In This Week’s Newsletter

Quick Links 

Looking for work? 

The office regularly posts jobs on our Community Bulletin!*

Update about the Albany Park Fires: Check out our blog post!

NOTE: Clothes/toiletries donations are no longer needed

Youth Opportunities

JOB: Be An Election Judge for the June 28th Primary Election! 

The application is OPEN NOW! Students (and adults) can apply at pollworker.chicagoelections.gov before the application closes on May 1st. Election Judges earn $230 for completing training and working on election day.

This is a great way for young people to get involved in the electoral process even if they are too young to vote. Current Sophomores and Juniors are eligible to apply (seniors must apply as adult judges since the election takes place after the school year).

SUMMER JOBS: Work with the Chicago Park District! 

Check out the Chicago Park District’s website for all of the information about how to apply! 

Housing Support

Own a home and struggled to pay your mortgage/property taxes this year? Apply for the Illinois Emergency Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) in April! 

Starting in April 2022, the state will begin accepting applications from homeowners impacted by COVID-19 for grants of up to $30,000 to eliminate or reduce past-due mortgage and property tax payments. 

To prepare for the application portal opening in April homeowners should take the following steps: 

• Meet with a HUD-Certified Housing counseling agency to discuss options to prevent foreclosure. Homeowners can contact our office to get connected with a counseling agency in their area. 
  
• Review the acceptable documentation list to begin gathering all the necessary documents to complete an application for assistance in April.  

Need help with your ILHAF application? Here are two opportunities to bring you up-to-date.

1. Come to the  Mortgage Assistance Pre-Application Event on March 19th!

This is an open-house style event and no appointments are needed. They will have have bilingual staff on hand from the Northwest Center to help answer homeowner’s questions about the application process and what it will look like in April. If you need of mortgage assistance, or help catching up on past-due property taxes, please plan on attending this application preparation event so you have everything in order when assistance opens in April! 

Check out the event on Facebook!

Questions? Please contact Emily Melbye, Chief of Staff for State Representative Will Guzzardi, at 773-853-2570 or at emily@repguzzardi.com so they can connect you to a HUD certified housing counselor and help you through the application process.   

 2. Informative Webinars to Learn More From the Illinois Housing Development Authority 

Extension of Department of Family and Support Services Rental Program 

National Coming Out of the Shadows Day

Screenshot from the March 10, 2011 – Coming Out – Undocumented, Unafraid, Unapologetic promo video.

National Coming Out of the Shadows Day was yesterday, March 10th. The above video documents the amazing “Coming out of the Shadows” rally held downtown about 11 years ago.

Several youth in the Albany Park Theatre Project (where the alderwoman used to work) stood in front of the crowd and came out as undocumented. They declared unapologetically that they and their families belonged here.

This week we honor the bravery of Albany Park youth, and remain grateful and amazed by the courage they had to stand up and fight for their humanity against a cruel and punitive immigration system and for their right to stay in this country and keep their families together.

Many of these young people continue to fight and organize for immigrant rights and immigration reform. We must not forget that these youth-led actions put the issue of immigration at the forefront of our social justice movements. We will continue to fight for the rights of immigrants to stay and thrive- and we will win.

PS: One of the young people in the video is our staffer Lilia Escobar who started fighting for immigrant rights as teenager! 

Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot: Money for Chicagoans Impacted by COVID, Apply by April 

Do you need financial support to recover from the COVID pandemic? The Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot begins this April, and is offering 5,000 Chicagoans $500 per month for twelve months, with no strings attached. Chicagoans will be selected through an open application and a citywide lottery.

Apply starting this April, and in the meantime, sign up for updates here so you don’t miss the application opening!

Monthly Neighborhood Blood Drive with Christ Lutheran Church: Upcoming Event on Saturday, March 19th

All are welcome to donate blood on Saturday, March 19, 9am-2pm.

Enter at the side door at 4541 N Spaulding Ave. Pre-register to reserve a time slot. Walk-ins are also welcome! 

*This event will repeat monthly! 

Horner Park Farmers Market: Apply to participate by April 1st! 

Are you a farmer or food vendor? Join the Horner Park Farmers Market for their 8th season! Check out the 2022 Market Guidelines, 2022 Market Application, and 2022 Market Application for Business/Nonprofit to get started! 

Details: 

• Location: Horner Park, 2741 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL 60618 (Horner Park is a Chicago Park District park).  Map
• Dates: Saturdays, June 4 through October 1, with a possible extension through October 22.
• Hours: 7:30am-9am setup, 9am-1pm open, 1pm-2pm takedown.
• Fees:
  • $35 application fee (non-refundable). Payable via check or via PayPal.
  • $30 per date for a space of approximately 11’x11’, fitting a 10’x10’ canopy; $10 for each additional adjacent space, up to 3 total spaces ($30 for 1 space, $40 for 2 adjacent spaces, $50 for 3 adjacent spaces).
  • Vendors who pay for the entire 2022 regular season of 18 markets prior to the first market will receive a discount of two free markets, paying for 16 markets instead of all 18.
• Deadline: Applications are due by April 1 for first consideration — apply today!

Covid-19 Updates

**IMPORTANT UPDATE: Chicago Public Schools New Optional Masking Policy**

Statement from CPS: “Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will move to a mask-optional model for staff and all students, pre-k through grade 12, beginning Monday, March 14. While CPS will continue to encourage the use of masks, the shift will give families and employees a choice about whether or not to wear a mask at school, outside on school property, and on school buses.”

For more information about this policy, check out this article from ABC News, which features a full statement from Chicago Public Schools as well as the Chicago Teachers Union.

What does CTU think? They are advocating for mask mandates to stay in effect through the end of this school year and asserting that this new policy violates the January 12th COVID safety agreement established with the district. 

What do students think? Read more about student voices on COVID safety in schools in this interview with members of Chi-Rads (Chicago Public Schools Radical Youth Alliance). You can also follow them on Instagram and Twitter. 

KN95 Mask Delivery for Seniors by the 33rd Ward Sage Brigade 

Need a mask? Please submit your information and a volunteer will contact you. 

Free at-home COVID-19 Tests 

Free test kits are now available from the federal government.

Submit your information here to receive four rapid antigen tests to your home. 

Need help applying? Call our office at 773-840-7880. 

Report Complaints for Pop-up Testing Sites
Block Club Chicago has been reporting on a chain of pop-up testing sites, The Center for Covid Control, which is now closed amidst a state investigation. The chain reportedly lied to customers about test results and other extremely serious problems.

The office of the Attorney General urges residents to exercise caution before visiting any testing site. Read the full consumer alert here. It is recommended that residents first try to utilize a state-sponsored testing site. For information on COVID-19 testing in Chicago, go to Chicago.gov/covidtesting. 

Complaints related to COVID-19 testing sites may be filed with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s Office. Click here to file a complaint or call the AG’s consumer fraud hotline at 1-800-386-5438.

At-Home VaccinationsGet 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!

CPS Vaccination Events

Find your student a COVID-19 vaccine appointment this week through CPS: 

– Permanent sites

– Mobile Events

– School-Based Health Centers

–  Sign up for weekly COVID testing at CPS

Other Vaccination Events

Booster doses for everyone 16 years and older are now available at all CDPH clinics and even at home! Getting boosted helps keep you and your family protected from the virus. Make a plan for your family at chi.gov/covidvax.

Some easy, nearby options for all 33rd Ward residents age 5 and up to get vaccinated include:

Theodore Roosevelt High School

3436 W Wilson Ave

Mondays-Wednesdays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Anyone 5+ Pfizer

Also 18+ Johnson & Johnson

Walk-ins welcome, appointments can be made online. Click here for more information.

Swedish Hospital: Walk-In’s Welcome

Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Please note: The Vaccine Clinic has moved to the Professional Plaza, 2740 W. Foster Ave. Suite 108 (building directly across from our Emergency Department).www.swedishcovenant.org/covid/covid-19-vaccine

Get tested: Anyone, including people who are fully vaccinated, should consider getting tested before joining indoor gatherings with others who are not in your household. Find testing locations here.

Community Safety Updates

Care About Restorative Justice? Join the Avondale Restorative Justice Court!

The Avondale Restorative Justice Court (RJCC) resolves conflict through restorative peace circles involving defendants, victims, family members, friends, and members of the community. The RJCC court is held at St. Hyacinth Basilica Resurrection (3636 W Wolfram St.) Hall every Friday.

Volunteers are needed to help support the court in peace circles! 

Interested? Contact Margaret.Kulujian@cookcountyil.gov to learn more. 

Grants of Over $150 Million for Organizations Working on Firearm Violence Prevention 

In accordance with the Reimagine Public Safety Act, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is offering grants of over $150 million to organizations addressing the root causes of firearm violence through behavioral health services, economic opportunities, and violence interruption and prevention programs! 

For more information on the IDHS Firearm Violence Prevention efforts, click here. You can also direct questions to DHS.ViolencePreventionServices@illinois.gov.

General Violence Prevention Grants Available

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICIJIA) has opened grant opportunities for organizations of various sizes to fund violence prevention work. Select communities are eligible to apply for the grant. To read through eligibility visit this link.

*If the ICIJIA website link isn’t working for you, try their Facebook page as they are experiencing technical issues. 

Violence Prevention Grants Available

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICIJIA) has opened grant opportunities for organizations of various sizes to fund violence prevention work. Select communities are eligible to apply for the grant. To read through eligibility visit this link.

17th District CAPS Meeting Virtual

The 17th District has resumed beat meetings virtually.

Beat meetings are a resource for neighbors to get the latest update on occurrences of crime and other related activities in the ward. Our office and neighboring ward offices attend these meetings regularly and provide additional news related to ward activities. See below for a full calendar of 17th District 2022 beat meetings. 

Beat 1711 and 1712 meeting link.

Beat 1713 and 1724 meeting link

Beat 1722 and 1723 meeting link

Beat 1731 meeting link

Beat 1732 and 1733 meeting link

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. 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

Utility Scammers

We want to keep reminding neighbors not to let anyone into their homes unless they explicitly requested someone from a utility company to come out. There was an instance where a neighbor had a fake utility worker ask to access his home and the worker came in, pretended to provide a service, and stole several items of value and money. The family did not realize that they were being robbed until after the fact which goes to show how sneaky these individuals can be. 

ComEd will never call or come to your home or business to:

• Sell you electricity
• Ask for your account number
• Ask you to make a direct payment with a prepaid cash card, cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, or third-party electronic banking app such as Cash App, Zelle, QuickPay or Venmo
• Ask for your personal information such as Social Security number, Tax ID, or bank information

Please be aware of potential email and web scams:

• Carefully review messages originating from outside your organization’s network
• Check the name of the sender and business in the email and make sure it matches the name and business in the email address. Look for misspellings and zeros in place of the letter O.
• Do you recognize the sender? Don’t hesitate to make a phone call to verify a message is being sent from a trusted source. Use a phone number from your own records or the company’s official website and not the number provided in the email.
• Confirm the contents of the email look legitimate especially when a request can have financial impacts, such as transferring money
• Hover over website links before clicking to confirm legitimacy of the site

If at any time you are uncomfortable, or you feel you are experiencing suspicious behavior, call ComEd immediately at 800-EDISON1.

Opportunities for Local Small Businesses

FREE Webinar: Business Formation & Tax Legalities on March 17th at 11am via Zoom

Are you considering starting a business in Illinois? G&G Law will help introduce you to some basic startup steps such as recommending the right legal entity for your business and examining what you may need to grow your business. This webinar is presented by North River Commission and the Albany Park Chamber of Commerce in partnership with G&G Law.

Please RSVP to marisabel@northrivercommission.org

Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) Grants Available: Applications Open March 1st-31st 

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and SomerCor is rolling out the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) grant program for applications in March! 

• Lawrence/Kedzie, North Park and Albany Park

Applications open: 9 a.m., Tuesday, March 1stApplications close: 5 p.m., Thursday, March 31st

The SBIF program uses revenue from TIF districts to help owners of commercial and industrial properties to repair or remodel their facilities for their own business or on behalf of tenants. Tenant businesses are also eligible to apply on their own. Program participants can receive grants for 30 to 90 percent of project costs, with a maximum grant of $150,000 for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties. The grants are administered by SomerCor on the City’s behalf and do not have to be repaid.

Please note that residential projects are not eligible for the SBIF program, and residential developers should not apply.

For additional information, visit www.chicago.gov/sbif.

Chicago Recovery Grants Available: Due March 10th

Chicago Recovery Plan community development grants are being made available to Chicago entrepreneurs, small businesses and developers. You can learn more about the Chicago Recovery Grant here. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until March 10th. 

Tax Season 

Free Tax Prep Help

The City’s Tax Prep Chicago  free income tax preparation and assistance program is back, offering expanded in-person, drop-off, and by-appointment services at eight locations across Chicago starting as early as January 24.

Eligible Chicagoans could receive up to $7628 from the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits alone, in addition to other credits. But many people may not claim all the credits they deserve without the help of knowledgeable preparers. 

Families earning up to $58,000 and individuals earning up to $32,000 are eligible to take advantage of the free and confidential Tax Prep assistance at eight sites across Chicago.  Volunteer tax preparers certified through IRS-approved training will assist them with federal and state income tax returns.

For more information about how to access the free tax assistance program, Chicagoans can visit the City’s tax assistance website at www.TaxPrepChicago.org or call (312) 588-6900 to schedule an appointment.

Free Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic

Winter Weather Preparations

City Warming Centers When temperatures are at 32 degrees or below – warming areas are available at the City’s six community service centers. View locations and more information here.Schedule: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. *City-operated libraries and park facilities also may activate warming areas, if needed, including during evening hours, weekends and holidays.

Need help heating your home?  Bill payment assistance is available through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Share the Warmth program.

Interested? Peoples Gas customers can call the Community Economic Development Association (CEDA) at 800-571-2332, or go to cedaorg.net.   

Click here to read more about your rights as a utility customer and ways to save on heating costs this winter courtesy of the Citizens Utility Board.

Emergency Heating Repair Program

The Chicago Department of Housing (DOH) Emergency Heating Repair Program provides a grant up to $24,999 to low-moderate income, owner-occupied residential building of one to four (1-4) units. Interested? Homeowners can download an application package through April 1, 2022 at www.chicago.gov/ehrp. Homeowners can call the Department of Housing’s customer service line at 312.744.3653 for more information.

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Monday: 12:00 PM – 7 PM

Tues – Thurs: 10 AM – 5 PM

Friday: 9 AM – 4PM  

️E-mail info@33rdward.org anytime for service requests or general queries

️ Call us at 773-840-7880 during business hours

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter

Check out our ward website for info on services and events: https://www.33rdward.org/

Best,

Rossana Rodriguez