Hello Stephanie,

I hope this newsletter finds you and your family well. With all the surprising warmth in the air, it seems that even the weather is reluctant to let go of summer just yet!

It has been a wonderful couple weeks in and around our district. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting C.H. Hanson, an extraordinary company with a rich 155-year legacy spanning five generations. Founded by Christian Henry Hanson, a Civil War veteran injured at the Battle of Gettysburg, C.H. Hanson embodies resilience and determination. During my visit, I had the honor of presenting a check from the Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP), a vital initiative that helps businesses remain competitive, expand their capacity, and cultivate a highly skilled workforce.

In Illinois, there are many ways you can vote. The General Election is November 5th, but early voting is underway. Make sure you make a Voting Plan. Here is a good website that I have found helpful. (https://www.vote411.org/)

I hope you have a great weekend!

P.S. Looking for information from a previous newsletter? All past newsletters are available here on our website.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

It’s a time to honor survivors and bring attention to the issue of domestic violence. Many victims remain silent due to stigma, fear, or other challenges. Let’s unite to raise awareness and make a difference in the lives of survivors and those currently facing domestic violence.

For assistance, call the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline at (877) 863-6338.

The 2024 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) began accepting applications on October 1, 2024, providing $226 million in utility bill assistance for income-eligible households.

- Priority will be given to older adults, individuals with disabilities, families with young children, and households facing disconnection.

- The program supports energy costs such as natural gas, electricity, propane, and furnace assistance, with funds available until August 15, 2025.

MORE

Our "Museums in the Park" program continues to be available to all District 84 residents.

Take advantage of 4 FREE tickets per visit to one of the many museums, zoos, and aquariums all across the Chicagoland area!

Request Your Tickets Today!

(Requires at least 2 week advance notice)

Save and share this with friends and family in the district!

Today is the last day to make your mark in history!

Submit your design to the Illinois Flag Commission by October 18th for a chance to shape the future of our state’s flag.

Visit http://ILSOS.gov/stateflag to learn more.

A record-setting 138,561 Illinois residents are set to receive nearly $13.2 million from the state’s Unclaimed Property program—no claim required!

- The Enhanced Money Match automatically returns money through ICash, with checks ranging from $50 to $100.

- Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs encourages recipients to cash their checks, as they can help with everyday expenses.

- Since 2018, over $102 million has been returned to nearly 422,000 people.

- To see if you have unclaimed property, visit www.illinoistreasurer.gov/ICASH.

Join Rep. Stephanie Kifowit for a Community Coffee Chat on Monday, October 21!

This is your chance to share concerns, ask questions, and get the latest updates on what's happening in the State of Illinois. Tune in on Facebook from the comfort of home and engage in an open conversation with your Representative.

Subscribe & listen later wherever you get your podcasts!

Did you know? The Illinois State Pie is pumpkin pie!

Illinois farmers grow more pumpkins than anywhere else in the world. Currently, Illinois harvests more than twice as many pumpkin acres as the next five states combined!

The Fifth Lincoln-Douglas Debate, October 7, 1858

Pro-slavery Stephen Douglas and challenger Abraham Lincoln debated who was included in the Declaration of Independence--"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"--as they contended for an Illinois seat in the U.S. Senate.

Douglas: "This Government was made by our fathers on the white basis. It was made by white men for the benefit of white men and their posterity forever, and was intended to be administered by white men in all time to come."

Lincoln: "I believe the entire records of the world, from the date of the Declaration of Independence up to within three years ago, may be searched in vain for one single affirmation, from one single man, that the Negro was not included in the Declaration of Independence... the necessities of the present policy of the Democratic party, in regard to slavery, had to invent that affirmation."

In the long term, the Lincoln-Douglas debates propelled Lincoln’s political career into the national spotlight, while simultaneously stifling Douglas’ career, and foreshadowing the 1860 Election.

[Held at Knox college, Galesburg, 15,000 in attendance.]

Learn more here. Read the full debate here.

BONUS QUOTE: Lincoln celebrating July 4, 1858, in Chicago

"I should like to know, if taking this old Declaration of Independence, which declares that all men are equal upon principle, and making exceptions to it, where will it stop? If one man says it does not mean a Negro, why may not another man say it does not mean another man? If that Declaration is not the truth, let us get the statute book, in which we find it, and tear it out! Who is so bold as to do it! [Voices—”me” “no one,” etc.] If it is not true let us tear it out! [cries of “no, no,”] let us stick to it then, [cheers] let us stand firmly by it then. [Applause.]"