October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
As State Representative, my constituents’ safety and access to resources are always top of mind for me. And that starts at home.
Domestic violence affects millions of households across the country. With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men experiencing domestic violence, too many of us know someone who’s been through it. That’s why, in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I wanted to highlight a few programs and resources available to victims of domestic violence.
The Illinois Department of Human Services has a webpage dedicated to resources for those encountering domestic violence. Services offered include temporary housing, safety planning, children’s services, and more. Please do not hesitate to call their free and confidential hotline at 1-877-863-6338 if you or someone you love is facing domestic violence.
In Springfield, I supported several measures to provide critical support and assistance to survivors of domestic violence. I voted to create a statewide Domestic Violence Task Force to establish a uniform statewide system to protect victims and survivors. I also voted to expand protections and allow survivors of any violent crime including domestic, gender, or sexual violence, to take time off work to cope with the trauma of abuse.
While these legislative actions and resources are important steps toward a safer community, I know there is still work to be done on behalf of survivors everywhere. I will continue to support measures that protect survivors of domestic violence. If you want to share any ideas on domestic violence prevention or want to know more about the work being done to prevent domestic violence and protect survivors in Illinois, please contact my office at (773) 853-2570 or via email at will@repguzzardi.com.
Thanks, be well, and stay safe—
Will
FALL FAMILY HEALTH FAIR
Stop by our Fall Family Health Fair on Saturday November 5th at Koz park for a variety of free health services for the whole family! 🍁 🩺
Free Health Services:
✅ Flu shots
✅ COVID-19 vaccines & booster
✅ Blood pressure checks
✅ Prescription drug recycling
✅ HIV and STD testing
✅ Dental checks for kids under 18 and more!
Free Family Fun:
🎨 Free face painting
📸 Free family portraits
🖌 A community mural painting project
☕️ Free coffee & hot chocolate
🎁 Free raffle prizes, and other free giveaway items! ✨
Questions? Contact our office at (773) 853-2570 | will@repguzzardi.com
VOTER INFORMATION
Once every decade the city goes through a redistricting process. Due to this redistricting, hundreds of polling places across the city are expected to close, which means many Chicago voters will have to find their way to a new polling place for the first time in ten years.
Voting In Person on Election Day
If you’d like to vote in person on Election Day you can check the location of your polling place by going to chicagoelections.gov and clicking on “Your Voter Information”. This tool will also confirm your voter registration status and let you know if it’s active or not. All registered voters can expect to receive mailers confirming their new polling place in the coming weeks.
Early Voting In Person
If you’d like to avoid potential lines at the polls on Election Day, you can vote early in person now through November 8th (Election Day) at the Board of Elections Supersite (191 N. Clark). Starting on October 24th, you'll be able to vote early in your neighborhood or at any early voting location in the city. Hours and locations are posted at chicagoelections.gov. Two locations in our area are the Portage Cragin Library (5108 W. Belmont) and Northeastern Illinois University’s El Centro Campus (3390 N. Avondale).
Vote By Mail
You can apply online now to Vote By Mail by clicking this link — ballots are already being delivered to voters' mailboxes. All Vote By Mail ballots come with postage-paid Ballot Return Envelopes and must be postmarked before or on Election Day. You can also drop off your ballot in a secured drop box at any Chicago early voting location before Election Day. Questions about Vote By Mail? You can contact the Chicago Board of Elections by phone at 312-269-7967 or by email VoteByMail@chicagoelections.gov.
COOK COUNTY PROMISE OPENS
Cook county is launching a $500 a month guaranteed income program. Through this program the county will provide no-strings-attached $500 monthly cash payments to 3,250 Cook County residents for 24 months.
Applications close on October 21st.
Individuals are eligible to apply for this program if:
They live in cook county
Are 18 years old or older
Have a household income below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (you can check that here)
You can apply regardless of immigration status