Severe Winter Storm Advisory. Dec 22-Dec 24, 2022

Dear community,

The National Weather Service has issued a warning for a significant winter storm beginning this evening (December 22nd) which will is projected to bring a substantial snowfall beginning this evening and continuing into the early hours of Saturday morning. It will also bring near-and-sub-zero temperatures throughout the holiday weekend and into next week. 

My staff will be standing by to assist at info@33rdward.org or at 773-840-7880 for any snow-related emergencies that my arise today and Friday. The office will not be open to walk-ins on Friday to ensure that neighbors travel as little as possible given the extremely hazardous snow, wind, and near-and-sub-zero temperatures. Again my staff and additional volunteers will be standing by to assist at 773-840-7880 or info@33rdward.org. 

We’ve filled this newsletter with helpful resources for the storm including information about the Volunteer Snow Shoveling Program, the Snow Plow program, public warming centers, and more. For additional information, the City’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is coordinating the City’s response to the storm. You can sign up for emergency alerts from the City at Notify Chicago. For business updates you can text “CHIBIZ” to 6-7-2-8-3. 

Yours in Service,

Rossana

Talking Trash (and Mostly Snow) with Eric Ramos

The leadership of the Department of Streets and Sanitation made the decision to get as much trash and recycling picked up as possible before the storm so you may be seeing trash picked up in your alley earlier than usual before the storm arrives tomorrow night. 

Snow plows will prioritize the major streets (think Kedzie, Kimball, California, Irving Park, Belmont, Lawrence, and Elston) throughout the ward. Only after the plows have cleared these streets can they shift to clearing residential streets. You may not see a plow on residential streets until the worst of the storm has passed on Saturday. You can track the citywide snow plow fleet here. 

Sidewalk Shoveling

As a reminder to all residents and businesses, the Municipal Code of Chicago places the responsibility for keeping sidewalks clear of snow and ice on property owners and occupants. Please be courteous of neighbors with low mobility, such as older residents, disabled neighbors, and parents with young children, and keep the sidewalks as clear as possible. This is true throughout the winter, but our office especially encourages this courtesy to be extended during the holiday season. 

In spite of the code, sidewalks aren’t always plowed. While I am advocating for the municipal sidewalk shoveling and plowing program, in the meantime, our office relies on volunteers to shovel sidewalks for neighbors with disabilities and mobility challenges. Our office has already contacted our volunteer pool and dispatched volunteers to places that have requested assistance in the past. If you would like to lend a hand or are in need of assistance, please contact our office.

Winter Snow Shoveling Program in the ward

With the first major snowstorm of the year about to hit, we want to remind you that our office maintains a Volunteer Snow Shoveling program. Each year this program matches snow shoveling volunteers with those in need of the service, i.e seniors and people with disabilities. If you are interested in volunteering or need the snow shoveling service, please use this link to ensure your spot in the program. Once you enroll, we will be in contact with you to ensure you have all the information you need for this program. 

Please note that our staff has already been contacted volunteers throughout the week in anticipation of the upcoming storm. Additionally, there is a push to establish a city-wide, sidewalk snow shoveling program proposed by Better Streets Chicago that seeks to establish sidewalk snow and ice removal become service for all citizens. Click here to read more. 

Warming Centers

City-owned warming centers and public facilities such as parks and libraries will be maintaining their normal operating hours unless a weather emergency is declared or these facilities are directed to remain open for additional hours. Only the Garfield warming center, located at 10 S Kedzie, will be open 24 hours a day. For additional information, visit the Department of Family and Support Services’ Warming Center page. 

For Tenants and Renters

The Chicago Heat Ordinance is in effect. As a reminder this means that residential buildings, the indoor temperature is required to be at least 68°F from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and at least 66°F from 10:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. for the entire heating season. 

Per the ordinance, it is the building owner’s responsibility to keep the heating equipment in good working order, as well as to maintain windows, doors, and walls to keep heat in. Additionally portable space heaters cannot be used to meet the requirements of the Heat Ordinance. In fact, the Chicago Fire Department does not recommend the use of portable space heaters. For this and other information about the Heat Ordinance, click here. 

Yours in Service,

Rossana

In This Week’s Newsletter

Quick Links 

*Want more information on community opportunities and job postings? Check out our Community Bulletin!

33rd Ward Alderman’s Office End of Year Highlights

In the final newsletter of the year, we want to celebrate some of our milestones in 2022. These milestones include the Bodily Autonomy Ordinance and Sanctuary City Ordinance, collecting over 500 votes in the early voting phase of Participatory Budgeting for 2023, Sage Brigade’s increase of members and their ongoing partnership with our local public schools, the brand new turf field at Roosevelt High School, Maria Elena Sifuentes Apartment construction, microgrants for local community projects, and much more! Please read through this newsletter for more details of some of our accomplishments and follow us on Facebook for real-time updates.

The 33rd Ward Office is Closed for the Holidays

Our office will be closed for the holidays starting TODAY, and we will reopen on January 3rd, 2023. However, due to the severe weather conditions my staff will be answering phone calls and emails Thursday and Friday to ensure residents receive the services they need during and after the storm.

If you need our support with other city services, please send us an email via info@33rdward.org and we will get back to you when we reopen. If it is a streets and sanitations issue, please email our Ward Superintendent Eric at eric@33rdward.org.

Participatory Budgeting 2023

Voting for participatory budgeting is now open! You can register to vote electronically here.  Once registered you will receive an email with voting instructions. You may also vote in person at our office, Roosevelt High School, or Carl Von Linne Elementary School.

If you would like to volunteer to get out the PB vote, please fill out this form or contact Stacy in our office by email: Stacy@33rdward.org

Bodily Autonomy Updates for the Community

In September, we passed the Bodily Autonomy Sanctuary City Ordinance that I introduced alongside my colleagues Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Alderwoman Maria Hadden, and Alderman Matt Martin. The Bodily Autonomy Sanctuary City Ordinance (O2022-2486) was modeled after the Welcoming Cities Ordinance that makes Chicago a true sanctuary city for undocumented residents. When passed, it will ensure that local law enforcement does not collaborate to criminalize people for receiving the medical care they need or people aiding others in accessing care by providing information, transportation, and housing. The Ordinance also seeks to protect people seeking or providing gender-affirming care. Now, employers are prohibited from discriminating based on choices related to bodily autonomy. 

Thank you for your hard work making this possible: Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, Equality Illinois Chicago Abortion Fund, Midwest Access Coalition, Illinois Nurses Association the ACLU of Illinois, and Brave Space Alliance

I want to also thank the Immigrant Rights Movement for the fight to make Chicago a sanctuary city because it gave us the blueprint to protect everyone. Our struggles are interconnected and we will continue working to make Chicago a safehaven for all.

Maria Elena Sifuentes Apartments on Central Park Ave & Lawrence Ave

The Maria Elena Sifuentes Apartment Building on Central Park Ave & Lawrence Ave were facilitated through TIFF funding and low-income housing tax credits through (LIHTC). The pre-application process for the apartments will open soon and we will keep you updated once it’s up and running. If you would like to be contacted once the pre-application is open, please contact our office via email at info@33rdward.org or give us a call at 773-840-7880.

Shared Cost Sidewalk Program

The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program is an extremely popular voluntary program in which property owners share the cost of sidewalk repair with the City. Thousands of Chicagoans have been a part of this popular program, taking advantage of the low cost, exceptional value, and ease of participation.

The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program cost per square foot charged to property owners is well below what a private contractor would charge. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities may qualify for a further discounted rate.

Applications will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. The number of participants is based on availability of funds. The program typically reaches capacity quickly, so you are encouraged to apply early. Please note that if you applied for the program in previous years, you must apply again in 2023 if you wish to be considered for the 2023 program.

Applications will only be accepted through the City’s 311 system by calling 311, through the City’s service request website, or through the free CHI311 mobile apps. The property owner’s contact information and the property address are required at the time of request.

Applications open on January 9, 2023 and will be available from 6 AM to 10 PM

For more information, click here.

Neighborhood Events

Stay tuned for more events in our January newsletter!

Youth Opportunities

1. NewHouse Architecture & Design Competition

The annual Newhouse Architecture + Design Competition showcases the talents of Chicago-area high school students who create projects that solve real-world problems. This competition gives students an opportunity to practice and refine design skills and create a project that could be part of their portfolio. It inspires teens to understand why design matters by researching, representing, and redesigning the built environment to solve challenges that are personal and place based. This is their 41st Annual Newhouse Competition, and the theme for this year is, “Sustainability Through the Lens of Biophilia.” Teenagers can participate to win prizes such as boat cruise tickets, cash prizes, and meeting professionals in the field.

2. CPS Families Child Tax Credit

Chicago Public Schools families may be eligible for up to $3,600 per child through the expanded federal Child Tax Credit program.

To find out if you’re eligible, and to apply for this credit, visit GetCTC.org/chicagops, a simplified tax filing tool that takes just a few minutes to complete and does not require any tax documents. Some families may also be eligible for an additional $1,400 stimulus payment. Families have until mid-November to claim this money. More information can be found on this flier.

Small Business Spotlight: N Kedzie Ave

Last week, my staff and I visited several businesses in our ward, and we would like to highlight those on (or near) N Kedzie Ave. We visited Lidia Fanny Lupita Hair Salon, Fertile Garden Center, Ward Bakery, Khepri Cafe, and Tito’s Flowers. 

These businesses and others have been added to our Holiday Gift Guide. Feel free to check it out for any last-minute holiday shopping! If you don’t see your favorite business on the list, or would like to add your own, please use this form.

Queen of Angels Open House, January 17th

Click here to sign up today.

Free CTA Rides on New Year’s Eve

Like past years, CTA is offering free rides on buses and trains on New Year’s Eve, from 10 PM to 4 AM. This free service system allows CTA to help residents make it to their destination in a safe and reliable way. During the free-ride period, customers do not need to touch their Ventra or personal bankcards at rail station turnstiles or while boarding buses. Signs will be posted reminding customers of the free ride period on bus fareboxes. As in past years, no refunds will be issued if customers elect to touch their fare card or other form of payment on fare-card readers during the free-ride period. 

For customers traveling to and from events around Chicago this New Year’s Eve outside the free ride period, the CTA recommends purchasing fares in advance, which will decrease travel times and avoid long lines at rail station vending machines. Customers can add our permanently discounted, unlimited ride passes (1-day is $5, 3-day is $15, and 7-day is $20) or add money to their Ventra cards for pay-per-ride via the following ways: free Ventra app, rail station Ventra vending machines, online or at nearly  1,300 local retailers – for locations visit ventrachicago.com. 

DFSS Rental Assistance Program (RAP) – Accepting Applications

The Rental Assistance Program (RAP) provides funding to Chicagoans who are at risk of becoming homeless. RAP helps Chicagoans who have housing right now, but who may become homeless soon because they lost income or had another eligible emergency which prevents them from paying rent. 

RAP is open to all Chicago residents regardless of legal immigration status. The period to apply is Tuesday, December 7, 2021 to Monday, December 27, 2021–Midnight

ASSISTANCE MAY INCLUDE:

• Payment of future rent, or rent arrears to prevent eviction
• Security deposits in cases of fire, flood, foreclosure, domestic violence, or eviction

YOU ARE ELIGIBLE IF:

• You live in the City of Chicago
• You are at risk of becoming homeless due to eviction, loss of income or other emergency
• You economically classify as a low-income household
• Your landlord completes the RAP requirements

OPTIONS TO PROVE ELIGIBILITY:

• Eviction notice, proof of loss of income or proof of other qualifying emergency
• Paystub, benefits statement, or affidavit (explanation) of no income
• Driver’s License, State ID, CityKey, or other
• Lease
• Landlord agreement forms

Apply online: https://chicago.cap-portal.com/

Immigrant Family Support Program

If you or someone you know is an undocumented citizen living in Illinois and was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, you may qualify for a $2,000 grant!

To apply or to check your eligibility, call the FSN hot line 1-855-435-7693, email covidfund@icirr.org, or visit their website icirr.org/covidil for more information.

Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) Relaunch

IHDA has opened a new round of the Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) to help homeowners who continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the trends they have identified during the first round of applications, they have doubled the maximum ILHAF grant amount from $30,000 to $60,000! This grant can cover overdue mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, and association fees.

To date, ILHAF has provided $32.5 million to help 2,346 Illinois homeowners avoid foreclosure. Doubling their assistance amount to $60,000 will allow for them to help even more homeowners remain in their homes as they navigate inflation fears, changing market conditions, and continue to support the state’s overall recovery from the pandemic.

Households who need help with past-due mortgage payments and related expenses can apply for free assistance at www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org until Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. If you would like to learn more or share ILHAF information with your communities, you can find a downloadable ILHAF outreach toolkit in both English and Spanish at www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org/toolkit-mortgage.

If you have questions about ILHAF, please call at 1-866-ILHELP-1 (1-866-454-3571) or email them at HAFQuestions@ihda.org.

Volunteer at Nourishing Hope Food Pantry

Nourishing Hope is seeking volunteers this holiday season! To become a volunteer you will need to apply on their website. If you are unable to volunteer Nourishing Hope is taking donations from those who would prefer to support food insecure citizens monetarily. 

Help Feed Your Food Insecure Neighbors This Holiday Season

The Peterson & Pulaski Business & Industrial Council, in partnership with the Friendship Center, will be collecting non-perishable food to distribute to those in need through the end of December 2022. Here is a list of the most needed items. The drop off location for donations is 2711 W Lawrence Ave.

If you have any questions, contact Janita Tucker at jtucker@ppbic.org or 773-860-3929.

Trilogy Winter Clothing Drive

Trilogy is a community mental health agency located in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. This year they are having a winter clothing drive for Chicagoans in need. If you are able to donate they are accepting donations in Albany Park at 3737 W Lawrence Ave Monday through Thursday from 11am – 4pm. If you have questions on what kind of clothing items they are looking for, please contact them at (773)- 508-6100. 

Swedish Hospital Health & Wellness Events, Fall & Winter 

Below you can find a list of upcoming community events hosted by Swedish Hospital. All events are free and RSVP is required to attend. If there are any questions they ask that you give them a call at 773-878-6888 or visit their website at swedishcovenant.org/events. 

Teen Hangout: Designed especially for students in 8th through 12th grade, this monthly gathering creates a safe space for fun, games, snacks and more. Stop by to hang out with friends, work with a study group, participate in a community service project, play board games or join in various topical discussions. Light refreshments provided.

Wednesday, December 28: 4:30 – 6:00 PM

Business Resources

1. Business Grant Applications

• Founder’s First Grant — A total of $100,000 will be awarded to 30 businesses in Chicago in the form of cash and full-tuition scholarships to a stellar accelerator.
  • Grant money can be used as growth capital to hire or rehire premium wage jobs.
  • Cash infusion can be used to purchase, fix or enhance equipment necessary to help you manage growth challenges and scale for the future.
  • Founder identifies as one of the following: Latinx, Black, Asian, Women, LGBTQIA+, Military Veteran, or located in a Low to Moderate Income area.
  • TO QUALIFY: Must be located in the state of Illinois and have a current staff of 2-20 employees. Will have the ability to add 1-2+ net new premium wage jobs in the next 12 months. Your company must be a service-based business and at least one revenue stream serving other businesses. Must be a for-profit company with annual revenues between $100K and $3 million.
  • The application deadline is February 4, 2023.  Please email chicago.jobcreators@foundersfirstcdc.org with any questions about the Job Creators Quest Grant.
• Innovations for Healthy Living – Improving Minority Health and Eliminating Health Disparities funding opportunity
  • Granted by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) as part of the America’s Seed Fund. This opportunity is for eligible SBIR/STTR entities to develop technologies and products that address health disparities while engaging and empowering individuals and communities.
• Upskilling Initiative
  • Provides professional development grants to businesses that serve employees aged fifty (50) and older who are currently earning up to $16 an hour. Training funds will be disbursed in $2,000 increments, pending a guaranteed commitment from the employer of a $1.50 or more per hour wage increase respectively after the training is complete.

• HerRise Micro-Grant
  • Provides financial assistance, with the help of our corporate sponsors and donors, to women of color creating innovative solutions that impact their community and that are often unable to secure funding for their small business. Each month a $500 micro-grant will be awarded to a small business owned by women of color.
  • Small business grants are useful for financing a particular small business need. Past recipients used their growth grants for computers, equipment, marketing materials, software purchase, website creation and more.

For more business grant information please, visit North River Commission’s website.

Employment Opportunities

1. Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club is hiring

For a full list of open positions and jobs descriptions click here.

2. St. Mary of Providence is hiring a Direct Support Person (DSP)

3. Tapestry 360 Health now hiring

Tapestry 360 Health is hiring Medical Assistants ($500 hiring bonus), Medical Receptionists ($500 hiring bonus), Call Center Representatives ($500 hiring bonus), and Nurses ($3000 hiring bonus). 

Tapestry 360 Health, formerly known as Heartland Health Centers, is a federally qualified health center with 16 locations serving Chicago’s north side and nearby suburbs, offering affordable and comprehensive primary care, oral health care, and behavioral health care services. 

4. CTA’s Find a Job Fridays

MonkeyPox Resources

The monkeypox virus is spread through close contact with body fluids, sores, shared bedding or clothing, or respiratory droplets (kissing, coughing, sneezing, etc.).

Vaccinations for MPV are currently available in Chicago for adults 18 and up. Because of the limited availability of vaccines, you must meet the eligibility requirements outlined by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).

COVID-19 Resources

1. At-Home Vaccinations:

Get your whole family vaccinated at home! CDPH is offering vaccination appointments at home for up to 10 family members. Click here to set up your appointment!

2. Receive Your Updated COVID-19 Vaccine At Home!

3. Vaccinations

CPS Students: 

– Permanent sites
– Mobile Events
– School-Based Health Centers
–  Sign up for weekly COVID testing at CPS

33rd Ward Vaccination Events

1. Theodore Roosevelt High School

2. Swedish Hospital: Walk-In’s Welcome

* More information on City testing sites here!

Community Safety Updates

1. 17th District CAPS Meetings

The 17th District has resumed beat meetings in-person. 

Information about Beat Meetings here.

Please contact the 17th District Community Policing Office / CAPS, if there are any questions or concerns.

Email: caps.017district@chicagopolice.org

Telephone: 312-742-4588