Dear Terra,

Great news! I'm delighted to announce that our libraries here in District 42 are receiving more than $376,000 in grants from the State of Illinois to help make sure all residents can access the amazing resources and programs that our libraries offer.

I'm especially excited about the newly created technology grants, which can be used to buy new computer hardware and software, expand online collections and e-resources, purchase digital devices and mobile apps, increase wi-fi capacity, and make library websites more accessible for people with disabilities.

When we invest in our public libraries, we create opportunities for everyone to learn, to explore, and to grow. Today, our public libraries serve as true centers for our communities, providing an amazing array of services and programs and opening doors to new worlds of knowledge.

I'm so pleased that I was able to help secure these funds for our libraraies. Here are the grant amounts for each library system:

• Naperville – $222,066
• Glen Ellyn – $42,836
• Helen M. Plum Memorial (in Lombard) – $66,208
• Lisle –$44,967

Help a family celebrate by donating to our Birthday Bag Food Drive

Food does so much more than nourish our bodies. Special foods are at the center of so many of our celebrations – and to me, there's nothing more special than a birthday cake to help celebrate another year with someone we love.

To help make sure that people who are food-insecure can celebrate with their families, my office is hosting a Birthday Bag Food Drive throughout the month of September to benefit the Glen House Food Pantry.

The Pantry has welcomed more than 300 new families in 2024, and they're on pace to present almost 2,000 birthday bags this year to our neighbors in need. But they can't do it without our help. So I'm hoping that you'll be able to donate to this special drive. Birthday Bag donations can include:

• Gift bags
• Boxed cake mixes
• Canned frosting
• PRE-PACKAGED 6-inch party plates
• PRE-PACKAGED 6-inch party napkins
• Boxed birthday candles
• Birthday cards (Create your own or use the template on the Glen House website.)

To arrange a time to drop off donations, please email reptch42@gmail.com or call 630-812-9292. And check out the Pantry’s website for all the Hunger Action Month activities happening in September.

I'm 100% committed to our environment –and I've got the scorecard to prove it!

I'm so proud to represent a district that is deeply committed to protecting our environment and moving Illinois toward a green energy economy.

So I'm honored to announce that the Illinois Environmental Council has named me as a Green Champion this year, for achieving a perfect 100% scorecard rating on environmental policies.

This score reflects my voting record on 31 bills over the course of the 2024 legislative session. Every vote on these critical initiatives represents a step toward assuring a sustainable and thriving planet.

I'm proud that I was one of 64 state representatives to receive this rating, and I know this accomplishment reflects our shared commitment to safeguarding our environment and addressing climate challenges head-on.

There's still time to get gun SMART



This week, we were proud to join Everytown for Gun Safety as it marked its first annual SMART Week, part of a broader campaign to spread the word about using secure gun storage to prevent gun violence.

One of the smartest things all adults can do to keep kids, classrooms, and communities safe from gun violence is to raise awareness about the need for secure gun storage. SMART Week seeks to teach us about Be SMART, the simple steps that everyone – gun owners and non-gun owners alike – can take right now to prevent gun violence:

• Securing all guns in homes and vehicles
• Modeling responsible behavior around guns
• Asking about the presence of unsecured firearms in other homes your child visits
• Recognizing the role of guns in suicide
• Telling your peers to Be SMART

It's horrifying that firearms are now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. I hope you will help spread the word about this critical new safety campaign and help save lives. You can learn more about how you can get involved here.

Wheaton's Shakespeare in the Park starts TONIGHT through SATURDAY

Romance. Adventure. Broken hearts. Happy endings. And of course, a beautiful outdoor setting.

Put them all together, and you've got "As You Like It," Wheaton's latest Shakespeare in the Park production in the Memorial Park Bandshell, 225 Karlskoga Ave.

“As You Like It” will run tonight, Aug. 29, through Saturday, Aug. 31. The event opens at 5:30 p.m. You are strongly encouraged to bring your own lawn chairs or blankets, as stadium seating is limited and fills up fast. There will be a special pre-performance puppet show each night at 6:45 p.m.

Shakespeare in the Park is an annual theater event presented free of charge by the Wheaton Park District and Wheaton College’s Arena Theater. For more information, you can click here.

Bienvenue au Lisle French Market SATURDAY

The next Lisle French Market will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 31. You're invited to stop in to pick up some tasty baked goods, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other treats, as well as plants, home accessories, and artisan-made jewelry.

The Market is held on Garfield Avenue, near PrairieWalk Pond. Free parking is available in the Garfield Parking Lot, along Main Street, on Burlington Avenue, and in the commuter parking lots located off Burlington Avenue.

To learn more about the French Market, view a map, and see guidelines for shoppers, please visit here.

Family Camp Out in Lombard on Sept. 6

Dust off that camping gear and get ready for a fun-filled evening at Lombard's Family Camp Out, from 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Log Cabin at Four Seasons Park, at Main and 16th streets.

The event will include crafts inside the Log Cabin, outdoor games, a flashlight hunt, late-night s’mores, and a continental breakfast in the morning.

Families must provide their own tents, sleeping bags, and food and drinks for dinner. Charcoal grills will be set up by staff and available for families to use for cooking. Additional information will be sent out prior to the event. 

The per-person fee is $10 for Lombard residents and $15 for out-of-district. Please note the fee is per person; everyone attending must register. To register, you can click here.

Enjoy one last Downtown Glen Ellyn Friday Summer Concert on Sept. 6.

Everyone is invited to enjoy the final Summer Concert, on Main and Duane in Downtown Glen Ellyn on Friday, Sept. 6.

Chair set-up begins at 5 p.m., and the event starts at 6. The last concert will feature Semple, one of the Chicago area's most popular rock bands.

You can savor delicious food and drinks from local restaurants, which will be offering special deals for the evening. Please note that outside food and drink are not permitted.

This end-of-summer evening is a lovely opportunity to connect with your neighbors and enjoy Glen Ellyn's charming Main Street. To learn more, you can click here.

Don't miss the Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival on Sept. 7-8

The Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival will celebrate 47 years of art and fun on Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Downtown Downers Grove.

The festival will include boutiques, cafes and a children’s art area, as well as works by a long list of distinguished artists.

There will be special games, face painting, balloons and more fun for kids from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Smile Downers Grove, at 5149 Main St. For more information, you can click here.

Need assistance with a professional license? We're offering on-the-spot help on Sept. 17

If you're having trouble getting a professional license from the State of Illinois, help is on the way. We're bringing the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to Lombard!

From 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, we'll be at the Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St., to provide on-the-spot assistance with your professional license application. IDFPR staff will be on hand to help with new applications and renewals and to untangle delays with existing applications. 

To sign up for the event, you can click here. For more information, please reach out to my office at 630-812-9292 or Reptch42@gmail.com.

DuPage County will hold its first Mental Health Summit and Expo on Sept. 7

The DuPage Council on Strengthening the System for Mental Health and Substance Use Care will host its inaugural Mental Health Summit and Expo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the DuPage County Administration Building, 421 County Farm Road in Wheaton.

At the expo, you can talk with representatives of local mental health and substance use treatment organizations and hear from a panel of mental health experts, practitioners, and policymakers.

The event will feature former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy. During his time in Congress, Patrick J. Kennedy led passage of the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires insurers to provide coverage for mental health and substance use disorders. For more information and to register for the event, you can click here.

Upcoming Events

We have lots of events coming up, so please take a look and mark your calendars today!

Sept. 9: B.R. Ryall YMCA’s 25th Annual Golf Classic, at 11:30 a.m. at the Prairie Landing Golf Club, 2325 Longest Drive, in West Chicago

Sept. 9-15: Glen Ellyn Park District's Fitness Free Week, at Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center, 800 St. Charles Road

Sept. 10: Skills to Be Your Best Self – Focus and Communication to Win the Day, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Glenbard District Office, 596 Crescent Blvd. in Glen Ellyn.

Sept. 11: Lombard 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, at 9 a.m. at the Public Safety Plaza, outside Village Hall at 255 E. Wilson Ave.

Sept. 11: Wheaton September 11 Remembrance Ceremony, at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park, 225 N. Karlskoga Ave.

Sept. 11: Naperville September 11 Remembrance Ceremony, at 5:45 p.m. at 400 S Eagle St. (near the riverwalk).

Sept. 13: Family Bingo Night, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center, 800 St. Charles Road in Glen Ellyn

Sept. 13-14: Family Campout, from 6:30 p.m. on Friday to 8 a.m. on Saturday, at Maryknoll Park, 845 Pershing Ave. in Glen Ellyn.

Sept. 14: NAMI DuPage's Run for the Mind, at 8 a.m. at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road in Wheaton

Sept. 14-15: 40th Annual Lisle Depot Days, from noon to 5 p.m. at The Museum at Lisle Station Park, 921 School St.

Sept. 15: Wheaton Festival of Cultures, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Memorial Park, 225 Karlskoga Ave.

Sept. 15: Lake Ellyn 1-Mile Classic and Kids Dash, with 8 to 9 a.m. start times at Lake Ellyn, 645 Lenox Road in Glen Ellyn

Sept: 17: Virtual Tuesday with Terra, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please email our office at reptch42@gmail.com or call 630-812-9292.

Sept. 20: Kids Night Out in Lisle, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Gentle Learning Preschool, 1925 Ohio St.

Sept. 21: York Center Park District Fishing Derby, 7:45 to 10:15 a.m. (Fishing begins at 8:00 a.m.), at Knolls Park, 1502 S. Meyers Rd.

Sept. 28: Shred Event and Paper Drive, from 9 a.m. to noon at Lombard Village Hall, 255 E. Wilson Ave.

If you have any questions about pending legislation or other issues related to your state government, please don't hesitate to contact my office at 630-812-9292 or RepTCH42@gmail.com.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong,

Terra Costa Howard

State Representative 

42nd District

913 S. Main St.

Lombard, IL 60148

(630) 812-9292