🧡☀️Thanks for joining us at community events this August!
Dear Neighbor,
As summer winds down and autumn is on the horizon, my office is taking a moment to look back on what’s been keeping us busy and connected with community this season.
State Senator Graciela Guzman, State Representative Lilian Jiménez, and I hosted our annual Progressive Legislative Town Hall at Northwest Center. We’re grateful for the opportunity to connect with neighbors, share updates on our progressive wins from this past legislative session, and discuss the work that remains as we head into the upcoming fall veto session. Thank you to all who joined us to engage in this important conversation, and thank you to Democrat Nominee for IL-40th House District, Miguel Alvelo Rivera for moderating.
We also came together with Sen. Guzman and Northwest Center for our Back to School Fair at Kelvyn Park. We collected and distributed over 1200 backpacks for neighborhood families, along with boxes of groceries from the Zakat Foundation for the first 100 families who joined us.
While the start of the school year is an exciting time, we recognize that the rising cost of living can also make this season particularly stressful for families. Through our annual fair, we aim to support students and their families by providing school supplies, groceries, and resources, helping ensure that every child returns to school well-equipped and ready to take on the new school year.
More than 55 community partners joined us to share resources and connect families with services relating to healthcare, housing, education, immigration rights, and youth programs. There were free haircuts from local business, Epic Studio, a gaming truck from the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety, and face painting from a talented local artist.
The fair also offered important health and wellness services. The Mobile Care Chicago Van provided support, while the Chicago Department of Public Health HealthCare Van provided vaccines. Humboldt Park Health was also on site with dental checkups and hygiene kits.
Whether you attended the fair, volunteered your time, donated backpacks or school supplies, partnered with us as a community organization, or represented an elected office, we are deeply grateful. Your support and partnership made this year’s fair a tremendous success, despite the rain.
My office wishes all students, educators, and parents a wonderful return to classes and a safe, healthy, exciting 2026–2027 school year!
All my best,
Will
Mobile DMV
My office is partnering with State Sen. Graciela Guzman, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Northwest Center, and Onward House to host a Mobile DMV event at Northwest Center, 5233 W Diversey on Saturday, September 12 from 10am to 2pm. Find out more information and book an appointment here: bit.ly/septmobileDMV.
Bickerdike Waitlists Opening for Affordable Housing
Bickerdike waitlists for affordable housing are open at 9am on Monday, August 31:
Lucy Gonzalez Parsons Apartments (2-bedroom)
La Estancia Apartments (2-bedroom)
Interested persons should submit a pre-application online:
Go to www.bickerdike.org/before-applying-for-housing (Or navigate to the “Our Properties” menu)
Select “Before Applying” to find links to currently open waitlists.
Applicants who do not have web access may call the Bickerdike Apartments office at (773) 227-6332, and a pre-application will be mailed. The completed pre-application card must be returned by mail. Bickerdike will not accept pre-application cards in person. No walk-ins will be accepted!
Applicants will be invited in the order of their waitlist number. The screening process will include: landlord history, income verification and credit/criminal background check.
Bilingual Citizenship Classes
Northwest Center is partnering with Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors to offer free, bilingual citizenship classes this fall. These classes are designed to help community members prepare for the U.S. citizenship process in a supportive and accessible environment.
📅 Classes begin on Friday, September 18
📚 12 weekly hybrid sessions
🕘 Fridays from 9:30 to 11:30am
🗣️ Bilingual Spanish/English classes
💰 FREE
📱 Registration: (773) 609-4401 (text or voicemail)
📧 Email: citizenship.instructor@nijfon.org
ComEd Small and Medium Business Customer Relief Fund
ComEd Small and Medium Business Customer Relief Fund is a one time financial assistance program designed to help eligible small and medium-sized business customers reduce past-due electric bill balances and remain connected. Approved customers receive an approved matching credit of up to $500, applied directly to their ComEd account.
Eligibility Requirements
Have an active ComEd commercial account at the time of application
Have a past-due balance
Operate a qualifying small or medium-sized business (commercial meter)
Have no unpaid tampering fees
Not be in bankruptcy at the time of application
Apply for one account per business (Tax ID used to validate)
If there are multiple locations for a business, you can only apply for 1 account
The following businesses are not eligible:
Home-based businesses
Residential accounts/NFP accounts
If a customer relief fund was delivered in 2025 for residential/NFP customers
Businesses with unpaid tampering fees
Disconnected accounts
Accounts currently in bankruptcy
Received Customer Relief Fund assistance in 2025
Learn more and apply here. For questions or assistance, call 888-688-5438 and/or email billpayassistance@nhschicago.org.
Kimball and Sacramento Mural Applications
The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), in partnership with the Office of Alderman Anthony Quezada, invites professional artists, artist teams, and arts organizations based in Chicago to submit qualifications for two public art commissions:
Kimball Viaduct, located at 3401 N. Kimball Ave., Chicago
Sacramento Viaduct, located at 3040 N. Sacramento Ave., Chicago
Selected artists will design and install murals that activate these highly visible viaducts.
Applicants may indicate that they would like to be considered for both sites. However, if selected, an artist or artist team will be chosen as a finalist for only one site. Each site commission will be awarded to a different artist or artist team.
Learn more and apply here by the deadline of 11:59pm on August 28, 2027.
Koz Park Fall Program Schedule and Kickball League
Fall fun starts here! Registration for Chicago Park District fall programs is now open. Online registration begins on August 3, and in-person registration begins August 8. Visit chicagoparkdistrict.com to explore programs, find registration dates, and sign up today!
Additionally, Koz Park is launching a Friday Night Kickball League from September 11 through November 6.