Great Lakes Credit Union Expands Access to Financial Empowerment
Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU), a community-minded financial institution serving northern Illinois, today announced it has lowered its par value share minimum from $5 to $1. This decision represents a significant step toward increasing financial accessibility for individuals and families in the community, as the lowered par value reduces the barrier of entry for GLCU members.
Chicago Public Schools Celebrates Future Educators
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will honor students who have chosen to pursue a career in education during a Signing Day celebration at the Chicago Cultural Center. This year, more than 60 CPS students committed to join the District’s Teach Chicago Tomorrow program, an initiative designed to help CPS graduates become CPS teachers by investing in research-based student support, including dedicated advising, career planning, financial planning, and paid work opportunities, among others.
Gov. Pritzker Encourages Illinois Medicaid Customers to Complete Renewals to Ensure Continued Coverage as Federal Pandemic-era Policies End
As the COVID-19 pandemic policy of pausing annual Medicaid renewals for customers comes to an end, the Pritzker administration is committed to protect coverage for eligible Illinois Medicaid customers, as annual eligibility verifications, or redeterminations, resume in Illinois. The first week of May is a critical time, as the first round of customers to go through the resumed renewal process will be receiving time-sensitive redetermination notices in the mail.
Major General Rodney Boyd to Serve as Grand Marshal at City of Chicago’s 2023 Memorial Day Parade and Wreath Laying
The City of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) are honored to announce the Grand Marshal for Chicago’s Memorial Day Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony on Saturday, May 27. The Wreath Laying Ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at Daley Plaza (50 W. Washington St). The Parade will step off at noon and proceed south on State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren Street. Major General Rodney Boyd, Assistant Adjutant General – Army of the Illinois National Guard and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard, will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal. Originally from Chicago’s South Side, Major Boyd is the highest-ranking African American Officer in Illinois National Guard’s 300 year history.
COOK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PASSES COMMISSIONER MILLER’S RESOLUTION URGING U.S. CONGRESS TO PASS THE ACCESS TO AEDS ACT
On Thursday, April 27, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution introduced by Commissioner Donna Miller urging the United States Congress to pass H.R.2370, the Access to AEDs Act. The bill, which already has bipartisan support in Congress and the backing of numerous medical associations and advocacy groups, is championed by Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac crisis during an NFL game in January.
State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Returns $20.8 Million In Unclaimed Property in April
The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office returned nearly $20.8 million in unclaimed property during April, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OFFERS TIPS ON RECYCLING, DONATING ELECTRONICS ITEMS
As Illinois residents may contemplate recycling electronic items when spring cleaning their homes, Attorney General Raoul is encouraging them to take advantage of environmentally-friendly recycling programs and to be mindful of potential personally identifying information left on their smart devices.
REP. KELLY, SENATORS DUCKWORTH, DURBIN INTRODUCE TWO BILLS TO INCREASE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), along with U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), reintroduced two bills to expand and increase access to employment opportunities for underserved youth. The Helping to Encourage Real Opportunity (HERO) for Youth Act and the Assisting in Developing (AID) Youth Employment Act, which was previously titled the Creating Pathways for Youth Employment Act, will increase federal resources for communities seeking to create or grow employment programs and provide tax incentives to businesses and employers to hire and retain youth from economically distressed areas.
MAYOR LIGHTFOOT ANNOUNCES HISTORIC $54M IN GRANTS FOR 133 SMALL BUSINESSES
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot named 133 Chicago small businesses, not-for-profits, cooperatives, and environmental organizations as finalists for more than $54M in City grants. The finalists were selected from over 670 applications received by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) in early 2023 and represent the largest single round of economic development grant-making in Chicago history. Award amounts range from $10,000 to $5.9M. Collectively, the finalists announced today promote business revitalization, job creation, and neighborhood transformation through the estimated $253M in construction and development they will generate.
PROJECT SYNCERE RETURNED TO A FULL IN-PERSON EVENT FOR THE 6TH ANNUAL ENPOWERED GAMES AT WINTRUST ARENA PRESENTING "AWESOME AUTOMATIONS"
Project SYNCERE (Supporting Youth's Needs with Core Engineering Research Experiments), returned to a full in-person event at Wintrust Arena for its 6th Annual ENpowered Games engineering competition, with this year’s theme of "Awesome Automations".
CHICAGO RESILIENCY FUND 2.0 DISTRIBUTES FIRST $1.2M IN RELIEF PAYMENTS
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) Commissioner Brandie Knazze announced that $1.2M has been distributed to more than 2,400 eligible households who applied for financial relief from the Chicago Resiliency Fund 2.0. The purpose of the fund is to provide $500 relief payments to populations that had difficulties accessing and qualifying for federal relief payments, including households with dependents who were excluded from federal stimulus payments, undocumented residents, and domestic workers.
WASHINGTON PARK VACANT LOT TRANSFORMED BY BLOOMING OF 100,000 RED TULIPS PLANTED
Neighbors gathered at a “Blooming in Bronzeville” block party to marvel at the stunning bloom of 100,000 bright red tulips planted last fall by MacArthur Genius Grant Recipient and artist Amanda Williams as part of her ‘Redefining Redlining’ installation. Planted on a vacant lot that had once been a residential unit and was torn down due to redlining, the installation is inspiring neighbors to see the agency they have to take strengthen their community.
SPLC Files DOJ Complaint to Address Ongoing Discrimination in Jefferson Parish School District
Today, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) submitted an administrative complaint with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice seeking federal intervention to address pervasive and ongoing discrimination against students and families in the Jefferson Parish School District.
Addressing the Real Need in Real Time
As someone who’s been organizing since I was a teenager, I can tell you that it’s hard to get people to focus on two things at once. Pick a real need and work on it in real time – that’s the way to win people over.
As Gun Deaths in America Top 14,000 So Far This Year, Rep. Kelly, Senators Booker, Warren Announce Introduction of Firearm Safety Act
With the Gun Violence Archive reporting that guns have killed more than 14,000 Americans so far in 2023, U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL), U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) announced today that the Firearm Safety Act -- common sense legislation to allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission to create safety standards for firearms -- is being introduced in the Senate for the first time. This bill is endorsed by Brady United, Everytown, Giffords, and March For Our Lives. Representative Kelly will reintroduce the bill in the House.
EARLY WALKER TO BE PRESENTED THE PRESIDENTIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Early Walker- CEO of I’m Telling, Don’t Shoot – will receive the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award during a church service witnessed by over 1000 residents of Chicago. Various government officials will take part in presenting Walker the award which is signed by President Joe Biden.
New ACR Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines call for earlier and more-intensive screening for high-risk women
New American College of Radiology® (ACR®) breast cancer screening guidelines now call for all women — particularly Black and Ashkenazi Jewish women — to have risk assessment by age 25 to determine if screening earlier than age 40 is needed. The ACR continues to recommend annual screening starting at age 40 for women of average risk, but earlier and more intensive screening for high-risk patients. The new ACR guidelines for high-risk women were published online May 3 in the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR).
Culver’s Offers Single Scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard for $1 Donation on May 4
On May 4, Culver’s guests can get a single scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard in exchange for a $1 donation to local FFA chapters and other agricultural education organizations as part of the ninth annual Scoops of Thanks Day fundraiser. To celebrate the occasion with guests, Culver’s is making the day even sweeter with an exclusive, one-day-only flavor of Fresh Frozen Custard: How Now Brown Cow!
'Act Your Age' becomes a top-three new comedy of the season, summer run set to premiere June 3 on Bounce TV
Bounce, the popular broadcast and multi-platform entertainment network serving African Americans, announced today that its new hit series "Act Your Age" will return on Saturday, June 3 with two all-new episodes back-to-back starting at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. The premieres kick off the second half of the 16-episode first season of "Act Your Age," running weekly on Saturday nights through the summer. Video here.
