for the community,” Henderson said. “If you get a chance, make sure that you walk downtown and look around.”