CHICAGO – State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, is highlighting the upcoming application period for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps eligible working families pay for utility services.

“Even though we’ve just entered fall, Chicagoans know that winter is always just around the corner,” Harper said. “Unfortunately, when temperatures drop suddenly, far too many families in Chicago cannot afford to adequately heat their homes.”

In Illinois, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists eligible working families by helping subsidize winter heating bills. This program also helps families with crisis assistance, energy-related home repairs, summer cooling bills and weatherization. The program’s 2019-2020 application period opens on Oct. 1 and continues until May 31, 2020, or until funding is exhausted. Residents are encouraged to visit LIHEAPIllinois.com or to call the state’s LIHEAP toll-free hotline at 877-411-WARM (877-411-9276) for information on income eligibility and how to apply for assistance.

“LIHEAP is a lifeline for thousands of people in Illinois, helping them stay warm through the cold months,” Harper said. “Families shouldn’t be forced to choose between putting food on their tables and staying warm in their homes. Thankfully, LIHEAP is a great resource available to local families and seniors.”

Harper represents the 6th District, which includes all or portions of Armour Square, Bridgeport, Chicago Lawn, Englewood, Gage Park, Back of the Yards, Canaryville, New City, West Englewood, Marquette Park, South Loop and River North.

CHICAGO – State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, and Dr. Mamta Swaroop, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, hosted a Chicago Trauma First Responder Course recently to teach community residents how to assist victims of gun violence while emergency services arrive.

“Incidents of violence require more than just emergency services to save someone who is in need of immediate care,” said Harper. “This event was designed to teach ordinary people to be prepared to assist victims of gun violence when these crimes take place in order to increase the victim’s chance of survival.”

Harper and Dr. Swaroop offered a Chicago Trauma First Responder Course to teach attendees how they can potentially save a victim of gun violence. Dr. Swaroop highlighted the steps a bystander can take so that victims can receive immediate attention while an ambulance arrives. While Chicago’s crime rate increases, Harper feels that it is important that local community residents are equipped to handle a situation when someone falls victim to gun violence.

“I have been offering this course for some time now to show how people can be life-savers themselves,” said Swaroop. “It is so important that people be ready at any moment to step into a highly stressful situation to help save a fellow resident’s life. I want to thank Rep. Harper for helping me offer this course throughout Chicago.”

Harper represents the 6th District which includes all or portions of Armour Square, Bridgeport, Chicago Lawn, Englewood, Gage Park, Marquette Park, Canaryville, Back of the Yards, New City and West Englewood in the city of Chicago. To stay up to date with Rep. Harper for local and legislative updates, please visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/repsonyaharper/.