Photos: "Uplift Our Future" Back-to-School Event

This summer, Senator Lightford hosted "Uplift Our Future," a back-to-school event held at the Brookfield Zoo in coordination with Meijer. Vendors included Black Star Project, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Clowns Skittles & Munchies, Harmony Health, Illinois State Police, Illinois Treasurer's Office, Loyola Mobile Van, The Answer Inc. and Traci’s House. Over 900 students and parents were in attendance to receive free school supplies and have summer fun with friends, family and the animals.

The first 500 people gained entry to the zoo for free and all attendees enjoyed a free lunch! The Proviso East and Proviso West High School bands performed and a youth community entertainer sang during lunchtime. Check out the photos from the Uplift Our Future back-to-school event below and we hope to see you come out next year!

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Rise & Shine Summer Meals

More than 643,000 children in Illinois - 1 in 5 - do not know when their next meal is coming. These children are food insecure, and they deserve better. Every child deserves three nutritious meals a day, yet many children are missing meals and spending much of the day hungry. The Rise and Shine campaign was developed on the recommendation of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger and seeks to remedy the problem of child hunger in Illinois. Please take advantage of this opportunity and ensure our children are receiving the nutrition they need to lead healthy, happy, growing lives.

For more information on  how to take advantage of free nutritious summer meals, see the poster below and click here!

Practical education reform legislation signed into law

SPRINGFIELD – Most of us would agree that if we could do high school all over again, knowing what we now know about how the world works, some of our academic questions and concerns might focus on more practical subjects – maybe simply inquiring about how to get through day-to-day adult life unscathed.

How do I stay out of debt? What is the best way to pay back mounting student loans? How do I prevent the guy in the apartment next door from stealing my identity?

A new law, pushed through the General Assembly by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D – Maywood), will require those questions to be answered in Illinois public high schools. The law will add identity-theft security, consumer debt and higher education loans to the list of mandatory subjects to be covered in high school financial literacy courses.

“Once out of high school, the ‘real world’ presents some daunting, if not scary, challenges,” said Senator Lightford. “It is extremely important to prepare our students for adult life in all its aspects so that they can avoid some of the most common and severe real world difficulties as they graduate from school, begin a career and start their own families.”

According to a leading producer of identity theft statistics, on average, close to 100 million Americans have their personal identifying information placed at risk of theft each year.

And thanks to climbing tuition and inadequate college savings, 40 million Americans now have at least one outstanding student loan, according to new analyses from credit bureau Experian.

The new law, Senate Bill 672, goes in effect on July 1, 2015.

Making the developmentally disabled a priority

SPRINGFIELD – Students with developmental disabilities will soon find it easier to get the help they and their families need. Sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D – Maywood), a new law requires the Dept. of Human Services (DHS) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to train public school case workers to register students with the PUNS (Prioritization or Urgency of Need for Services) database.

Experts argued that due to a lack of awareness, PUNS is under-utilized, and therefore, people with developmental disabilities across the state are not getting the services they need. The law will ensure students in Illinois public schools and parents have the information they need to register with PUNS if they so choose.

“A database that ensures that people with developmental disabilities are never overlooked and always given help is no help to anyone if it is not used,” said Sen. Lightford. “Through this new law, we can ensure that students in the greatest need receive the resources they require to succeed and lead healthy, productive lives.”

DHS and ISBE will also develop a new program to provide resources and training for case workers so they are as prepared as possible to provide these students and their families with the information and advice they need. The law also requires ISBE to inform parents and guardians concerning the PUNS waiting list through school districts.

The measure was signed into law July 27, 2015.