This week brought the welcome news that Chicago has passed the peak of new Covid-19 infections resulting from the Omicron variant. It's important that we not let our guard down, however. We are still seeing more new daily cases than at any previous stage of the pandemic, and the number of people hospitalized continues to put extreme strain on our hospitals and healthcare workers.   A booster shot six months after your initial vaccine series continues to offer the best protection against severe illness. If you or someone you know needs their booster (or their first or second dose), join usContinue

This week, we were able to distribute 20,000 KN95 masks in the ward, including to our neighborhood schools and senior housing buildings.  I want to give a huge thank you to our staff, interns and volunteers who made this quick distribution possible. I think we all wish we weren't at a point in the pandemic where masking is once again a primary concern. But with the highly transmissible Omicron variant, it's crucial to make sure that our most vulnerable neighbors have access to medical-grade masks--cloth masks are much less effective protection against this variant.  At this point, we have officiallyContinue

This has been an extremely difficult first week of 2022 for our Chicago Public Schools families and staff. As the mom of an elementary student at one of our neighborhood schools, I share in the frustration and anxiety of this moment. As of Friday evening, the district has not announced whether or not classes will again be canceled citywide on Monday. The Chicago Teachers Union is continuing to negotiate with the school district over Covid-19 safety protocols, including more robust testing to detect asymptomatic infections among students and staff.  At present, fewer than 10 percent of Chicago Public Schools students have opted into theContinue

We're wrapping up a busy week in the ward helping community members get ready for the holidays, including by getting vaccinated.  One of the highlights was stopping by Moo Gong Terrance and Darul Amaan, two senior housing facilities in the ward, to distribute beautiful artwork donated by students at our neighborhood schools to brighten up seniors' holiday seasons. This initiative was imagined and executed with the help of our Senior volunteers who make up the brand new 33rd Ward Sage Brigade--read more below about this new effort to connect seniors with information and resources in this difficult time.  Today, ourContinue

There's just one week left to vote in this year's participatory budgeting process in the 33rd Ward! Our volunteer committee has been working for months to solicit and develop ideas for how to improve public spaces, and now it's up to you to decide which will be funded through the $1 million in menu money our ward receives annually.  If you haven't yet, take a look at the proposed projects below, then make sure to vote by Dec. 17!  You can sign up to vote online,  or pick up a paper ballot at Dulce de Leche Cafe (3441 W Lawrence Ave) or ourContinue