Castro joins Pritzker to announce $30 million in funding for Immigrant Welcoming Centers during pandemic

ELGIN — State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) joined Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services to announce $30 million in state funding for Immigrant Welcoming Centers across Illinois to support members of immigrant communities facing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding will allocate $18 million in funding will go to housing and utility assistance, $4.5 million will be used to support employment and job training services, and $4 million will be used to provide health care education. The remaining $2 million will go to a multilingual effort to reach Illinois residents eligible to receive support, and $1.5 million will be used for technical assistance.

“These Welcoming Centers will be an invaluable resource for immigrants in our area who may be having difficulties navigating through the many, sometimes complex, services that our state provides,” Castro said. “This would be true even in a general sense, but during a global health pandemic that has been shown to disproportionately impact communities of color, it could literally mean the difference between life and death.”

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Castro warns residents: Steer clear of deer

ELGIN – With the seasons changing from summer to fall, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) is warning drivers to be on the lookout for deer to avoid potentially dangerous collisions.

“It’s extremely important to be assertive while driving and to steer clear of deer to prevent accidents,” Castro said. “A collision with deer can cause massive damage to your car and could result in serious injuries, so increased awareness during times when deer activity will be increased is crucial to staying safe.”

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Illinois senators urge residents to fill out census as soon as possible

SPRINGFIELD – Despite a lower court ruling extending the census deadline, Democratic members of the Illinois Senate are urging residents to complete their census forms as soon as possible. There’s a possibility this decision could be overturned on appeal and this extended window could be cut short.

“While I’m grateful for the court ruling extending the deadline to fill out the census, we can’t become complacent,” said State Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin). “We’ve seen this deadline move several times already. Everyone should complete the census in case it moves again.”

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Castro, DCEO to host Business Interruption Grants webinar

ELGIN – In an effort to spread more information about and to encourage businesses owners to apply for the second round of Business Interruption Grants, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) is partnering with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to host a BIG webinar on Monday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.

“The Business Interruption Grants are a great way for businesses owners who are facing financial pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic to see some of that burden lifted,” Castro said. “I look forward to working with DCEO to host this informative webinar and I hope it motivates business owners to apply for a grant.”

The webinar will discuss eligibility, the application process and requirements, and the best way to use the grants to be successful, among other information. Registration is required, and can be done by clicking here.