Call for Volunteers
Hey 7th District!
The summer is upon us and with that comes a large array of opportunities to get involved and engage in all the communities across the 7th district! I am always looking to expand our team of volunteers, and we would love to have you join the team! If you are interested in helping me continue to engage in community events and outreach throughout the summer, please sign up to join the team by completing the form below. My office will contact you with further details about opportunities to get involved in the 7th district! Action with my team or I could include anything from attending block parties to answering phone calls or even walking in the Chicago Pride Parade! Sign up Here!
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
More than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s. This Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, I want to highlight ways to improve care and preventative strategies to spread awareness on ways to end this devastating disease. If you or a loved one needs any help in accessing state resources in combating these conditions, please visit the Illinois Department of Aging’s website, and do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions. Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association is always working to support people with dementia and their families. Learn more at www.alz.org.
State Farm Letter with LGBTQ Colleagues
Last Thursday, I was proud to join my LGBTQ colleagues in the General Assembly in condemning State Farm for pulling its support for The GenderCool Project. This organization provides LGBTQ+ affirming books in classrooms, and State Farm’s decision to step back from supporting this important work while claiming to stand with our community is hypocritical and reeks of insincerity in light of the repressive attacks we’re seeing around the county on LGBTQ+ communities. This Pride Month, we will not allow them to market themselves as inclusive and allies of queer communities until the company reverses this abrupt decision.
Learn more about our statement here.
State of Uptown 2022 Recap
I recently attended Uptown United and Uptown Chamber of Commerce’s State of Uptown 2022 and had an informative discussion on the state of affordable housing, public safety, and local businesses in the community. It was great to connect again with some of Uptown’s key leaders, including the inspiring Jackie Taylor of Black Ensemble Theater. I look forward to working with all of these leaders, aldermen, and Representative Harris further to help continue to keep Uptown strong in our district! Big thank you to Sarah Wilson and Greg Carroll of Uptown Chamber of Commerce for running such a great event, and thank you to Furama for serving some delicious food!
Peterson Elementary Visit
I was so glad to visit Peterson Elementary in the North Park section of our district last week for their career fair and speak with some of the students as they planned for high school and beyond. We talked about recent school shootings, a typical day in the life of an elected official, how exceptionally diverse our neighborhoods are in this part of the state, and how many options they have for their futures. It was an inspiring visit, and I want to give a hearty thank you to Principal Nieves, Assistant Principal Hurley, and all the teachers and students who welcomed me to your classrooms!
Constituent Museum Pass
With the school year coming to an end and so much extra free time, what better way to enjoy the summer than by exploring Chicago’s world-class museums! I have partnered with Museums in the Park to provide residents of our district with a museum passport that grants complimentary General Admission at the following institutions:
- Adler Planetarium
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- Brookfield Zoo/CZS
- Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
- Chicago Botanic Garden
- Chicago Children’s Museum
- Chicago History Museum
- DuSable Museum of African American History
- The Field Museum
- Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Museum of Science and Industry
- National Museum of Mexican Art
- National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
- John G. Shedd Aquarium
How it works:
The Constituent Education Resource Card provides admission for the cardholder plus three guests.
The Resource Card can be rented directly from my district office. Contact my district office at 773- 769-1717 or via email at
You must be a resident of the 7th district to rent the pass.
SCAM ALERT: Medicare Scams Notice
Unfortunately, I have been getting many phone calls from constituents questioning the legitimacy of supposed medicare eligibility documents they are receiving in the mail. Below are a few examples of mail that is NOT government-affiliated. If you ever have any questions about the legitimacy of any medicare-related mail you are receiving, please give my office a call at 773-769-1717 or reach out via email at
Resources for Reporting Medicare / Medicaid Fraud or Scams
Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Information (Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services)
1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) TTY: 1-800-377-4950
Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
Investigates long-term care facility complaints related to Medicaid Fraud, Abuse and/or Neglect
To report Medicaid Fraud, Abuse or Neglect, call 1-888-557-9503
Senior HelpLine (Illinois Department of Aging)
Toll-free: 1-800-252-8966
For deaf and speech-impaired communication over the telephone, dial Illinois Relay at 711.
Phone: 217-524-6911
Email:
Indigenous Edgewater Historical Society and Museum
Please do not hesitate to contact me or my staff if you have questions or would like to voice your opinion about legislative or budget issues. I would like to reiterate that our office is here to help. We are a non-judgment, welcoming place where 7th district residents are encouraged to contact us to request constituent services.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 773-769-1717 if we can help you with anything.
Sincerely,
Mike Simmons
State Senator | 7th District
