LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, is encouraging residents of Lake County to sign-up to donate blood at the Libertyville Civic Center on Wednesday, July 29, from 3-7 PM.

“There is a national blood shortage due to the conditions caused by COVID-19,” said Edly-Allen. “It is incumbent upon all of us to step up and give back to our community by saving lives. We have made it easy and accessible to give blood during this time.”

The blood drive will be hosted by Versiti and Rep. Edly-Allen and held at the Libertyville Civic Center at 135 W Church St. on Wednesday, July 29, from 3-7 PM. COVID-19 safety precautions will be taken and individuals are encouraged to sign-up ahead of time to effectively practice social distancing. We are on the cusp of a blood shortage crisis due to fewer people donating blood as a result of COVID-19. As hospitals and medical centers resume normal operation, the need for blood will only increase and this demand must be met.

“Hospitals and medical centers may be placed in a difficult situation of deciding who gets blood if blood supplies continue to remain scarce,” added Edly-Allen. “We must meet the needs of our community by working together. Versiti has taken all safety precautions by requiring the use of masks, taking the temperature of donors, and vigorously cleaning all equipment.”

For more information about this blood drive and/or to schedule an appointment, please visit: https://www.repedlyallen.com/edly-allen-teams-up-with-versiti-to-host-blood-drive/

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, is bringing attention to new Business Interruption Grant funding to help local businesses economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will be accepted until 5 pm on Tuesday, July 7.

“There is state and federal assistance available to businesses struggling financially due to the pandemic, and business owners should apply as soon as possible before the funding for this first round of grants for service-based businesses runs out,” said Edly-Allen. “The new Business Interruption Grant program can help provide some additional support to restaurants, bars, gyms, and salons that have had business drastically interrupted in these last few months.”

The first round of Business Interruption Grants will provide $60 million in relief to businesses that have temporarily shut down or have been heavily restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bars, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers may be eligible for grants worth up to $20,000 and salons and barbershops may be eligible for grants worth up to $10,000.

Applications are available now and the number of qualified applicants is expected to outpace the funding available. Businesses are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications and more information including eligibility criteria can be found on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity website at https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Pages/C19DisadvantagedBusGrants.aspx.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and they deserve every opportunity to succeed,” Edly-Allen added. “It’s critical for our eligible local businesses to get their applications submitted by July 7 to be considered for grant funding.”

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – To ensure that COVID-19 patients have access to primary care physicians and health check-ups, state Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, is informing residents of a new Remote Patient Monitoring Program to allow sick patients to receive daily telehealth care.

“Fortunately, many of those who contract COVID-19 experience mild to moderate symptoms that do not require emergency care or hospitalization,” Edly-Allen said. “However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t critical for these patients recovering at home to be under the care of a medical professional to monitor their symptoms. This telehealth program will provide patients with daily virtual check ins and wellness kits to ensure they can make a full recovery safely from home, where they are less likely to spread the virus to others in the community.”

Telehealth appointments are available in Northern Illinois through Advocate Aurora Healthcare and may be accessed by calling 866-443-2584 or visiting www.advocateaurorahealth.org/coronavirus-disease-2019. Health care workers will digitally connect with patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms that are not severe enough to require hospitalization. Patients may receive wellness kits that include crucial items like thermometers, pulse oximeters, blood pressure cuffs, alcohol wipes and masks. The program is intended to be a resource for anyone in the state experiencing symptoms, no matter what form of insurance. For more information on the Illinois COVID-19 Virtual Care Program, visit www.coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/telehealth or call 800-889-3931.

“This telehealth partnership ensures that people who do not need to be in emergency care are kept out of doctor’s offices and hospitals, limiting the community exposure and keeping our healthcare workers safer,” Edly-Allen added. “As more and more people turn to telehealth for preventive care, mental health services, and treatment for illness, I am glad to see partnerships like this throughout the state to ensure that everyone has safe access to care.”

​

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, to ensure safe elections and protect voters’ rights amid the COVID-19 pandemic was recently signed into law.

“No one should risk their health to exercise their right to vote or to help ensure a fair and transparent election,” said Edly-Allen. “The legislation signed into law this month helps to protect both voters and election workers from unnecessary exposure to COVID-19.”

Senate Bill 1863 expands hours for early voting and creates a statewide vote by mail program to encourage more voters to cast their vote from home. To increase transparency and protect the integrity of the election process, election authorities will be required to appoint a bipartisan panel of three election judges to verify voters’ signatures and the validity of the mail-in ballot rather than a single election judge. Locked ballot collection boxes will also be established for secure ballot submission. 

Edly-Allen’s measure also allows election authorities to take additional measures to reduce person-to-person contact particularly among high-risk groups, including reducing the number of election judges at certain polling places, establishing curbside voting, and expanding the use of high school election judges. 

“We have seen other states across the country struggle to operate elections during this unprecedented pandemic, and we have an opportunity to learn from the missteps of others,” said Edly-Allen. “Expanding commonsense measures like increasing the use of vote by mail, establishing curbside voting especially for seniors, and expanding early voting opportunities to reduce the number of people in a polling place at any given time are simple ways we can ensure safer elections for all.”

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, is highlighting a new resource for Illinoisans who have been furloughed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A record number of Illinoisans are facing unemployment due to COVID-19 through no fault of their own. It’s unclear what the employment landscape will look like as business opens back up, and it’s crucial that we are helping to train workers for new opportunities in the workforce,” said Edly-Allen. “This partnership between the State of Illinois and online learning platform Coursera will do just that by providing free online courses to train thousands of workers for employment in a post-COVID economy.”

The State of Illinois is partnering with online higher education platform Coursera to offer unemployed Illinoisans free courses in information technology as well as job readiness skills such as business writing and persuasive communication. Certifications are available for job seekers of all levels including the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, designed specifically to train people without college experience for high demand IT jobs. Illinois is one of the first states in the nation to provide free online job training courses to its residents.

Registration for the online courses is available now through September at https://www.coursera.org/government/workforce-recovery. All courses must be completed by December 31, 2020. Participants may earn industry-recognized credentials as well as building their information base and can continue their education at local community colleges.

“I urge job seekers to take advantage of this unique and free opportunity to build your skillset and best position yourself for success in the job search,” Edly-Allen added.  “If my office can be of assistance to anyone struggling with unemployment or looking for any resources related to COVID-19 to contact me any time at 224-206-7647.”

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, is updating local residents of summer school guidelines released by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 

“While Phase 3 allows for the resumption of some face-to-face instruction, this is not the same as a return to pre-pandemic operations,” said Rep. Edly-Allen. “Decisions around whether to conduct allowable activities during Phase 3 will remain at the discretion of local school boards and superintendents, in consultation with local public health departments.” 

Under new guidelines, schools are allowed to open for limited in-person educational purposes, such as summer school after the completion of the 2019-2020 school year. ISBE and the Illinois Department of Public Health have developed joint guidance to support schools that wish to provide in-person summer instruction. ISBE will provide additional instructional and planning recommendations in the coming weeks to support teaching and learning in the 2020-21 school year.

“We are excited and encouraged to see Illinois move into Phase 3 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “This progress is due in no small part to the dedication of students, teachers, and their families to staying home, social distancing, and wearing face coverings when in public. I am immensely grateful for these efforts and the sacrifices that school communities have made. While Phase 3 allows some in-person small group activities, we must continue to be diligent in following the required safety protocols to keep Illinois on the path to recovery.” 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mary Edly-Ellen, D-Libertyville, issued a statement following the General Assembly’s spring legislative session adjournment late Saturday night:

“The legislature met under extraordinary circumstances to pass a budget that will protect families, seniors and small businesses amid the greatest public health crisis most of us have experienced in our lifetimes. The State of Illinois is facing historic decreases in revenue despite the growing demand for state programs and services such as healthcare, home meal delivery for senior citizens and employment services. The budget I supported protects critical funding for local schools, job training programs that will help get people back to work, and care for senior citizens including in-home care that helps keep aging residents out of nursing homes. Our budget also recognizes the need to put Illinois on a sound financial footing by making the full obligated pension payment and debt payments.

“The pandemic has presented new challenges for all of us, and our work will help families deal with the health and financial realities we face. We passed legislation expanding access to telehealth care and mental health care to meet the growing need for expanding, well-rounded healthcare services during the pandemic. I was proud to support a measure to ease the process for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities to access their property tax exemptions and to make it easier for our county boards to waive late fees for 2020 property tax bills.

“There is still much work to do, and I speak every day with business owners, families, parents, senior citizens, and residents who face unimaginable uncertainty and hardship because of this unprecedented crisis. I’ll continue to reach out to my community so we can work together to make the changes necessary to help our neighbors get back on their feet while staying healthy and safe. As always, I encourage my constituents to contact me any time with ideas, thoughts, or for assistance navigating state government by contacting me at 224-206-7647 or RepEdlyAllen@gmail.com.”

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Following Governor Pritzker’s announcement Monday that the state will launch a contact tracing program aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, issued the following statement:

“I look forward to working with the administration to ensure that Lake County receives the financial, technical, and personnel resources needed to implement an effective contact tracing program that will curb the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that Lake County residents can safely return to their new normal sooner rather than later. The administration and local public health officials must work together to ensure that the privacy precautions are taken to effectively administer the program and give Lake County a real opportunity to be a statewide leader in recovery. I will be reaching out to local organizations and job seeking residents as more information about funding opportunities for local organizations and hiring processes for the up to 3,800 workers needed to implement this program statewide become available.”

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, wants to invite local high school students to serve on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Student Advisory Council.  High School students who are going to be sophomores, juniors or seniors next year are eligible.

“As a teacher, I want young people be involved in decisions that affect them,” said Edly-Allen. “The student voice is crucial as decisions are made about public education in Illinois. ISBE is giving students this opportunity to have their voice heard.”

The ISBE student advisory council (SAC) is a group of diverse students from all different backgrounds across the state. Students on the council will have the opportunity to meet with the State Board’s policymakers and provide their perspective on legislation that will affect students across the state. Advisory council members meet virtually and may meet in Springfield throughout the year. The 2020-2021 SAC application is now available on ISBE’s website at https://www.isbe.net/studentvoices. All applications are due on Friday, May 29 at 5 p.m. Questions about the program can be sent to jsaba@isbe.net or isbesac@isbe.net.

 “It’s so important to encourage youth to get involved in government and the decisions being made on their behalf. This council gives students firsthand experience in civic engagement while giving the State Board of Education critical insight into the needs and observations of our students,” Edly-Allen added.

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – State Rep. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, is bringing attention to new unemployment benefits available for self-employed workers and independent contractors.

“Under normal circumstances, self-employed workers are not eligible for unemployment benefits, but for the first time ever these benefits are now being extended to these workers to help address the new challenges presented by COVID-19,” said Edly-Allen. “This program will help give self-employed workers some much needed financial relief.”

The federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program provides unemployment benefits for individuals who are not eligible for state unemployment benefits, such as self-employed workers and independent contractors. Workers may also be eligible for PUA if they or a household member have been diagnosed with COVID-19, are caring for a household or family member, are unable to go to work at the advice of a health care provider, were scheduled to start work but do not currently have a job due to COVID-19, or are serving as the primary caregiver for a child unable to attend school due to COVID-19.

Claimants may be eligible for up to 39 weeks of benefits and must first have been denied from the Regular Unemployment Benefits extended to W2 workers. Residents may find out more about eligibility requirements and how to apply at www2.illinois.gov/ides/pages/learn-about-pua.aspx.

“Self-employed workers have been waiting for the rollout of the PUA enrollment system, and it is finally up and running,” Edly-Allen added. “I urge anyone who thinks they may be eligible to visit the Illinois Department of Employment Security website to find out more about their potential eligibility and file a claim. If our office can be of assistance, please contact us 224-206-7647.”