Valid proof of vaccination includes a valid photo ID (age 16+) and a vaccination card, photocopy of a vaccination card, digital record of vaccination or app, or printed record from a vaccine provider.

To help ensure Americans have tests on hand if a need arises, the Biden Administration purchased one billion at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests to give to Americans for free. A half-billion tests are available for order now and will be mailed directly to American households.

There will be free tests available for every household, and to promote broad access, the initial program will allow four free tests to be requested per residential address. Americans can order their tests online at COVIDTests.gov, and tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering.

Alderman Dowell was proud to host her first (virtual) Town Hall meeting of 2022 on January 18th focusing on issues affecting the South Loop Community. Residents who attended the meeting heard from 1st District Police Commander Patricia O. Zuber for an update on neighborhood public safety, Dispensary33 on their proposed retail cannabis store at 2114 S. Wabash Ave., Budget Director Susie Park on the 2022 City of Chicago Budget, and Mercy Housing on the redevelopment of the Prairie District Apartments. Thank you to all the presenters and residents who attended this informative town hall meeting.

A copy of the town hall meeting video can be found here.

Thank you to everyone who attended Alderman Dowell's January 20th Bronzeville/Washington Park/Fuller Park Town Hall meeting. At the meeting, residents heard from 2nd District Police Commander Joshua D. Wallace on his office's efforts to increase public safety in the community, Urban Equities on a new shared kitchen space called Soul City Kitchen on the 5100 block of S. Wabash Ave., City Deputy Budget Commissioner Carrianne Carallis on investments the City has made through the 2022 Budget, the Lakeside Alliance on the upcoming Obama Presidential Center, and McLaurin Development Partners on the planned Pete's Fresh Market for Pershing Rd. and State St.

To view the full video of the meeting, please click here.

To help residents stay safe during the omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alderman Dowell's office handed out hundreds of free KN95 masks to 3rd Ward residents on January 13th. Thank you to all of the 3rd Ward staff who helped distribute the masks. N95/KN95 masks are one of the best ways to protect you and your family from COVID-19. Combined with vaccines and proper social distancing, these masks can drastically reduce COVID-19 infections and serious complications stemming from the virus.

If you or someone you know needs additional KN95 masks, please click here for more information.

New No Parking restrictions will be in place starting Thursday, February 17th from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am on both sides of Michigan Ave. between Cermak Rd and 23rd St. These restrictions will be enforced weekly Thursday-Sunday. Existing metered parking will remain unaffected.

These new parking regulations are being put in place to increase public safety and quality-of-life, and to help prevent noisy and possibly dangerous overnight activity in the area. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 773-373-9273.

The 1st, 2nd, 7th and 9th Chicago Police Districts that cover the 3rd Ward are getting new officers! CPD has assigned 3 officers to the 1st District, 5 officers to the 2nd District, 4 officers to the 7th District, and 4 officers to the 9th District. Alderman Dowell has long advocated for additional officers to be placed in the 3rd Ward, and welcomes this new influx of policemen. If you or anyone you know would like to test to become a Chicago Police Officer, go to https://home.chicagopolice.org/bethechange/chicago-police-officer-recruitment/.

The City of Chicago has announced the former Streets and Sanitation facility in Grand Boulevard will be transformed into a hub for food entrepreneurs, creating new commercial food prep opportunities for South Side culinary professionals.

The 8,000-square-foot Soul City Kitchens project will revitalize and expand the one-story building at 5021 S. Wabash Avenue with shared commercial cooking facilities, test kitchen space, individual kitchen cubes, freezers, coolers, and storage spaces that will be rented on an as-needed basis to food entrepreneurs. A private dining room and community space will also be available for rent.

To be developed by Urban Equities, the project is moving forward as the $4.6 million winning response to a March 2021 Department of Planning and Development (DPD) Request for Proposals (RFP) to revitalize the building. Additional information on the project will be made available at soulcitykitchens.com/.

The Chicago Park District, with the cooperation of Alderman Dowell, is planning for upgrades to Metcalfe Park's (4134 S. State St.) comfort station (restroom facilities) and tennis court. This $350,000 investment will be made using local Tax Increment Financing funds.

Metcalfe Park is home to a very well used tennis court, as well as a children's playground, comfort station, baseball field, basketball courts and open space. As important open space for local residents and students from the adjacent Bronzeville Classical School, ensuring the park's facilities are properly maintained keeps this great space a safe, healthy destination for all to enjoy.

The Armstrong Park Advisory Council is pleased to share the wonderful news that Chicago Cubs Charities selected Armstrong Park for a $100,000 Diamond Project grant to support the renovation of two of the park's baseball fields. The goal of the Diamond Project is to expand opportunities for children to play baseball and softball, create or preserve green space in under-resourced neighborhoods and foster a love for the game. Special thanks to Decoteau J. Irby, the Armstrong Park PAC treasurer, for submitting a stellar proposal and the Chicago Cubs Charities for this award.

The corner of 43rd. St. and Calumet Ave. has been transformed! The 43 Green mixed-use, mixed-income development has broken ground. When complete, the project will be home to 99-units, with 50 of the units reserved for renters making up to 60 percent of the area median income ($43,680 for a two-person household) and 6,000 square feet of commercial space. The additional commercial space will be a much needed catalyst for businesses on the 43rd St. corridor. 43 Green is a joint venture between Bronzeville-based P3 Markets and the Habitat Corporation, one of the leading affordable housing developers in Chicago. Details on this development can be found here

The City of Chicago announced 31 finalists for more than $14.4 million in small business grants being allocated through the Chicago Recovery Plan. Preliminary grant amounts range from $24,090 to $2.5 million and will be used to finance workplace improvements involving interior buildouts, exterior renovations, energy efficiency enhancements, and other upgrades valued at more than $22.3 million in total costs.

The projects were selected from more than 180 proposals submitted during an open application period last year. Finalists were determined by a City of Chicago evaluation committee based on project readiness, viability, location, applicant experience, neighborhood needs, and other factors. In the 3rd Ward Policy Kings (353-63 E. 51st St.) was selected to receive a $2.23 million grant.

More information about the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund including a complete list of grant awardees, finalists and prior rounds, is available at www.neighborhoodopportunityfund.com. Additional funding opportunities can be found here.

Alderman Dowell had the pleasure of joining Governor Pritzker, Representative Lamont J Robinson and Trez V. Pugh III, owner of Sip and Savor, to announce additional Back to Business grants awarded to those small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For information on how to apply visit www2.Illinois.gov. Congrats Trez and thank you for your commitment to Bronzeville!!

The $250 million Back to Business (B2B) grant program aims to deploy small businesses recovery grants for those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. The B2B grant program builds on the success of last year's Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program – an equity focused business relief program, which directed $290 million to 9,000 businesses in 98 communities across Illinois.

As part of the Adopt-a-Landmark program, two historic 3rd Ward institutions received grant funding to preserve their landmark buildings.

Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, one of Chicago's early Reform Judaism synagogues and home to the first modern gospel choir following its purchase in 1921, has won a $900.000 grant from the City's Adopt-a-Landmark fund. The grant will be used to make necessary upgrades to the church's aging infrastructure. Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church was named a Chicago Landmark in 2011.

Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago, a National Historic Landmark located at 1936 S. Michigan Ave., received a $250,000 grant to support preservation work in the church including the conservation of a large mural painted by renowned muralist Frederic Clay Bartlett.

The Citywide Adopt-a-Landmark Fund provides grants to support the restoration of designated landmark buildings and structures throughout Chicago. The funds are generated by downtown construction projects that contribute to the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus system. Additional information on the Adopt-a-Landmark program and applications can be found here.

On Monday, January 17, 2022 Organic Oneness, Engage Civil Inc., and a multitude of private and public Bronzeville community partners hosted the 4th Annual King Day of Service: Bronzeville. This annual event commemorates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Approximately 200 volunteers of all ages gathered to hear and reflect on the words of Dr. King before they began their service projects at five different Chicago Public School buildings, three of which are located in the 3rd Ward: Wendell Phillips Academy High School (244 E. Pershing Rd.), Ida B. Wells Elementary (249 E. 37th St.), and Daniel Hale Williams Preparatory School of Medicine (4934 S. Wabash Ave.).

Participants painted classrooms, cleaned and organized libraries, created 500 "Blessing Bags" for people without homes, and painted murals under the guidance of professional artists: Rahmaan “Statik” Barnes, Damon Reed, and Luthando Mazibuko. Vaccinations were also offered which resulted in 20 people being vaccinated.

As part of the morning program, volunteers watched an uplifting video on how Bronzeville organizations are keeping the dream alive! To see the video go to https://www.organiconeness.org/king-day-of-service.html.

Since spring 2020, the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has organized monthly meetings of a neighborhood roundtable group to discuss the INVEST South/West initiative and additional neighborhood priorities. DPD staff has posted a survey to obtain feedback from residents and stakeholders in the community who have attended the roundtable meetings. Please take the survey here if interested and send any additional comments or questions to [email protected].

The next Bronzeville Roundtable will be held Wednesday, February 16 at 4:30 pm. To access the Zoom link click here.

For a complete list of Soldier Field events, please visit www.SoldierField.net/event. The 3rd Ward is providing the list below as a courtesy to residents and visitors and does not assume liability for the accuracy of the monthly list of South Loop events. All Soldier Field events are subject to change, including cancellation or the scheduling of additional events. It is your responsibility to adhere to the parking restrictions in place. 

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has made long-term investments in non-traditional law enforcement programs. The Sheriff’s Car Light Replacement Program falls into this non-traditional model.

Sheriff's Office mechanics provide the expertise necessary to replace defective and missing lights on vehicles. Replacing broken bulbs reduces the number of traffic-related stops and removes some auto repair costs. It also eliminates court costs and associated fees. If you’re interested in the program, please fill out the form here.

Streets and Sanitation Recycling Update

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) recently completed a website update to add a new Recycling section on the DSS home page, where you may find all the information and news on the City’s recycling efforts.

As a reminder, another notable action undertaken in the last year was the selection of a new recycling provider. This new contract allows for penalties for missed collection and has a greater clarification around contamination. DSS is also working to hire additional recycling staff so they can boost recycling education efforts citywide.

CPS Local School Council members are elected every two years by parents, community members, and school staff. Members serve two-year terms, with the exception of student representatives, who serve one-year terms. Interested candidates must complete several application forms.

If you are a parent, community member, student, or teacher looking to get more involved with your school, we encourage you to consider running in your school’s LSC election.

The application window for the 2022 LSC elections opened on January 3, 2022. To apply, candidates must download and fill out the application forms linked here and return them with two forms of identification to the school for which they intend to run as a candidate by Friday, March 4, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. CST.

Officers took to the streets to promote safety and raise awareness. Community members are reminded of the Department’s tip line, where anonymous tips leading to charges and/or convictions will get a cash reward of up to $5,000 for gun trafficking cases and up to $15,000 in homicide cases. The anonymous tip line is available at 833-408-0069. 

This month, 99 Sergeants and 44 Lieutenants were sworn into their new roles. These leaders will be placed in districts where they will make the greatest impact for CPD and the community. Recruitment efforts continue, as CPD encourages individuals to accept the challenge and join the next generation of the Chicago Police Department. More information is available online.  

January crime statistics also show year-over-year improvement, with a 13% decline in murders, 23% decline in vehicular hijackings, and a 6% reduction in violent crime overall. CPD has recovered over $17.5 million in illegal narcotics, $1.9 million in cash, and 791 guns.

ComEd is pleased to announce that applications for the Powering Communities Grant Program are now open! Community partners are encouraged to visit ComEd.com/Grants for more information, including how to apply for funding. Qualifying proposals will be eligible for grants of up to $10,000 each, available through three programs to support communities.

Applications will be accepted now through 5 p.m. CST on March 25, 2022.

Past projects have included installation of electric vehicle charging stations, green parks improvements, expanded community arts programming, and more. This funding comes at a key time and can help communities as they plan ahead with projects to help improve quality of life for residents, and generate economic recovery from the pandemic.

Upward Bound at UChicago's Office of Special Programs - College Prep is a free, college access program for 9th and 10th grade students who live in Douglas, Greater Grand Crossing, Washington Park, or Woodlawn, OR attend Dyett, Hyde Park, Hirsch, or Phillips high schools. Students will receive tutoring, take academic enrichment classes, and receive college admissions and financial aid application assistance. Apply by February 13th here.

The College Bridge Summer Bridge program provides academically advanced high school students from Chicago Public Schools a way to go beyond their high school curriculum and study at the undergraduate level at UChicago College. Students with demonstrated need are eligible for full scholarships. Apply by March 9th here.

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and SomerCor will roll out the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) grant program for applications in the 24th/Michigan TIF District in February.

Applications open: 9 a.m. Tuesday, February 1st. Applications close: 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 2nd. Learn more and apply at www.chicago.gov/sbif.

The SBIF program uses revenue from TIF districts to help owners of commercial and industrial properties to repair or remodel their facilities for their own business or on behalf of tenants. Tenant businesses are also eligible to apply on their own. Please note that residential projects are not eligible for the SBIF program, and residential developers should not apply.

Program participants can receive grants for 30 to 90 percent of project costs, with a maximum grant of $150,000 for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties. The grants are administered by SomerCor on the City's behalf and do not have to be repaid.

The Arts + Public Life (APL) Performance Residency at the Green Line Performing Arts Center (GLPAC) gives performers, artists, dancers, designers, cultural producers, creative ensembles, directors, choreographers, playwrights, and producing groups an opportunity to:

APL's Performance Residency grants access from April 2022 to December 2022 to the well-equipped Green Line Performing Arts Center, located at 329 E Garfield Blvd on the Arts Block. Residents are expected to perform, facilitate, or produce two or more public programs within the resident season, and will receive access to APL’s facilities and resources at no cost if their programming is free to the public.

Programs will be incorporated into Arts + Public Life’s 2022 artist-led programming season with accompanying marketing support. OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS NOW - FEB 20, 2022. Go to bit.ly/performance22 to get more information and apply.

Please be advised that upcoming severe weather threats could impact service. Weather and service updates will be posted to RepublicServices.com

Some tips to avoid service delays during winter months:

All Republic Services of Chicago customers with contact information on file will receive a phone call reminder about the snow event and advising potential delays. Customers can sign up for even faster communication by visiting RepublicServices.com/Account and registering. Finally, if any customers have questions can call the Customer Resource Center at 773-579-3600.

Learn about the home buying process such as the basics of budgeting, improving credit, understanding

the closing process and down payment assistance programs. This is an eight-hour course delivered in two 4-hour sessions.

When: Wednesday, February 2nd at 9:00 am (link to register) and Saturday, February 5th at 9:00 pm (link to register)

Whether you are planning to purchase a home or simply need to improve your finances, this webinar will

prepare you for financial security. Learn How To: develop a spending plan, reduce your debt, and

increase your credit score.

When: Tuesday, February 8th at 6:00 pm (link to register), and Tuesday, February 22nd at 6:00 pm (link to register)