Dear Stephanie,

I hope you and your family are well. I wanted to start off by thanking everyone who came to our Kids Expo and Touch A Truck Event! It turned out to be a tremendous success, bringing over 700 members of our community together for a delightful day filled with good food, exhibitions, and lots of trucks. One of the most memorable moments for me was when the Superior Air Med Helicopter landed and stayed with us throughout the morning. It was heartwarming to see the kids taking the pilot's seat, dreaming of one day becoming emergency responders and saving lives.

It's always an incredible honor to bring this event to our community. Thank you again to everyone, organizations and participants alike, who was a part of such a fun day. I hope to see you all again next year!

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

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of touring the National University of Health Sciences with some of my House colleagues. NUHS is respected worldwide for its success in balancing healing arts and science and combining broad-scope integrative medicine with patient-centered care.

It was great to hear about the many opportunities available to students wanting to pursue higher education in health care, right here in our community!

On Tuesday I joined state Senator Linda Holmes and state Representative Barbara Hernandez in presenting a $400,000 check of state funds we worked to secure for the Aurora Public Library District's new bookmobile.

The new bookmobile will come equipped with a new wheelchair lift, computers, solar panels, a wide variety of reading materials, and more!

On Wednesday I had the pleasure of addressing the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce at their annual Legislator Update Luncheon. We had an eye opening Q & A Session and an open dialogue about economic progress in Illinois.

Opportunities to connect with the community like this are so important. Please remember that my office is open five days a week, and I want to hear from you about the issues you care about!

On Thursday, we held our fifth Personnel & Pensions Committee Subject Matter Hearing. As head of this committee, I have made addressing Illinois' pension situation my top priority. This hearing was part of an ongoing series of conversations between stakeholders that will update the public on where we currently stand and how we can improve things moving forward.

My office is continuing its partnership as a collection site for the annual CUPS Bra Drive, which aims to provide undergarments to women in need.

The drive, initiated by Cynthia Gamboa-Morales, has collected thousands of bras since 2017 and supports women facing homelessness, domestic violence, sex trafficking, and refugee situations through reputable organizations.

Donors are encouraged to enclose bras in a bag and attach a note with the total number of bras donated to ensure safety and hygiene. Donations will be accepted at my office located at 1677 Montgomery Drive, #116 in Aurora.

Aurora Among Cities Receiving State Funds for Community Revitalization & Affordable Housing

The IHDA Board approved $19 million to support affordable housing and community revitalization efforts across Illinois.

This initiative provides a wide range of Illinois cities with funding to revitalize local communities. Our city of Aurora, along with 68 other communities, will each receive a portion to help with housing developments and infrastructure projects.

Find more information on the initiative, as well as the Strong Communities program, here.

Find more information on the IHDA here.

As part of National Child Passenger Safety Week, the Illinois Department of Transportation is encouraging parents and caregivers to have their child safety seats checked to make sure they meet current safety standards and installed correctly as well as learn more about the requirements for children at different ages and sizes.

Correct installation of the proper seat could save your child’s life.

For more information on car seat safety or to locate a certified technician, visit nhtsa.gov/therightseat. 

To learn about IDOT’s Child Passenger Safety program, see buckleupillinois.org.

Watch the most recent Coffee Chat on Facebook!

Or, subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts 🎧!

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.