May 2026

We survived all the April Showers! Did you know that we had the 8th wettest April since 1872 with over 7 inches of rain...kinds feels like more, but I'm hoping all that rain washes away everyone's Winter Blues, and nourishes all that nature has to offer!

I'm glad you are here and connecting with us! I hope you find helpful resources, local events, and ways to connect this month!

April Community Highlights:

• Chicago Children's Care Foundation- Round table discussion
• 7th Annual Community Advocacy and Violence Prevention Summit
• Cook County DEAC April Meeting
• A.R.E Monthly Meeting
• Resource Fair at Triton College
• Cicero Unity Family Night
• Violence Prevention Convener
• #JoeyDoesTherapy
  
• Community Alliance
• Glow Wild at Brookfield Zoo- Sensory Night
• School Based Mental Health Round Table
• FACE Forward Network Meeting
• RBHS Family Fun Night
• Healthy Kids Day at the PavYMCA
• Family Night at Morton East
• Legislative Breakfast with Melrose Park Chamber of Commerce
• West40's All Staff Learning Day
• Coffee with the Board IASN
• Day of the Child Parade at D98
• Dia del Niño Resource Fair at D99
• D99 Unity Family Night
• Leaders Meeting at the The Little Red School House Nature Center
• Supporting Undocumented Students in Higher Education
• FACE Forward Network Meeting
• Soul Shop for Community
• Should Shop for Youth Leaders

I hope May brings pretty flowers your way!

Please don't hesitate to reach out,

Maria-Elena Agrela

Director of Community Relations

May is:

• National Mental Health Awareness Month
• Get Caught Reading Month
• National Military Appreciation Month
• Skin Cancer Awareness Month (Wear your sunscreen daily!)
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• National Dental Care Month
• Foster Care Awareness Month

A professional learning and collaboration network for school personnel and community-based organizations dedicated to authentic student and family engagement. We meet on the 1st Fridays of the month. (exceptions for January, March, and April this year). Every month we have an opportunity to learn about resources, to network, and we always have a guest presenter.

Upcoming Dates and Topics:

• • Sept 4th- State's Attorney's office Cook County internet crimes against children Task Force

  • October 2nd- Future Planning with ISAC

This network brings together school personnel and community-based organizations who support immigrant and newcomer students and their families.We meet every other month, where we have an opportunity to learn about resources, to network.

Click on the West40 image with the butterfly to RSVP!

We will be planning additional trainings in the future!

• May 4- #joeydoestherarpy
• May 4- D88 Family Night
• May 5- D209 Family Night
• May 5-6- Latino Unity Days
• May 7- Glow Wild at Brookfield Zoo (Sensory Night)
• May 8- Southern Tier Family Night
• May 12- West40 Nurses Network
• May 12- West Suburban Juvenile Officers Association
• May 13- ARE Meeting
• May 14- Youth Network for OP Council Meeting
• May 15- Well Being in Times of Systematic Trauma
• May 16- West40 Hosting Immersive Learning Showcase
• May 18- D92.5 Family Night
• May 19- Cabinet Meeting and West40 Connect
• May 19- TCI Meeting
• May 20- Digital Action Equity Committee Meeting
• May 20- Read to a Dog at OP Library
• May 21- Community Alliance
• May 26- Leaders Meeting
• May 27-19- National Community School and aFamily Engagement Conference in Long Beach
• June 4- ALOP Summit

SNAP recipients can now check to see if they are subject to, are meeting, or may be eligible to seek an exemption from work requirements by using the ABE: SNAP Work Requirements screener.

Before the federal budget bill, Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) applied to adults ages 18-54 who had:

• No kids under 18 living at home
• No disabilities

Now, more people must meet or be exempt from work requirements, like:

• People who are homeless
• People with kids at home who are only 14 or older
• Veterans
• People with no disabilities, ages 55-64

February 1: ABAWDs who do not meet or who are not exempt from work requirements may only get SNAP for 3 months in a 3-year period.

May 1: ABAWDs who do not meet or who are not exempt from work requirements will lose benefits.

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IHDS) has sent initial notices of these federal changes along with a copy of an exemption form, to all current and new ABAWDs. IDHS will also continue to provide updates here: snapfederalimpact.illinois.gov

• Federal Impact Center for SNAP Updates: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/?item=174038
  
• SNAP Updates: https://wegotyouillinois.org/updates/
  

SNAP Benefits Resources:

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will not be sent out on Nov. 1. Starting next month, more than 527,000 families in Cook County will not be able to access the food aid they need. Access to food and health are inextricably linked, and we want to share resources for individuals who are food-insecure:

Reminder: While food benefits are issued monthly, they do not expire for a full calendar year. SNAP recipients may continue to use any remaining funds on their electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards.

• Greater Chicago Food Depository – GCFD is a Cook County Department of Public Health partner organization in addressing food insecurity and will continue to serve the Cook County community through its local food pantries, soup kitchens and mobile distribution locations. Individuals can search for resources near them by visiting www.chicagosfoodbank.org/find-food

• Distribution hubs will begin November 1st. GCFD- Distribution Hubs Starting November 1st

• Statement on benefit suspension: Food Depository statement on looming SNAP benefit suspension | Greater Chicago Food Depository

• SNAP Federal Impact Center – As circumstances continue to evolve, we encourage everyone to stay informed and connected. The Illinois Department of Human Services will be providing real-time updates on SNAP benefits at snapfederalimpact.illinois.gov.
• Illinois Department of Human Services Resources- Updated information will be available at snapfederalimpact.illinois.gov

• Find Food, Feeding Illinois- An interactive map to help people find sources of free food. Find Food — Feeding Illinois

• FoodCare – CountyCare’s food assistance program remains in place. Eligible CountyCare members may continue to access emergency home-delivered meals up to three times per year, medically tailored meals and our digital platform for meal planning, budgeting and food delivery. Interested individuals can sign up for FoodCare by requesting an appointment with a nutrition coach at www.foodsmart.com/members/countycare.

• Food As Medicine – Cook County Health’s newly launched Food As Medicine webpage contains food resources available through CCH, through insurance plans- including CountyCare- and through our partners. Eligible and referred CCH patients may use the new onsite food pantries and medically tailored meals program. For information on eligibility and referral processes, please see the intranet page, Food As Medicine. More information can be found at www.cookcountyhealth.org/food-as-medicine.

I want to take moment to share resources regarding housing resources. I get at least 1-2 question a week asking for resources for families struggling to stay in their homes/apartments. Here are my recommendations.

• Families should call the Alliance to End Homelessness. 877-426-6515 https://myentrypoint.org/
• Families should also seek relief through CEDA for their bills. https://www.cedaorg.net/ The list of locations is below. CEDA's Family Support and Community Engagement Helpline is 312-795-8948
• Families can get discounted internet through Comcast.
• Food Pantries List can be found HERE.
• If there is a vet in the family, relief and assistance information 312-433-6015 https://vaccookcounty.org/
• The Harbour offers immediate, stable, and safe housing to youth and young mothers experiencing homelessness. We strive to promote safety, stability, and personal growth by providing services and support for long term housing stability, continued education and employment, and individual counseling to help break the cycle of homelessness. 847-297-8541

Please find below rental assistance funds available through CEDA's Family Support and Community Engagement (FsACE) Department and Housing Department. Please share with your clients and contacts! Thanks!

***CEDA RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS AVAILABLE***

CEDA's Family Support and Community Engagement Department (FsACE), in collaboration with the Housing Department, is now offering rental assistance of up to $6,000 for eligible households in Suburban Cook County.

Covered Costs Include:

• First month's rent
• Current rent
• Future rent
• Rental delinquency
• Lot rent for mobile homes

This assistance is available while funds last! If your organization works with individuals or families struggling to secure or maintain stable housing, please share this opportunity. We welcome referrals and are available to support residents through the application process.

Contact Information:

Information & Referral

312-795-8948

Hours of Operation

Monday-Thursday 8am-7pm

Friday 8am-4:30pm

• Suicide Awareness Summit, September 25, 2026
• Access Amplified- Oct 7

February is One Click College Admit (OCCA) Month, and this is a great time to help your Class of 2027 take a simple, no-cost step toward college admission – before the May 22 OCCA opt-in deadline.

Here are four easy ways you can plug OCCA into what you're already doing this spring:

1. Order free OCCA materials (mailed directly to you)
   Use ISAC's online order form to request any of the following – at no cost:
• FAQs for Counselors flyer (F3856)
• OCCA Info flyer (F3857)
• OCCA Postcard (F3860)
• OCCA Workshop Toolkit (not for order; self-service download and print)

Perfect for counselor offices, junior meetings, or student handouts.

1. Use ready-to-go OCCA resources
• Brief OCCA Opt-in Walkthrough Videos
• One Click College Admit: Junior Opt-in Walkthrough
• One Click College Admit: Parent Opt-in Walkthrough
• One Click College Admit: Community College Opt-in Walkthrough
• Visit the OCCA resource page to access:
• A recorded informational webinar for counselors
• Student FAQs you can share directly with juniors and families

1. Bring OCCA to your students – with help
   Your local ISACorps member can:
• Talk to students about OCCA
• Host an info table or short presentation during:
• Junior parent night
• Report card pickup
• Your school's college fair

1. Refer students for 1:1 support
   Students who want help can book a free one-on-one virtual meeting with an ISACorps member at www.isac.org/Booking.

Want additional support? Join an OCCA Webinar
ISAC offers free professional development trainings for counselors and school staff who would like a walkthrough of OCCA, including key timelines, frequently asked questions, and how to support students as they move through the process.

Upcoming OCCA Webinars

• One Click College Admit (OCCA) Overview
  

• One Click College Admit (OCCA) Overview
  

• One Click College Admit (OCCA) Overview
  

View upcoming sessions and register on the ISAC Professional Development Offerings page.

Why encourage students to opt in?

Students who opt in to OCCA:

• Automatically receive an application fee waiver
• Get college admission information in mid-September of their senior year

A few minutes now can remove barriers later – and help students start senior year with real college options in hand.

Thank you for all you do to support your students' postsecondary plans!

Annette Phillips

Outreach Development Specialist

Illinois Student Assistance Commission

1755 Lake Cook Road

Deerfield, Illinois 60015

Phone:1800.899.4722

Direct: 847.831.8025

Fax: 847.831.8505

Email: Annette.Phillips@illinois.gov

www.ISAC.org

Your Home. Your Health. Your Future.

We’re excited to launch Lead Safe Cook County—a campaign designed to help you and your neighbors apply for FREE lead removal and home repairs.

Why does this matter?

• Lead is invisible but dangerous. Even tiny amounts can harm children’s growth and development—and affect health during pregnancy.
• Cook County homes are at risk. Two-thirds were built before 1978, when lead-based paint was banned.
• Children are impacted every year. Around 200 kids in suburban Cook County have elevated blood lead levels annually.

The good news: You can protect your family and community. We’re here to make homes safer and healthier—starting with yours.

Check if your home qualifies.
Apply for FREE repairs today.
Share this with friends and neighbors.

Together, we can make Cook County lead-safe.
https://ow.ly/O7TM50XSwU4

This came from Jenny Evaskus from Mental Health Illinois

Although it is "live", it is still a work in progress and I know I am missing some great resources. Please check it out!

www.mentalhealthillinois.com

To provide feedback or information....please reach out: Email: jenny@mentalhealthillinois.com

Howl you all doing?

We are still visiting the Children's Center in Oak Park, and doing Read to a Dog event at various libraries

Want a visit? Reach out!

Want a visit? Reach out!

Your furry friend,

Josephine "Joey"

West40's Director of Paw-sitive Relations :)

Please feel free to reach out questions!

Maria-Elena Agrela
Director of Community Relations
Email: meagrela@west40.org

Phone: 708-990-7975

Instagram @West40communityresrouces
Website: west40communityresources.org

Disclaimer / Neutrality Statement
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of West40. This newsletter does not endorse any candidate, party, or elected officeholder. West40 remains committed to serving and engaging our community regardless of political affiliation or ideology.