Save the date for our upcoming Virtual Budget Town Hall on November 1st. More details coming soon!

To watch previous city budget hearings, please click here. 

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Earlier this week our office hosted a public zoning meeting to review the proposal for 3219 N Elston Avenue. We are taking public comments and feedback on this proposal until the end of the day on Wednesday, October 26th in accordance with our Community Driven Zoning and Development policies. Follow this link to submit feedback.

All public comments and feedback will be shared with the Alderwoman before  a final decision is made about whether to recommend or not recommend this zoning change to the City Council.

For additional questions, contact Director of Policy and Development Joe Engleman at joe@33rdward.org 

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Each year our Menu Funds are budgeted by our Participatory Budgeting Committee. This committee is created for community members to decide how to spend $1 million of the Menu Funds we receive. We hope to elevate more community voices through this committee and we are still accepting volunteers for PB 2023. For information about the 2022 PB Committee click here.

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In our August 19th Newsletter, we made a mistake in our Participatory Budget funded projects for the year 2021-2022. We wanted to clarify the numbers for the Bateman Nature Play Space. Bateman will receive $75,000 from our Menu funds through our PB process. These funds combined with $400,0000 from the state and $2,000 raised by the school amounts to $477,000 to build the play space.

I am working with Principal Davos, CPS, State Rep.Andrade, and State Sen.Pacione-Zayas to ensure disbursement and completion of the project. The $250,000 project I referred to publicly is for the renovation of a playground at River Park that is in desperate need of repairs. 

We appreciate your patience during this time. If you would like additional information, please email us at info@33rdward.

In This Week’s Newsletter

Quick Links 

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

*Block party applications are open! Read more under “Form” on the Neighborhood Services page, and apply here! 

Construction Notice for Addison St, Happening Now

IDOT recently began resurfacing Addison St and repairing the sidewalks to make them more accessible for everyone. This construction will cause lane lane closures and will prevent street parking from 8:30 am to 4:30pm. Please allow for additional time on commutes for potential traffic delays. For any questions, please email info@33rdward.org.

Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot, Applications Open Now

Cook County’s Promise Pilot is a $42 million funded program that will provide $500 monthly payments to 3,250 Cook County families for two years to improve the economic stability, health, and independence of our residents and communities. Participants are free to spend the money however they see fit to meet their needs, within the bounds of the law. 

The application will be open from October 6 to October 21. Applicants must provide an email address or a mobile phone number and will also be prompted to upload a government-issued photo ID or selfie (a picture of yourself that clearly shows your face). At a later date, applicants may be asked to provide documents that verify their identity, residence, and household income.

You are eligible to apply if:

• You are aged 18 or older;
• A resident of Cook County;
• Your household income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level or less; and
• Neither you nor anyone else in your household are receiving funds from another guaranteed income pilot. This includes the City of Chicago’s Resilient Communities pilot.

Cook County residents who are eligible can learn how to prepare their applications and sign up for updates.

Community Meeting with the Department of Water Management (DWM), October 18th

The Department of Water Management (DWM) is hosting a virtual community meeting on October 18th from 6 PM – 7 PM about the recent flooding in your neighborhood. This community meeting will provide information about flooding, the sewer systems, and answer questions about the flooding happening in your neighborhood. 

Click here to register for this event. 

Sage Brigade Meetup, October 20th

The Sage Brigade is having a meeting for seniors in the ward on October 20th at 2714 N Montrose on the second floor. No RSVP required

Pace Public Community Meetings, October 21st, 25th, and 28th

As Pace moves towards historic capital infrastructure improvements, service innovations, and ridership recovery, the agency is pleased to propose a balanced 2023 budget for community input at a series of public hearings. The hearings, a mix of in-person and virtual events, will present a fully funded operational budget for fixed route and Paratransit service and a strong capital program.

Members of the public who wish to provide comments on Pace’s proposed 2023 budget may do so by attending the in-person hearings, registering for the virtual hearings, or submitting comments online via Pace’s Public Hearing Feedback webpage. You can also submit comments by emailing Public.Hearings@PaceBus.com or calling (847) 354-7943. 

All comments must be received by 5:00 pm on Friday, October 28, 2022.

The 2023 budget information will be available after October 19, 2022, on Pace’s website. 

Individuals with disabilities who plan to view a virtual public hearing, who require accommodations other than transportation, and individuals who require translation into a language other than English to allow them to view and/or participate are requested, please contact Pace at (847) 364-7223.

Community Wealth Building Initiative

As a part of the Chicago Recovery Plan, the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has partnered with The Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice (OERJ), to design the Community Wealth Ecosystem Building (Community WEB) Program. The Community WEB program will allow the city to invest in the organizations that start, sustain, and scale CWB models.

The Community WEB program will fund an interconnected network of advisors to provide high-quality, specialized, and culturally-relevant technical services for free to eligible non-profit and for-profit start-ups and operating businesses, such as worker cooperatives, limited-equity housing cooperatives, community land trusts, and community investment vehicles.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 1st. Click here for more information.

Our Roots Chicago Tree Planting Initiative

The Our Roots Chicago initiative has the goal of planting 75,000 parkway trees across Chicago by 2026. More healthy trees can fight air pollution, the heat island effect, climate change, and so much more which mean healthier communities for all of us. Submit a tree planting request by calling our office during our regular business hours or by emailing us at info@33rdward.org so that the Bureau of Forestry can conduct an inspection of your parkway and sign you up for a tree planting as soon as possible.

Neighborhood Events

1. Jesus House Chicago 26th Anniversary Event, October 14th-16th

2. Queen of Angels Children’s Resale, October 15th

3. Noche De Encanto, October 21st

4. YWCA Fall Festival, October 22

5. Self Defense & Awareness Seminar, October 29th

Youth Opportunities

1. 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.

2. Little Explorers, Now – November 21st

The Kedzie Center is hosting another cycle of their parent-child play group called Little Explorers/Pequenos Exploradores for parents and young children (0-5) in our community. The program is bilingual and offered at no cost to community residents. Call them at (773)-754-0577 to reserve your spot. Masks and proof of vaccination required for adults.   

3. ComEd High School Career Day, October 18th

ComEd is hosting a Career Day for high school students on Tuesday, October 18th from 9am- 2pm at the United Center. 

The career day will include a 45-minute session with a ComEd executive, learning about career paths within ComEd (Construction, Engineering, IT, HR, Finance, etc.), and other fun activities, such as touring fleet vehicles, watching drones in action, touring the United Center’s athlete locker rooms and the Michael Jordan statue, and take pictures in our photo booth.

In order to attend, please RSVP by September 30th. Lunch will be provided to all students.

4. Skating, Hockey and Figure Skating Workshops, Sundays from Now – December 18th

Chicago Youth Foundation is a proud women-led initiative that brings the joy of ice sports to Chicago youth to improve their social and academic well-being and empowering them to find success through sportsmanship and teamwork. Below are the 3 FREE classes children can choose from.

Learn to Skate Workshop (for children that do not know how to skate)

• Students will learn the proper skating techniques needed to participate in our hockey or figure skating programs.
• Ice skates will be provided; Students must bring their own helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and warm gloves
• Students should wear layers; including long sleeve shirt, light jacket, sweatshirt, with leggings, sweatpants, or jeans.

Hockey on your Block (for children that already know how to skate and would like to learn how to play hockey)

• Students will learn the proper techniques of advanced skating, stickhandling, passing, shooting, and playmaking.
• Hockey skates will be provided
• Students must bring their own hockey equipment and stick

Figure Skating on Your Block (for children that already know how to skate and would like to learn figure skating)

• Provides a safe and fun environment with group skating instruction that follows the framework of United States Figure Skating (USFS) to serve the needs of both recreational and competitive skaters.
• Figure skates can be provided 
• Helmets are optional.

Class size is limited to only the first 40 students who register online. If your children would like to participate in our 2022 fall workshops click this link.

5. Treatment Not Trauma Youth Summit, Tomorrow

The #TreatmentNotTrauma team has been hard at work creating a youth summit focused on what mental health should look like in our city. The campaign to create a non-police mental health crisis response team and re-open the public mental health clinics (and defund the police!) is gaining momentum. You’re invited to join the team!

All that attend will receive free meals and art and a chance to participate in workshops and activities. There will also be a raffle for prizes, like gift cards, merch, t-shirts, and more.

RSVP for this event here.

Fertile Garden Center Sale, Happening Now

Fertile Garden Center, located at 3645 N Kedzie Ave, is a family owned business in our ward. They are currently having a sale for 10% off a purchase of $50 or more! They have a huge selection of pumpkins, gourds, fall annuals, and more.

To participate in the sale, you must show the flyer above at the time of purchase. You can either use the photo in our newsletter or you can pick up a physical copy at our office, located at 3001 W Irving Park Rd.

HANA Center’s Available Services for the Community

HANA Center is an Albany Park-based organization serving Korean American, Latinx, and multiethnic immigrant communities. They offer social services, culture, education, and community organizing.

Below are some HANA Center services currently being offered:

• Rental Assistance Program
• Mortgage Assistance Program
• Attorney Consultation 
  • The Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) will open up a second round of applications later this Fall. The HANA Center will host information sessions about the program in English, Spanish, and Korean from October 24-28. There will be both online and in-person sessions available. To receive information about registering for the information sessions, please click here. 
  • If you need their assistance, please email housing@hanacenter.org.
• Immigration Assistance

McFetridge Sports Center Seeking Sponsors

McFetridge Sports Center is hosting a Trunk-n-Treat event at their facilities on Saturday, October 22^nd, 3-5pm. They will have 400 kids from the area participating in this event and are looking for sponsors for a trunk! 

Each trunk sponsor is responsible for decorating their own trunk space and providing a treat for each of the 400 kids in attendance. Beyond the trunk-n-treat, the kids will have the opportunity to make fun crafts, play carnival games, go to our Monster Mash Dance Party, and other fun activities.

Click here to become a sponsor.

14th District Catalytic Converter Theft Deterrence

The 14th CAPS District, Alderman Waguespack, Alderman La Spata, and State Farm Agent Mario Castaneda are partnering together to deter thefts by spray painting and marking your catalytic Converter.

This is available to residents of the 14th CAPS District only. Limit is one vehicle per household. All cars must be registered to an address within their boundaries

To register contact the 14th District at CAPS.014District@chicagopolice.org

An appointment location, date and time will be assigned after registration.  Limited appointments available.

The Socioeconomic Consequences of COVID-19 on Latino Communities Webinar, October 19th

On October 19, the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative at Brookings will host a webinar about the impact of long COVID-19 on Latino communities. This event will bring together experts from Brookings Governance Studies Program and the Latino Policy Forum to discuss ways to address this challenge. 

You can register to and find more information on the webinar here. It will begin at 2:30pm CT.

14th District Community Event, October 25th

The 14th District is hosting a Community Conservation to create their 2023 Strategic Plan. The virtual meeting has passed. Below are the details for the in-person meeting.

In Person Meeting

Tuesday October 25th at 6 PM

Concord Music Hall 

2051 N Milwaukee

To register for either event, please visit chicagopolice.org/convo.

For more information or to receive special accommodations, please contact the 14th District Community Policing Office at 312-744-1261 or email them at caps.014district@chicagopolice.org

Latino Heritage Month Job Fair, October 15th

State Representative Delia Ramirez, State Senator Omar Aquino, State Representative Will Guzzardi, the 33rd Ward Office, and the 35th Ward office will be partnering with city and state agencies, local businesses, and community organizations to provide community residents with current job opportunities, job readiness programs, and family resources. The fair will especially promote increased representation of the Latino community in state and local governments. Have your resume ready and join them at NEIU El Centro (3390 N. Avondale) from 10 am – 1:30 pm. 

Open House Chicago, October 15th-16th

ComEd is proud to announce our sponsorship of Open House Chicago!

On October 15th and 16th, you can tour over 150 of Chicago’s breathtaking sacred spaces, repurposed mansions, innovative breweries, and inspiring art centers. This FREE festival offers behind-the-scenes access, allowing visitors to enter buildings around the city for rare and unusual experiences. ComEd’s Chicago North building will be included this year, opening its doors to the public to share our new and innovative interactive exhibits.

Click here for a full list of destinations and activities!

Credit Building Workshop, October 18th

Join the North River Commission in partnership with Wintrust Bank for a FREE Credit Building Workshop on Tuesday, October 18th at 6 p.m via Zoom. Learn about credit-building programs and best practices. This workshop will help guide you on your journey to build, improve, or REBUILD you credit so you can become a homeowner. 

To RSVP, contact Erika at erika@northrivercommission.org or text 872-257-8773.

Legal Contracts for Small Businesses Webinar, October 20th

Michelle Green brings us the third webinar from the “Business Formation” series, where you can learn everything about business contracts, how to write, read and negotiate, termination, penalty clauses, and much more!

RSVP by email to marisabel@northrivercommission.org or call/text 312-860-9294. 

Free IT Training Course, Applications due October 24th

Per Scholas is hosting an IT Support Course for FREE! The course is 12 weeks long and, like all Per Scholas courses, it includes tuition-free technical and professional development training in addition to direct connections to jobs at employer partners and robust learner and alumni support teams. 

Applications for this course are due Monday, October 24th and classes begin Monday, November 7th.

Click here to apply today.

HANA Center’s Volunteer Navigators Program

HANA Center is an Albany Park-based organization serving Korean American, Latinx, and multiethnic immigrant communities. They offer social services, culture, education, and community organizing. Through their Community Navigators Program, they recruit and train community members who identify other community members in need of services and inform them of available resources. Community navigators at HANA Center can visit your schools, neighborhood events, or religious organizations to introduce our services and give a “know your rights training.”

If you are interested in inviting HANA Center to your community or in participating in the community navigator program, please  reach out to Luisa Rodriguez at lrodriguez@hanacenter.org.

CTA Partners with Olive-Harvey of Chicago

To help Chicagoans take the first step toward a career in transportation, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has recently partnered with Olive-Harvey College to offer a free preparatory course to assist candidates in meeting the hiring requirement of obtaining a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP).

This two-week course, available to qualified CTA applicants, helps candidates acquire a CLP, which is needed to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class “B”.

To remove financial barriers for students to pursue and complete the program, CTA covers the costs of tuition, training, books, fees and other expenses associated with the program along with the cost of taking the permit exam.

This partnership with Olive-Harvey helps eliminate what is often the biggest hurdle for many qualified candidates and allows them to take their first step towards establishing their future career. For more information about CTA employment opportunities, visit transitchicago.com/careers.

Friendship Center Food Pantry & Benefits Assistance

The Friendship Center fosters hope and dignity in Chicago’s northwest side communities through access to food and vital resources. The Friendship Center offers a food assistance at the following times: 

Food Pantry

• Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 12pm-4pm
• Tuesdays from 3pm- 7pm

Hot Meals To Go

• Thursdays from 6pm-8pm

Pet Food Pantry

• Third Saturday of every month from 9am-11am

In order to receive food pantry services, you must bring a valid ID and proof of address on your first visit.

Benefits Assistance

Interested in applying for SNAP, Medicaid, or Cash Assistance benefits? Have Questions about public benefits and other community resources?

The Friendship Center offers benefits assistance at the first two hours of food distribution: 

• Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays: 12pm-2pm
• Tuesdays: 3pm-5pm

MeterSave Program with DWM

The Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) has announced that they are installing free water meters after approval by the City Council, which allowed for some additions to the program. The voluntary MeterSave Program, which has provided over 130,000 meters to
homeowners since 2009, has saved residents up to 50% on their water bills.

Those on the MeterSave waiting list will be prioritized when the program begins in September, but anyone interested in receiving a meter can join the list by registering at: www.MeterSave.org

The program in its current form will end in January of 2023 when the state law changes to require lead service line replacement as part of any meter installation.

Employment Opportunities

1. Hibbard Elementary School, Applications Due Today

2. Cook County Health and Hospital Systems seeking Bilingual Psychiatric Social Worker (and more!)

Job posting for a Psychiatric Social Worker at our Jorge Prieto (Little Village) and North Riverside Health Centers, as well as other employment opportunities, can be found here. 

The deadline to apply is November 4th. Candidates must create a Taleo profile to submit their application. If you are unsure on how to use the application software this resource can guide you.

3. Chicago/ Cook County Workforce Partnership

F.H. Paschen (FHP) has partnered with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership to connect local residents with construction jobs for reconstructing the Webster Avenue Bridge, located over the North Branch of the Chicago River in Chicago, IL. The Partnership is working directly with FHP to fill construction trade positions.

If you are a skilled tradesperson interested in working on the project, please complete this form and The Partnership will begin your screening and hiring process.  If you need training in a construction-related occupation, you will be connected to the appropriate resources. 

4. St. Mary of Providence is seeking Direct Support Persons

5. St. Mary of Providence is seeking Developmental Education Instructor

6. St. Mary of Providence is seeking Teacher’s Aid

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.). This week, there were 14 documented cases in Chicago. 

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. At-Home Vaccinations Incentive

Through August 30, any Chicagoan age 5 and up is now eligible to receive a $50 gift card for booster COVID vaccine doses (regardless of zip code) via the City’s At-Home vaccination program. 

Per CDC rules, this bonus is only being offered to individuals that have not received more than $100 in COVID vaccine incentives from the City. Incentives will be provided while supplies last.

Click here to schedule your appointment

4. 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