Springfield Update
This week begins the sprint to the finish of our truncated spring session. Friday was the deadline for Senate bills in the House to get through House committees. As if we did not have enough to stress out about as we look to pass a large number of bills and a budget by April 8, Representative Tom Morrison decided to go on a transphobic rant. To view his rant and my response on the floor click here. His speech embodied the worst of humanity. To fail to see the value in a person's life just because they do not fit the ideals or beliefs of those in power is the main reason we are losing many of our trans siblings. Our neighbor Elise Malary was found dead in Lake Michigan last week. Her life mattered! My community showed that with a beautiful vigil last weekend. She was an Evanston neighbor and worked tirelessly as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in our city and specifically in my district. The Chicago Therapy Collective is collecting donations to support her family.  Her story unfortunately is not unique. Across the country, states are debating laws targeting the transgender community with some of the most hateful and punitive proposals such as the bill recently passed by the Idaho House of Representatives that would punish parents for seeking gender-affirming care for their children and numerous bills across the country taking aim at trans youth in sports.

On a positive note, I am pleased that HB4430 passed the Senate Executive Committee on a bipartisan vote of 14-2. We hope to have HB4430 called on the Senate floor for a vote next week. This bill would allow pharmacists to dispense and administer HIV prevention drugs — including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to people at risk and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for people who may have been recently exposed to HIV — without a prescription from a provider.
I was excited to have my whole district staff in Springfield with me this week! They got to explore the Capitol and stop for a selfie at Wally's for National Goof Off Day! We also met with Speaker Chris Welch.
If you’re interested in following our work, the committee schedule, meetings, and bill assignments are posted here.
Neighborhood Shoutouts
Halle Quezada Honored with National Lifesaver Award
Halle Quezada has been honored with the NDPA Lifesaver of the Year Award. For years, Halle has been advocating to improve safety measures along the lakefront and has worked closely with me on House Bill 4165, which requires life rings along Lake Michigan across the entire state and was passed in the House. 

Congratulations to Halle for this incredible award. We thank you for all your hard work and advocacy for the safety of our neighbors and Illinois residents beyond.
COVID-19 Updates
Monitoring Potential Wave
COVID-19 cases continue to decline in Illinois. COVID-19 patients in hospitals continue to decline. As of Wednesday night, the state was averaging 463 COVID-19 hospitalized patients as compared to the records set during this surge when we were averaging more than 7,300 hospitalizations. As shown in the graph above from IDPH's website hospitalizations have dropped even further. As of this week, the state's test positivity rate has hovered around 1.4% which is the same as last week.

Earlier this week, Chicago's public health Commissioner Dr. Arwady, expressed that the new version of the omicron variant (BA.2) has been doubling in Chicago every seven days. This new variant is expected to cause only a slight increase and make up most infections by end of the month. It has been known to spread more quickly but has not yet been shown to cause more severe symptoms. Europe & Asia are already starting to see a drop in cases in some of their worst-hit areas. The U.S. is expected to ride this wave fairly smoothly due to previous infections of omicron and the effectiveness of the vaccines.

Being vaccinated and boosted is critical to limit the major impacts of future pandemic waves we are to face as new variants come along.
To find a vaccine clinic within the City of Chicago click here.

For questions or info regarding COVID-19 testing click here.
COVID-19 Count as of Friday, March 25th:

Statewide Totals: 3,061,224 confirmed cases, 33,307 deaths and tests performed 56,891,628

If you have questions related to COVID-19 you can contact the
Illinois Department of Public Health:
Hotline: 800-889-3931
Email: dph.sick@illinois.gov

City of Chicago's Department of Public Health:
Hotline: 312-746-4835
Email: coronavirus@chicago.gov
Vaccine Event on March 30th
Please register below for the vaccine event that is to be held on March 30th at Loyola Park!

Click here.
Free PCR Testing
IDPH Free COVID-19 Test 
The Illinois Department of Public Health is proud to be partnering with the Rockefeller Foundation to offer free COVID-19 tests to households in identified priority zip codes across the state. Eligibility is based on zip codes with the highest risk of Covid-19, using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) combined with state data on Covid-19 burden.

The website is live. Constituents living in eligible zip codes can go to www.AccessCovidTests.org to order a free test kit.
  • Each household will receive 1 kit with five tests within one to two weeks after ordering.
  • No payment information is required — both the tests and shipping are free to eligible residents.
  • The program is currently limited to one order per residential address.
Resources
Tax Prep Checklists
The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate has created a series of checklists to help you prepare to do your taxes. See the checklists below.
Free Tax Help Through the City of Chicago
The City of Chicago is offering free, confidential tax help, partnering with Ladder Up. Volunteer tax preparers who are trained to assist you can help complete and electronically file Federal and Illinois tax returns for 2021 and years prior in some circumstances. They also can help determine if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), and other tax credits.

The tax filing deadline is Monday, April 18. For more information, visit www.taxprepchicago.org or call (312) 588-6900 to schedule an appointment.
IDES 1099-G Information
IDES has released this statement in regards to the 1099-G tax forms. For a FAQs sheet from the IDES on all your questions related to the 1099-G form, click here. For an information packet on how to navigate your ILogin account, click here.
Trilogy's New Mobile Crisis Response Service
Free Legal Help for Families and Students
Loyola's 2021-2022 free legal helpline is now open and taking calls. Stand Up For Each Other (SUFEO) Chicago is made up of a group of law students who provide free legal assistance, all under attorney supervision, to K-12 students facing a multitude of school-related issues.

Any K-12 students and their families who need help understanding their school rights can call the helpline at 773-800-0338. SUFEO Chicago also offers free know-your-rights trainings and education law workshops to students, families, and service providers-both virtually and in-person. You can contact SUFEO's Outreach Coordinators Sarah Bianchi and Brittany Haracz at sufeo-chicago@luc.edu with the subject line "Outreach Inquiry" for more information. 
Energy Assistance For Winter Applications Open Until May 31st 2022
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Citizens Utility Board are reminding residents to apply for $200 million remaining in utility assistance under Gov. JB Pritzker’s Help Illinois Families initiative, an expansion of the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program under the American Rescue Plan.

This initiative remains available for all qualifying households with low income, regardless of how they may be affected COVID-19.  The last day to apply online with the Request for Services form is April 15. After that date you can still apply through your local administering agency through May 31, 2022.

To learn more and to fill out a new application, visit helpillinoisfamilies.com.
LIHWAP Applications Open Until August 31st, 2023
The LIHWAP benefit is a limited, one-time, assistance program designed to help households that are facing the threat of imminent disconnection, have already been disconnected or have past due (arrearage) balances over $250 for their water and wastewater services combined. Customers may apply one time for water and one time for wastewater for the life of the program, which is December 1, 2021 – August 31, 2023.

Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2023 or until funds run out. You can apply online here or call the hotline at 1-(833)-711-0374.
Emergency Heating Repair Program Open Through April 1
LIHEAP Utility Assistance
Utility Help Through CEDA
City Utility Assistance
Utility Billing Relief (UBR) provides low-income City of Chicago residents with a reduced rate on their water, sewer, and water-sewer tax as well as debt relief for those who demonstrate they can manage the reduced rate bills for one year. Benefits for UBR participants include:

  • A reduced rate on water, sewer, and water-sewer tax
  • No late payment penalties or debt collection activity including water shut-off
  • Debt forgiveness after successfully completing one year with no past due balance

Operating in partnership with the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA), who operates the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the UBR program will utilize their expertise and extensive network of partner organizations to conduct outreach and enroll homeowners. For more information and how to apply, visit here.
Tips From CPD on Protecting Your Vehicle
In the District
Broadway Visioning Meeting on April 2nd
48th Ward Alderman Osterman will be hosting a visioning process for the future of the Broadway Avenue corridor between Ainslie Street and Devon Avenue. This will be a three-part proactive community planning process where we will work together to consider opportunities for affordable housing, economic development, roadway, sidewalks, bike lanes, public art, placemaking, environmental sustainability, and transit.

There will be two additional meetings, on April 30th and May 21.

Register in advance here.
Women-Owned Businesses in Rogers Park
In honor of Women's History Month, the Rogers Park Business Alliance has compiled a list of all of our wonderful women-owned businesses in the area! You can find a complete list here.
Share Your Ideas to Improve the Devon Business Corridor
Elevate Devon will focus on improving Devon Avenue between Ravenswood and Sheridan. This corridor has suffered not unlike many other business corridors during this pandemic.

This was a project started by Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, Rogers Park Business Alliance, and Loyola University Chicago that came together to identify ways to encourage economic growth along the Devon Business Corridor.

Please visit the website at ElevateDevon.com and subscribe to the newsletter to ensure that you receive updates and information on how to share your thoughts and feedback.

It takes all of us to help improve our business corridors. This is a quick and easy way to get involved.
Rogers Park Pride Looking for Volunteers
Youth and Teen
Park District Spring Registration Now Open
The Chicago Park District spring program registration is now open. The Chicago Park District offers a variety of in-person and virtual classes for all ages. Classes will start the week of April 4 and run through the week of June 12. For more information, visit here! 
Be A Student Election Judge
Early Learning Programs at South-East Asia Center
STEM Conference for Middle School Girls
Chicago Builds Application Open
11th or 12th grade students can now apply for the Chicago Builds program. While providing challenging and intentional programming, Chicago Builds’ mission is to provide students pathways to the building trades after high school. Chicago Builds serves as a model for specialized trade schools for high school students interested in working in the building trades as a post-secondary career.

For more information and how to apply, visit www.chicagobuilds.org.
Odyssey Project Applications Now Open
The Odyssey Project is an annually held academic program that offers free college courses in the humanities. These courses include literature, philosophy, art, and history. Illinois Humanities provides this opportunity through UIC and in partnership with Rebuild Foundation, The University of Chicago’s Civic Knowledge Project, the Seabury Foundation, and Northwestern University’s Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will earn college credits in the humanities (4 credits each in HUM 110 and HUM 111) from the University of Illinois Chicago. All credits earned are fully transferable to accredited colleges and universities. Courses are available in English and Spanish. 

Qualifications to apply:
  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Read at an adult level. (The program involves a lot of reading, so being able to read a newspaper in English — or in Spanish for the Spanish-language course — is a good measure of reading readiness for this course.)
  • Live at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. (See the application for income guidelines here.)

Interested applicants can learn more at ILHumanities.org/Odyssey.
High School Internships with CTA
Senior Resources
Loyola Community Nursing Center Discussions
In-Home COVID Booster Appointments
The Protect Chicago at Home program is offering homebound residents and seniors who received their in-home vaccines earliest to schedule their booster shot appointment. To make an appointment for a visit, call 312-746-4835 or register at Protect Chicago at Home. For more information on the Chicago Booster Shot Program, visit here.
Senior Connections Program
Job Openings
Muslim Women Resource Center Seeking Housing for New Residents
The Muslim Women Resource Center is seeking housing for 8 families and 16 individuals who are new residents. They are looking for recommendations of low-income rental apartments suitable for a single man or a family as well as knowledge about job openings. If you have any information, please call Ayesha Quraishi, Director of Muslim Women Resource Center, at 773-764-1686.
Chicago Methodist Senior Services is Hiring
Chicago Methodist Senior Services is seeking a home care director. In this position, candidates would be responsible for the oversight of the operations of the home service program, including the development of policies and procedures, quality assurance, and performance improvement plans, ensuring the program is fiscally viable and following all regulatory standards are while maintaining a quality program through person-centered care and effective hiring, training, scheduling, assessing, and monitoring.

While on-the-job training is provided, candidates should meet the following education and training expectations:
  • Master’s Degree preferred or Bachelor’s Degree 
  • Licenses in nursing, social work, health care management, certified nursing assistant a plus
  • 5-7 years related experience 
  • Experience managing, supervising and scheduling staff within the health care arena, assessing clients and case management.
  • Experience working with older adults and family systems.

Essential job functions:
  • Responsible for the daily oversight of the program’s operations and partaking in all operational tasks including managing administrative and front-line staff, intake, assessments, supervisory visits, writing policies and procedures, managing incidents, concerns and complaints.
  • Involved with recruiting, hiring and training administrative and direct care staff.
  • Works with Bookkeeper on payroll, billing.
  • Develops and implements a system for maintaining key operating and performance indicators for the program.
  • Involved with overseeing the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement plan.
  • Involved with business development functions, including marketing and outreach initiatives, as needed.
  • Assists with preparing annual budget.  
  • Involved in CMSS committees as deemed necessary.
  • Back-up for on-call schedule.
  • Regular, punctual attendance.
  • Provide service to clients as deemed necessary.
  • Other duties as assigned.

If interested in applying, send your resume to mullin@cmsschicago.org.
Misericordia is Hiring
Misericordia is home to over 600 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They have a 31 acre campus where they provide around the clock care and support to their residents. They strive to find compassionate and hardworking individuals to join their team. They offer competitive pay rates and great employee benefits. You can find out more information about our organization by clicking this link: https://www.misericordia.com/

Available positions include:
  • The Direct Support Professional position. Experience in this field is not a requirement for this position and we provide paid training for employees hired.
  • C.N.As and we provide paid training for Certified Nursing Assistants who have passed their state boards.
  • LPN/RN/BSN positions and would be delighted to welcome your new graduates that have an interest in working in our field. 


They are also currently hiring for a number of auxiliary positions. These are positions within departments that have specialized functions to operate in support of our overall mission. Examples of these positions include, but are not limited to, opportunities within our Kitchen, Bakery, Laundry, and Housekeeping departments. For more information, click here.
Unity Lutheran Church & Community Center is Hiring
Unity Lutheran Church & Community Center is looking for a part-time Space Sharing & Office Manager. This title is responsible for overseeing various space operations and office tasks for the Church and Community Center. For more information on this position's roles and responsibilities, visit here.
CTA is Hiring
Chicago Park District is Hiring
Sincerely,

Kelly Cassidy
State Representative, 14th District

Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy

5533 N Broadway

Chicago IL 60640
773-784-2002(phone)
773-784-2060(fax)