Dear Friends,

Today is the last day of June and summer is in full swing. For many young people, this time outside of school can lead to boredom. I remember when I was a teenager growing up in Lincoln Square and having access to excellent summer programs at River Park where I learned to swim, became a junior lifeguard at 16 years old, and spent some of the most unforgettable days of my youth playing with diverse kids from the surrounding communities. I want our young people to have those same opportunities. So I wanted to send out some summer opportunities for employment, programming, and all-around enjoyable things for young people in our district to do this summer!

Lifeguarding

If you will be 16 or older by July 1st, you can serve your community by working as a lifeguard this summer! The Chicago Park District is hiring for the season, and if you are interested in protecting swimmers, you can learn more and apply here.

Local Park District Programming

Many of our local parks also have summer programming. Please use this site to find the contact information for area parks, and learn more about day camps, organized sports, and more!

Youth Employment

Organizations like After School Matters and One Summer Chicago help match young people with job opportunities and internships to prepare students for joining the workforce, as well as providing a healthy stipend for their work.

Boys and Girls Club

The Pedersen-McCormick Boys & Girls Club has slots available, and low-income households are eligible to have their fees waived. If you are interested, the application is here.

Additional District Organizations

CircEsteem, Alternatives, Family Matters, and Howard Area Community Center provide low-cost programming for the summer. For low-income households, many of these programs are available at a reduced or no cost.

I don’t want cost to be a barrier for a single young person in our district who wants something productive to do over the summer. So if you need help finding financial assistance for a specific opportunity, feel free to contact our office and we will see where we can help.

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

Dear Friends,

As you most likely have seen, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling Friday overturning Roe v. Wade. The decision by the nation’s top court will now leave access to reproductive health care up to individual states – taking away millions of women’s, and transgender and nonbinary people’s right to choose. This represents a grievous turning back of a hard won and settled right the likes of nothing I’ve seen in my lifetime. I am extremely disappointed in the court’s decision.

I want to make sure everyone in our district and across Illinois understands one thing: reproductive health care remains available to those who need it in Illinois. Our state has some of the most extensive reproductive health laws in the country. It is among 14 states that have laws on the books protecting abortion rights regardless of whether Roe v. Wade remains in effect.

Senator Simmons joined Governor Pritzker, Rep. Cassidy, and colleagues and several advocacy organizations in our district at Howard Brown Health in Rogers Park Friday morning to react to the Supreme Court's decision.

In 2017, the General Assembly passed a law to expand access to reproductive health care. The law repealed “trigger” provisions in the Illinois Abortion Law, affirming that abortion will remain legal in Illinois even if the U.S. Supreme Court rolls back Roe v. Wade.

In 2019, the General Assembly passed the Reproductive Health Act. RHA gives each person a fundamental right to make individual decisions about their own reproductive health – which includes deciding whether to give birth, access contraceptives, or have an abortion.

While I am proud of the steps we have taken to protect women and families, I fear what other rights may be stripped away by courts down the road. In the meantime, the Illinois General Assembly will be planning a special session in the coming weeks to enshrine our commitment to reproductive health care rights and protections. I will be laser-focused on ensuring we look at every option we can to affirm existing protections and expand capacity at clinics so that those who need abortions from surrounding states can get them here if they choose, as well as protections for reproductive health providers who may relocate here.

If you have any questions or suggestions for legislation, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.

For the statement I released Friday morning after news of the ruling, find it here.

Dear Friends,

Summer is coming in hot! With high temps expected this week, be sure to keep yourself, your neighbors and your pets safe. Visit https://keepcool.illinois.gov/cooling-centers.html to find cooling centers near you.

I urge everyone to take advantage of the numerous cooling centers set up around the city. You can find the centers here. If you see someone suffering from heatstroke, call 9-1-1 immediately and then try to move the person into a cool place and cool the person with water. Water fountains are available at Chicago Public Library locations.

Well-being Checks

City resources and plans are more impactful with the support of every Chicagoan. We all should make a special effort to check on friends and neighbors during heat waves, especially older adults, young children, and residents with special needs. If you are unable to make contact, you can request a well-being check by downloading the CHI311 app, visiting 311.chicago.gov, or calling 3-1-1.

Public Health Guidance

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. A heatstroke is more serious and occurs when the body starts to lose its ability to regulate itself. The telltale signs of a heatstroke are:

• An extremely high body temperature, such as 103 degrees or above
• Dizziness and nausea
• A throbbing headache and a pulse that is rapid and strong
• Skin that is red, hot and dry

Some populations are at a higher risk in cases of extreme heat and should take extra precautions to protect themselves from heat, monitor their wellbeing, and access city cooling services. This includes people who:

• Are pregnant
• Live alone
• Work outside
• Are elderly
• Have young children

If you see someone suffering from heatstroke, call 9-1-1 immediately and then try to move the person into a cool place and cool the person with water. Water fountains are available at Chicago Public Library locations.

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

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for additional details.
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. My team would be happy to help you figure out if the piece of mail is legitimate.

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: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 

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