|
$$PLAIN_TEXT_PREVIEW$$
|
Para español haga clic aquí Dear Neighbors, With summer winding down, we have one more Back to School Fair to go! Join us on August 5th at Romeoville High School for free school supplies, physicals and vaccinations, and much more. More information can be found below. We hope to see you there. The Governor has signed a few of my bills into law! See below for an explanation of our victories: Avelar Measure to Create Assisted Living Advisory Board Signed by Governor Avelar Legislation to Facilitate Access to Clean Drinking Water Signed by Governor
|
|
If you have any legislative suggestions, please reach out to my office so we can begin the research process. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have additional questions or concerns: 815-372-0085 - info@repdagmara.org Sincerely,
|
OUT AND ABOUTIf you would like to invite me to an event, meeting, or tour of your facility, please reach out to my office at info@repdagmara.org.
|
|
I started July by meeting with the People’s Lobby. We discussed the hardest things about passing legislation, my goals while I’m in office, and the makeup of the 85th District. To learn more about what the People’s Lobby does, click here. |
|
|
|
My team and I joined Bolingbrook Pride for their Picnic and Puppies event! It was a beautiful day full of love, community, and puppies! We were able to hand out state resources and information on how we can help constituents. |
|
|
|
|
|
My Community Engagement Director, Briana, attended the Silver Cross Trustee Luncheon to hear updates on the Silver Cross facilities. They discussed the upcoming renovations, their emergency room status, and when to go to the emergency room vs. urgent care! |
|
|
|
|
I attended the Bolingbrook Park District Board Meeting to congratulate them on the funding I secured for them in the FY24 budget. They have a lot of great plans for the future of Bolingbrook! |
|
|
|
|
|
I met with Laura Welch, President of Illinois National Organization for Women, to talk about reproductive health, gender affirming care, immigration, and much more! We had a great conversation on collaborating with NOW membership to make Illinois be the best state it can be! |
|
|
|
I had the opportunity to tour Heritage Woods in Bolingbrook, which is a supportive living facility for seniors that also accepts Medicaid. I also had the chance to talk with residents about legislation, ICash, and more! |
|
|
|
|
|
Our 2nd Annual Fairmont Back to School Fair was a huge success! We were able to give over 250 families school supplies, while they got to learn about community organizations, build their own tool boxes, look at a firetruck, and more. Thank you to everyone that made the event a success! |
|
|
|
I hung out with campers at Camp Fire in Bolingbrook during their “Survivor Week”! I quizzed them on state symbols and they told me all about the fishing, planting, and fun they’ve had during the week. |
|
|
|
|
|
I recently spoke at a community meeting organized by Warehouse Workers for Justice. Workers from both the local area and the city traveled to Joliet to attend the event, where I discussed their rights and the new Tempworker Bill that passed during the recent session. I also had the chance to speak with some of the workers and listen to their stories about the challenges they encounter at their workplaces. |
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS & RESOURCES
|
Renew Your Medicaid!Got Medicaid? Get ready to renew! Manage your case at abe.illinois.gov. Illinois is checking to see if you are still eligible for Medicaid. Here's what you need to do now: Click Manage My Case at abe.illinois.gov to: Watch your mail and complete your renewal right away. If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, connect to coverage at work or through the official Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace for Illinois, GetCoveredIllinois.gov.
|
211 Help LineI encourage people to take advantage of the 211 line and website. 211 is powered by real people — trained specialists who work to identify and address the root causes of a client’s problem. That means from the first hello, someone in crisis is reaching a real person who can provide a connection to help. Get help with food, clothing, shelter, housing, rent/utility assistance, counseling, substance abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, transportation, support groups, senior services, aging parents, child care, employment, legal assistance, and health care.Text 898211 for help. Food PantriesWill County HeroesWill County is investing $10 million of American Rescue Plan Act dollars to ignite the next generation of heroes in nursing and teaching. The Will County Heroes Nursing & Teaching Scholarship, which formally launched today, encourages students to pursue degrees in these high-demand professions and incentivizes them to work in Will County after graduation. Eligible students can receive $2,500 per semester to support their pursuit of a nursing or teaching degree. Students can apply for the scholarship grant through the participating Will County higher education partners: Governors State University, Joliet Junior College, Lewis University, and University of St. Francis. Learn more about the program at www.willcountyillinois.org/heroes. Utility Assistance with LIHEAP EndingThe Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) ended on May 31st, 2023. We realize that despite the ending of the program, residents in our district still may need assistance with their utility bills to keep the lights on and stay cool in their homes. We encourage those in need to contact their provider as they may have programs to assist based on your situation. ComEd has the following programs available: Catch Up and Save, Fresh Start Services, Your Neighborhood Fund, Supplemental Arrearage Reduction, Flexible Deferred Payment, Budget Billing, Flexible Payment Options, etc. For a full list and explanation of programs click here. Customers can sign up for services through the Smart Assistance Manager Assistance (SAM) or by calling 1-888-806-2273. For further assistance with utility bills, we encourage those struggling to call 211 to be connected with a financial assistance provider in your area. Cooling Centers in Will CountyWith the weather getting hotter, there are cooling centers throughout Will County. To view the list, click here. Be cautious and aware of heat related illnesses: Heat Cramp Symptoms: Painful muscle cramps/spasms usually in legs and abdomen; heavy sweating. Heat Exhaustion Symptoms: Heavy sweating, weakness of tiredness, cool, pale, clammy skin; fast, weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, headache, fainting. Heat Stroke Symptoms: Throbbing headache, confusion, dizziness, body temperature above 103°F, hot red, dry or damp skin, rapid and strong pulse, fainting, loss of consciousness.
Student LoansThe pause on federal student loans ends in September. Here’s what that means: Interest rates on all federal student loans will start accruing on Sept. 1st, with payments starting Oct. 1st and servicers contacting all borrowers with their exact due date. IDFPR (Illinois Dept. of Financial & Professional Regulation) is expecting very long wait times for borrowers who call either Federal Student Aid (aka “FSA”) or their servicer with questions. To help assist Illinois borrowers, IDFPR is partnering with the University of Illinois system to provide free webinars focused on return to repayment. Here’s the link to register: https://go.uillinois.edu/repay.
|
Seeking Public CommentICJIA is seeking public input for promoting successful and effective justice assistance grant (JAG) programming. JAG allows state and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. JAG funds have supported government programs to enforce Illinois drug laws, decrease the likelihood of violent crime, and improve the criminal justice system and its outcomes. This is your opportunity to inform ICJIA of emerging criminal justice issues, crime problems, and possible interventions and to help guide JAG funding administration. Submit comments by e-mail or U.S. mail. Submission of comments does not constitute an application for grant funding. All comments must be received by August 31, 2023. Public comments may be e-mailed to: Luisa.Salazar@Illinois.gov Written public comments may be mailed to: Luisa Salazar Federal & State Grants Unit Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority 60 East Van Buren Street, 6th Floor Chicago, Illinois 60605
|
|
|
|
