Daily COVID-19 Update: Small Business Loan and Grant Opportunities
Today, Governor Pritzker announced the roll out of three new loan and grant programs including one targeted for the hospitality industry and the other two focused on suburban and downstate regions of the State. The hospitality emergency grant program is open to businesses in the City of Chicago and statewide and the funds are available to support working capital like payroll and rent, as well as job training, retraining, and technology to support shifts in operations, like increased pick-up and delivery.

  • Bars and restaurants that generated between $500K and $1M in revenue in 2019 are eligible for up to $25,000
  • Bars and restaurants that generated less than $500K in revenue in 2019 are eligible for up to $10,000
  • Hotels that generated less than $8M in revenue in 2019 are eligible for up to $50,000.

Applications will be accepted until 5:00pm on Wednesday, April 1st, and recipients will be chosen via a lottery. For more information visit the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's website.

He also announced that the State will be pushing back the tax filing deadline to July 15 .

COVID-19 Count as of today :


If you have questions related to COVID-19 you can contact the Illinois Department of Public Health :
Hotline : 800-889-3931
Email : dph.sick@illinois.gov COVID19 78015

City of Chicago's Department of Public Health :
Hotline : 312-746-4835
Email : coronavirus@chicago.gov

You can sign up to get updates from the City of Chicago's Department of Public Health here . You can also find CDC updates and guidelines here .
Federal CARES Act Stimulus Package
As many individuals may be aware some key elements of the stimulus package Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES ACT) have been agreed upon. While the bill has not been voted on in the Senate the bill may be called as early as this evening or tomorrow. Some of the important measures included in this relief package include:
  • $2 Trillion package in total
  • Direct checks of $1,200 for each person and $500 per child, subject to income requirements
  • Unemployment benefits extended for 4 months
  • Gig and contractual workers will be eligible to apply for unemployment
  • $3.5 billion for Early Childcare and Education programs
  • $30.750 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund for states, school districts and institutions of higher education for costs related to coronavirus.

You can view a summary here .
City of Chicago Transit Updates
In order to ensure that essential workers still have the transportation needed to arrive to work Mayor Lightfoot announced new initiatives to make travel more affordable.

  • The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) is delaying collection for several fines and fees through April 30.
  • The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is offering a prorated credit to riders for any unused days on active 7- and 30-Day passes. Visit their website here.
  • To help alleviate costs for paratransit riders, Pace is waiving its $3 fare collection on its Taxi Access Program rides starting Monday, March 23.
  • An annual Divvy membership will be cut in half from $99 to $49.50; and "Dollar Divvy" single rides, for 30 minutes, will be offered at 66% discount from the $3 regular cost.
  • Divvy is also launching a 30-day program to give critical healthcare workers free bikeshare rides. Starting Tuesday, March 24 and continuing through April 30, eligible healthcare workers can sign up through their employer to access unlimited 45 minute trips on classic bikes for 30 days. Interested health care companies can email herobikes@lyft.com


Issues: Filing for Unemployment
We understand that many individuals attempting to apply for unemployment benefits via phone and website are experiencing technical difficulties and we understand just how frustrating this can be during these uncertain times. Our office is doing what we can to escalate these issues to the Governor's administration who today acknowledged the problems and asked folks to try to be patient as they adapt to the dramatic surge in applications.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) has scheduled nightly updates to help address the issues and will be offline from 8pm-10pm daily. We also recommend that individuals interested in applying try during off times as peak times for the Department are 10am-3pm daily. We are doing everything we can to help people get through, but do not have any special access. The best thing to do in the interim is to document the dates and times of your attempts so that if the delay has an impact on your benefits, we have a record we can use to help advocate for you.
Local Highlight: Le Piano
Le Piano, a local gem, is known for its live music and drinks. They have recently been converted into a mask factory! They have produced over 1000 complimentary non clinical disposable masks for local grocery stores. Stories like these are just one of the many kind acts our neighbors have started in the midst of this crisis. We would encourage others to follow suit and share their stories.
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Individuals in need of food and food assistants can reach out to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. You can view a list of food banks near you by visiting their website here . If you or someone you know needs assistance with applying for SNAP benefits as well as Medicaid, you can also call the Department of Human Services 1-800-843-6154 or the Greater Chicago Food Depository for assistance with your 773-843-5416 applications.
Legal Aid Services
The Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights has created a form online to assist businesses and nonprofits with legal questions. You can find their form here for more information.
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Sincerely,

Kelly Cassidy
State Representative, 14th District

Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy

5533 N Broadway

Chicago IL 60640
773-784-2002(phone)
773-784-2060(fax)