PEORIA — A coalition of community groups wants to show residents in Peoria and beyond how the Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act can have a direct impact on them, either through a variety of incentives or the possibility of employment that will come along as more individuals and businesses act on them.

The first of several public meetings designed to inform residents of the opportunities created by the 2013 law kicks off in Peoria later this week and will outline new ways to obtain renewable energy for homes and other properties, such as churches.

"The bill that ultimately passed — the Future Energy and Jobs Act — is now in an implementation stage," said Dawn Dannenbring, an organizer with Illinois People’s Action. "A coalition of Peoria partners was the only downstate group to receive a grant to provide job training for the jobs that the the FEJA will create."

The "Claim Our Fair Share" meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Carver Community Center, also will identify how to train and get the jobs becoming available to meet the demand for renewable energy.

Kim Wasserman, executive director of Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, was integral to FEJA's passage and will be the keynote speaker.

Sponsors of the meeting include: The Central Illinois Healthy Community Alliance, Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, Heaven’s View Christian Fellowship, Illinois People’s Action, Mount Zion Baptist Church, PCCEO, Peoria NAACP, Southside Community United for Change, Tri-County Urban League and the UU Church of Peoria.

"There are many things that still need to happen for us to fully implement FEJA," Dannenbring said. "We need to organize the community, make sure that people who want training and jobs are linked with the groups providing that. (We need to) make sure that people who want solar on their roof or in their community, or who want energy efficiency upgrades in their homes, are linked to the people who can provide that. This community forum is all a start in that process."

Matt Buedel can be reached at 686-3154 or mbuedel@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @JournoBuedel.