Crespo to Receive Legislator of the Year Award for Protecting Vulnerable Citizens

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As a result of his work to protect vulnerable families in Illinois, state Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, is slated to receive the 2016 Vince Demuzio Legislator of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies in May.

“Now more than ever, working families and our vulnerable populations need a voice in Springfield. I’m grateful for the work the Community Action Agencies do for children in need, the elderly and struggling families, and I am humbled by their recognition of my efforts,” said Crespo. “Living a safe and healthy life should be a right, not a privilege, and the attempts by our governor to undermine their livelihoods are shameful and go against every fundamental principle our country was founded on. That is why I have stood up time and time again for the citizens of Illinois.”

The Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies is an organization that serves as a network for not-for-profit and related governmental units in an effort to address the daily challenges of the disadvantaged in Illinois. They commended Crespo’s efforts to restore funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a program that helps citizens pay their utility bills. Additionally, Crespo has worked to ensure millions of dollars in funding for vital social services programs that residents depend on. A staunch advocate for middle-class families, Crespo understands what dissolving these programs would mean for families across Illinois, and continues to push for a balanced approach to the state’s financial challenges and a resolution to the budget impasse.

“There is a lot more work to be done on behalf of Illinois’ most vulnerable residents,” said Crespo. “Rest assured I will keep fighting to ensure we do not balance our budget on the backs of families that are already struggling to get by.”

# # #