Dear Stephanie,

I hope you and your family are well. I wanted to take a moment today and share with you some exciting news from Springfield and the 84th district. I spent much of my week in Springfield, continuing to advocate for the 84th district and to keep Illinois going down the right path in the last five weeks of the legislative session.

We have already passed a lot of legislation last month, and I am continuing to highlight for you below some of the bills I was proud to sponsor or cosponsor this year.

On Wednesday we were honored to welcome Chicago Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson to the Capitol to address a joint session of the General Assembly. In his address Mayor-Elect Johnson talked about building a better, safer, stronger City of Chicago and State of Illinois by investing in people.

“This legislative body has shown it’s possible to take bold action to lift-up people all across our state, and I stand ready to work together to strengthen our public schools, ensure safety in every community, and support Illinois businesses to drive widespread economic growth and prosperity,” he said.

I am looking forward to working with Mayor Johnson and wish him the best of luck in the coming years. He has also offered to come to the 84th District and I will keep you informed of the date and time we can arrange it.

Take care and be well,

P.S. Please reach out to our office if you need assistance at (630)-585-1308 or send me an email.

Saturday, April 22 - Art and Market Aurora - Details Here

Saturday, April 22 - Oswego Earth Day Kite Fly - Details Here

Sunday, April 23 - Oswego Pop-Up Poetry in the Park, Hudson Crossing - Details Here

Wednesday, May 3 - When Citizenship Depended on Race: A Reenactment and Discussion of U.S. Supreme Court Cases - Register Here

Saturday, May 6 - Ward 8 Neighborhood Cleanup & Recycling - Details Here or contact the Alderman’s Office for the City of Aurora at (630) 256-3020

Saturday, May 13 - Aurora GreenFest returns after 3 years - Details Here

Tuesday, May 16 - Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry's Taco Crawl fundraiser - Details Here

Friday, June 2 - Oswego Community Yard Sale - Register Here

Around the District

This week our office had the pleasure of visiting the City of Aurora Financial Empowerment Center for a special ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating their 3-year anniversary! It was a joy to meet the dedicated financial counselors there who have helped hundreds in our community improve their financial stability. Thank you for your public service. 

April is financial literacy month! If you are in need of free professional financial counseling, the AFEC is here to help: cityofaurorafec.org

Springfield Update for this Week

Legislative Update #4

For more information visit ILGA.gov

New Booklets Available in our Office!

Can be picked-up at: 1677 Montgomery Road, Suite 116, Aurora, IL 60504

Or, to request yours by mail, email us at stephanie.kifowit@att.net

Got Medicaid? Get ready to renew!

Got Medicaid? Illinois is checking if are still eligible for Medicaid. Click Manage My Case at abe.illinois.gov or call 1-800-843-6154 to verify your address and find your due date (redetermination date).

If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, connect to coverage at work or through the official Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace for Illinois, GetCoveredIllinois.gov.

Announcements from the Governor's Office

Illinois Receives Approval from Biden Admin for School-Based Health Services Expansion

The expansion of the School-Based Health Services program will build on a foundation of currently-offered health care services available in Illinois schools to Medicaid-enrolled children, as well as training offered to staff, and reporting and claiming of federal matching funds that HFS does on behalf of schools. Read On

Village of Montgomery Awarded $2.5 Million State Grant for Pedestrian Bridge to Span Route 30, Link Trails on West Side

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that $127.9 million has been awarded through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) to expand travel options and enhance quality of life in communities throughout the state. This year's program is the largest ever due to Gov. Pritzker's historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois and dedicates resources to communities that exhibit the greatest need. Read On

Gov. Pritzker Awards $22.5 Million to Boost Tourism, Support Illinois Festivals and Attractions

Many of these grants will directly impact our community:

• Funding for the Aurora Festival of Lights
• Funding for the Christkindlmarket Aurora winter festival
• Improvements to dirt ballfield infields at the Fox Valley Park District’s Stuart Sports Complex
• Construction of a theater and performing arts center in Naperville
• Funding for an event series at Naper Settlement

Grant awards range from $15,000 to $500,000, with an average award of $250,000 for a total of $22.5 million. A link to the full list of the recipients can be found here. Read On

Local Opportunities For Students

My Office is Looking For Summer & Fall Interns! - Apply Today

We are always looking for energetic and professional students to intern in our District Office located in Aurora, IL throughout the school year and summer. Internship responsibilities include acting as a liaison between constituents and the State of Illinois, assisting community outreach programs, and attending community meetings. 

Summer Oswego Jobs - Learn More

Do you have a student who is home for the summer? If they enjoy working outdoors, send them our way! The Village is hiring for seasonal jobs that offer the opportunity to work under summer skies. Positions include Venue 1012 event staff (16+) and public works team members (18+).

I continue to host Monday Morning Coffee live via Facebook at 9:00am-10:00am where you can post your comments and questions.

I realize not everyone has Facebook. The good news is that you can still participate. If you would like to join us on Monday mornings, you can join in via ZOOM! Once connected via ZOOM, you'll be able to interact just as if you were on Facebook. Don't worry you will not be on live - your video feed and mic will be muted.

The ZOOM link will be emailed to everyone separately for Monday morning participation.

If you would like to join us, please email Michelle@ILDistrict84.com or call the

office at 630.585.1308.

You Can watch Monday's Coffee Chat Here: