In this newsletter
Community Events • Public Notices • Ways to get Involved • Job Opportunities • Resources.
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Dear Neighbors,
Tomorrow, we will be hosting our first Back to School Fair at North Grand High School. We have over 800 backpacks with school supplies to giveaway and we will be providing free haircuts, vaccines and dental exams. We are excited to co-host this event alongside State Representative Lilian Jiménez and to have so many community organizations participate in helping your young people prepare for the school year. Join us!
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Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with the leadership of PrimeCare Health and touring their site in the 26th Ward. We are lucky to have one of eight PrimeCare’s sites here in the 26th Ward. PrimeCare Health provides thousands of people with quality, affordable healthcare and centers serving families and being rooted in the community. We are ecstatic to partner with PrimeCare health as we seek to build a better and healthier 26th Ward.
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Building healthier communities means growing housing stability across the ward. I am proud to announce that we have broken ground on Encuentro Square. For the first phase of this project LUCHA and Evergreen Real Estate Group will be bringing 89 affordable rental units to the western trailhead of the Bloomingdale Trail. This project will bring together affordable housing, a public park space, and health and housing navigation resources that will meet the needs of our community. I want to congratulate LUCHA and Evergreen on their hard work and their commitment to housing stability in the 26th Ward.
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Last week Tuesday, the Navarro family living on the 1700 block of N Monticello Ave lost their home in a fire. The family acted courageously in order to alert each other and escape the fire together without severe injuries. However, the fire was too massive to control. Both families lost their belongings and, since neither family had renter's insurance, the landlord isn't obligated to help with their damaged belongings. We are asking the community to come together if they can and help support this family to get back on their feet. Click on this GoFundMe link and help your neighbors get back on their feet.
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Finally, I was excited to visit Inherent L3C who understand the mission to transform lives, communities and generations through affordable homeownership. Inherent Homes is the second modular house manufacturer in Chicago. Inherent Homes is not only building modular homes for affordable homeownership but are also building tiny homes. Founder Tim Swanson gave me a tour of their facilities and was eager to let me know that he would like to partner to support housing our unhoused neighbors. I want to thank Tim for his work and passion in bringing affordability to our neighborhoods.
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In partnership,
Your 26th Ward Alderperson, Jessie Fuentes
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26th Ward Back to School Fair
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Join us for our first 26th Ward Back to School Fair next Wednesday, August 16th from 3-5pm at North Grand High School (4338 W Wabansia Ave).
We will be providing free: Backpacks • School Supplies • Hair cuts • Food & drinks • Games • Resources and more!
Hosted by 26th Ward Alderperson Jessie Fuentes and State Representative Lilian Jiménez.
Questions? Contact us at info@the26thward.org or (773)-395-0143.
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Hispanic Heritage Celebration
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San Lucas Church is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Friday, September 8th from 9am to 2pm at San Lucas UCC (2914 W. North Ave). They will have hair cuts, music, food, community information, wellness on wheels and more.
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MCA Opening Celebration: Entre Horizontes
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Come celebrate the opening of the "entre horizontes" exhibition on Saturday August 19th where special lunch items, and a performance, all inspired by the art and artists on view, will be provided. "Entre Horizontes: Art and Activism Between Chicago and Puerto Rico" is an interdisciplinary exhibition that seeks to recognize and critically examine the affinities between the social justice movements and the artistic genealogies of the Puerto Rican diaspora between Chicago and Puerto Rico from the 1960s to the present.
Click here for more info and tickets. For free tickets, email my office at info@the26thward.org.
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Ride for Peace with BUILD
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Join BUILD as they Ride for Peace through Chicago’s West Side! Happening Saturday, August 19, starting at 10 AM. DETAILS: Attendees will meet at Little Cubs Field in Humboldt Park at 10 AM and begin the ride at 11 AM, the ride will cover Humboldt Park and West/East Garfield areas. There will be hip hop music, refreshments, snacks, and activities at the end of the bike ride. Register at https://bit.ly/3Knri0h.
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The 26th ward office is currently located at 2511 W Division St. The office's regular hours of operation are as follows:
- Monday 1 pm - 7 pm
- Tuesday 10 am - 5 pm
- Wednesday 1 pm - 5 pm
- Thursday 10 am - 5 pm
- Friday 9 am - 3 pm.
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Ward nights are an opportunity to meet with Alderperson Fuentes to talk to her about any local or city issues. Ward nights will take place every Monday from 5pm - 7pm. Ward night meetings will be by appointment only and on a first come, first served basis.
If you’d like to meet with Alderperson Fuentes during ward night, please call or email the ward office at 773-395-0143 or info@the26thward.org.
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We are excited to inspire our young people to get involved in government and organize in the community. If you are a youth (15-24 years old) that resides in the 26th Ward and wants to have a say in how we spend infrastructure money and what type of policies I champion, please sign up for our youth council by applying at bit.ly/youth26.
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26th Ward Partner Shout Outs
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We would like to extend special shout out to two of our local partners who went above and beyond to help provide for 26th Ward residents in-need last week. New Life Covenant Church's Chicago Dream Center assisted a mother in-need by providing her with four beds for her children. The Puerto Rican Cultural Center showed up by providing clothes for a family of seven after they lost their home and their belongings in a house fire last week. We are grateful for both of these organization's leadership and service.
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Have concerns about police and public safety?
Come share your experience with the 14th Police District Council on
Saturday, September 2nd from 1-2:30pm at the Humboldt Park Library (1605 N Troy) – with guest speaker Jose Pizarro, Director of Safe Streets for ALSO (Alliance of Local Service Organizations) on their successful restorative justice approach to community violence prevention in Humboldt Park.
Give your public comments at these meetings or by emailing it along with your district (14) to: David.Orlikoff@cityofchicago.org
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Wednesday, August 16th join the 25th Police District Council for the monthly public meeting of the 12th District Council from 6:30pm @ Union Park. Learn about how our communities can work together to achieve police accountability and community safety in our district, and participate in the process!
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Back to School Birth Certificate Days
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With the first day of school fast approaching, the Cook County Clerk’s Office will be offering extended weekend hours on select Saturdays in August for families seeking to obtain birth certificates to complete their child’s registration for school, sports, extracurricular activities, etc.
Back-to-School Birth Certificate Days will take place on Saturday, August 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Clerk’s Office locations in Markham, Maywood, and downtown Chicago. Click here for more information.
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Our Secretary of State is making changes at the DMV that will help save you time and energy. You no longer have to wait in long lines. Starting Sep 1, 2023, you can make an appointment at ilsos.gov or by calling 844-817-4649.
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Pickleball In Humboldt Park Survey
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Meal Request for Asylum seekers staying in the 14th District Lobby
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The 14th District Support Network is hoping to find ways for organizations, churches, and volunteers to step in to help feed people. If you are able to volunteer, your generosity is greatly appreciated. There are anywhere from 5-30 migrants staying in the station at any one time with a mix of families and solo travelers. Sign up here.
Our 26th Ward office (located at 2511 W Division St.) is also accepting donations in direct response to asylum seeker's needs in the ward. Donations needed this week include:
- Sleeping pads
- Phones
- Sim cards
- Suitcases
- Bikes and Ventra cards.
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Apply: CTA Americans with Disabilities Act Advisory Committee
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The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today announced it is seeking new applicants to join the agency’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Advisory Committee. The committee, comprised of up to 12 members from across the CTA service area of Chicago and 35 suburbs, is an important part of CTA’s longstanding and industry-leading commitment to accessibility.
Applications for these committee positions are available on the website here, or by contacting Irma Gomez-Fierro, Manager of ADA Compliance Programs, at igomez-fierro@transitchicago.com or (773) 449-8389. The deadline for completed applications is Friday, September 1, 2023.
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Restore the Bathroom in Humboldt Park
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Chicago Public Schools is hosting a CPS Job Fair. Members of the community are encouraged to apply for positions within CPS.
Date: Thursday, August 24, 2023
Time: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Location: St. Sabina - McMahon Hall, 1210 West 78th Place, Chicago, IL 60620
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Bus Operator and Bus Mechanic Career Fair
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Apply for Chicago Early Learning
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School starts in 5 days! Chicago Early Learning is now accepting applications for the 2023–24 school year. Explore options in your neighborhood and across Chicago to find the right program for your early learner. Use CPS's location search tool to find a high quality early learning program near you.
You can also filter by program type! Choose from CPS Pre-K Programs and Community-Based Preschool and Early Learning Programs, which includes Early Head Start, Infant-Toddler programs, Home-Visiting Programs, and Doula Programs.
View the Spanish version of our application walkthrough video here.
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Amtrak Academic Scholarships
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The Amtrak Scholarship Program provides academic scholarships to high school students, undergraduate and graduate college students who have an active interest in the railroad industry. This program has been established to provide support to help encourage academic achievement within railroad programs, ensuring a future in this industry. Apply and learn more at careers.amtrak.com.
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The Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) is now accepting applications for their 2023 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Scholarship Program.
The CSBG scholarship program provides financial assistance to Chicago residents attending post-secondary education programs during the fall semester of 2023 and has minimum income requirements to meet the eligibility criteria. Click here to apply.
Applications must be received by DFSS via their web-based Scholarship Application Platform on Friday, August 25, 2023, by 5:00 p.m.
DFSS will host webinars on August 2nd and August 9th at 10:00 a.m. To register for a webinar, applicants should email their choice of date and time to: DFSScsbgscholarship@cityofchicago.org.
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If you know someone looking for reproductive justice resources in Chicago, they can go to this Department of Public Health resource page to use the City’s digital community resource directory. There is also a free talkline (1-888-493-0092) where operators are available to share information on various reproductive justice options.
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