This week, we invite you to support our amazing Roosevelt High School students in raising money for the Chicago Public Schools Dream Fund Scholarship for undocumented students! 

How can you support? By buying delicious coffee cakes from the student’s culinary program at Roosevelt High School!

The cake: It is a sour cream coffee cake recipe containing nuts. It comes in a 9″ round pan and weighs 22 oz. You can freeze the coffee cake until the day before you want to eat it OR eat it immediately (as the 33rd Ward office did)! 

Price: $12.00. To order a cake, you donate to their fundraiser on Facebook! 

Pick-Up: Roosevelt HS on April 6th and 7th, with a limited possibility of porch pick up April 6th in the evening. 

*This amazing fundraiser was organized by the Friends of Roosevelt, who gives all of their raised funds to the culinary program at Roosevelt High School, where students decide where their money goes! 

About the Chicago Public Schools Dream Fund Scholarship: The goal of the scholarship is to assist  undocumented students and DREAMers in their quest to pursue a post-secondary education. These students are ineligible to receive any Federal or state financial aid. The award is $1,000 and the deadline to apply is May 13, 2022. 

In This Week’s Newsletter

Quick Links 

Fire at 3040 W. Lawrence Avenue on March 22nd 

Neighbors, there was a fire at 3040 W. Lawrence Avenue on March 22nd. The building was in use at the time of the fire but everyone was able to get out.

This is the latest update on yesterday’s fire per the Commanding Fire Marshall, Office of Fire Investigations (OFI):

Fire Investigators were on the scene until 2:00am this morning accompanied by investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms per protocol. The investigation is ongoing but so far the OFI has communicated that they have found no evidence of arson or criminal actions that could have caused this fire. Our office will remain in communication with the Fire Department and will provide updates as soon as we receive more information.

Please watch Alderwoman Rossana’s Facebook Live video at the scene to learn more.

Fundraiser for missing neighbor Hector Manuel Franco Tello 

A few weeks ago, family members of our neighbor Hector Manuel Franco Tello informed the 33rd Ward Office that he is missing. We kindly ask that you keep a look out for Hector (see the informative flyers below) and donate to the family’s fundraiser to support themselves during this time (as he was the breadwinner). 

From a Block Club Chicago article: “Despite weeks of searching, Franco Tello’s loved ones still have no idea where he is. Police spokeswoman Michelle Tannehill said an investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call his daughter, Diana Franco, at 773-844-5721 or police at 312-746-6554.”

Opportunity for Senior Citizens 

Come learn about what benefits you can access as a senior citizen! 

Date: Thursday, March 31st | 4-5pm
Where: Virtually on zoom. Link here. 

Small Business Spotlights: Green Spaces Plant Shop Now Open AND Chicago Restaurant Week

Welcome to the neighborhood, Green Spaces Plant Shop!

This local gem opened today at 3003 W Montrose Ave. This spring, it’s time to finally learn how to keep your plants alive, so check out their Facebook page for more info!

*To learn the amazing backstory of how Green Spaces Plant Shop came to be, you can read this article from Block Club Chicago. The shop was founded by Albany Park native Hanan Khrawish- a single mother who struggled with homelessness before creating her own local business. 

Chicago Restaurant Week, March 25th – April 10th

Chicago Restaurant Week starts TODAY! Enjoy supporting local restaurants while staying safe- you can dine-in or do takeout/delivery! 

Seven Albany Park and Irving Park restaurants are participating:

• Mima’s Taste of Cuba, 2925 W Irving Park Rd
• Pisco Peruvian Restaurant & Bar, 3224 W Lawrence Ave
• Chim Thai Cuisine, 3254 W Montrose Ave
• Beograd Cafe & Restaurant, 2937 W Irving Park Rd
• Dulce de Leche Cafe, 3441 W Lawrence Ave
• Kale My Name, 3300 W Montrose Ave
• Sibony Cuban Cuisine @ Surge, 3241 W Montrose Ave
  
  What’s so special about it?: During the week, diners enjoy special prix fixe menus from restaurants throughout Chicago and nearby suburbs. The multi-course meals are $25 for brunch or lunch, and $39 and/or $55 for dinner (excluding beverages, tax, gratuity, and delivery fees).

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. 

Learn More From the Illinois Housing Development Authority 

Extension of Department of Family and Support Services Rental Program 

City Colleges of Chicago Summer and Fall Registration Opens Soon: April 6th 

April is Community College Month and City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) invites Chicagoans to explore educational pathways offered at CCC, including scholarship offerings and open houses.

Upcoming events to learn more:

Wilbur Wright College, 4300 N Narragansett Avenue

-April 6 (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.): In-Person Open House – Main Campus
-April 6 (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Virtual Open House
-April 7 (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): In-Person Open House – Main Campus

RSVP and learn more here.

Richard J. Daley College, 7500 South Pulaski Road in Chicago

April 7, 2022 (10:00am- 6pm) 

RSVP here.

*Exciting Scholarship Opportunity: CCC’s has a “Future Ready program” where students can earn certifications in high-demand fields at no cost to new students.

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!

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! 

Spring cleaning! Opportunity to Recycle

Check out the Facebook event for more information. 

This event will provide:

 On-site document shredding
 Electronics recycling
 Prescription drug take-back

Please make sure you remove paper clips, binder clips, and large staples from documents you want to shred before bringing them to the event.

This will be a drive-through event. 

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. 

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. 

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

RESOURCE: Legal Aid Chicago for free legal support

Legal Aid Chicago provides free civil legal representation to residents of Chicago and Suburban Cook County (statewide for migrant and human trafficking) who have limited income or special legal needs. 

Man’s body found in the river at 2901 W. Lawrence Ave

Our office has been made aware of a body that was found in the river this morning at 2901 W. Lawrence Ave. The only information available at this time is that the individual found is male of unknown race and age. Current reporting from the 17th District states that there are no signs of foul play. Considering the sensitive nature of this developing matter, we ask for dialog that remains respectful of our ward families. 

Buildings Destroyed by the February Albany Park FiresThe buildings impacted by the fire on the corner of Richmond and Francisco are being cleaned of debris and are in the process of being scheduled for demolition. We are in direct contact with property owners, the Department of Buildings and the Law Department to address neighbor concerns on securing the building so that they do not attract unwanted activity. Neighbors are welcome to call our office with any further questions at 773.840.7880.

Gun Violence Prevention Grants For Organizations

Cook County Justice Advisory Council, $65 Million in Grants

The Cook County Justice Advisory Council is awarding up to $65,000,000 in multi-year grants to recognized not-for-profit organizations offering violence prevention and reduction services. 

Key Dates

• April 11, 2022 – Applications due for proposals over $1.5 million 
• May 9, 2022 – Applications due for proposals $1.5 million and under

Apply and learn more here!

Illinois Department of Human Services, $150 Million in Grants

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 Meetings Now In-Person

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

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 and their locations: 

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

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

Opportunities for Local Small Businesses

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.

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. 

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

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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