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Francia Garcia Hernandez

29th Ward

29th Ward seeks residents’ ideas on what to fund in neighborhood

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | September 15, 2022

Saturday is the deadline for residents to submit their ideas about which projects they want to be considered for funding through participatory budgeting.

Austin

Poetry on the Patio returns to Austin

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | September 9, 2022

West Side residents can enjoy a night of spoken word performances, fashion and food at this free event hosted at a family home in Austin on Sept. 10th.

Austin

Cook County to invest in violence prevention programs in Austin, Chicago’s West Side

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | September 6, 2022

Through violence prevention and reduction grants, West Side nonprofits will receive millions of dollars over the next three years. Grant recipients include BUILD Chicago, New Moms and Manufacturing Renaissance.

black youth

After Urban Prep, college-bound Austin students look to future

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | August 22, 2022

Three recent Urban Prep graduates share their college plans and hopes for the future.

CPS

Field School students to start classes at renovated Key Elementary building

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | August 21, 2022

An open house will be held Aug. 22 from 5 to 6:30 at the school, which is located in the former Francis Scott Elementary School that CPS closed nearly a decade ago.

15th Police District

Shootings in Austin down this summer

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | August 17, 2022

15th District Commander Andre Parham called the reduction in crime in Austin “unprecedented.” He officers, residents and community groups for working together.

Chicago mayor

Group of Chicagoans want Rep. Ford to run for mayor

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | August 11, 2022

State Rep. La Shawn Ford, an Austin resident, is “open” to running for mayor, though he will not be participating in an event Thursday night organized by others to garner support.

News

Food pantries respond to rising need for assistance in Austin

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | August 10, 2022

Amid rising food and gas costs, local groups are helping West Side residents through pop-up pantries and home delivery programs, as well as longstanding food pantry locations.

budget

Residents share priorities, needs at city budget forum in Austin

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | July 25, 2022

West Siders said they want to see homeownership, mental health and climate change prioritized in the city’s 2023 budget. A final public engagement session will be held this weekend.

firearms

State funding available for violence prevention, youth development programs in Austin

By Francia Garcia Hernandez | July 17, 2022

Grant opportunities, upcoming community events and youth activities were shared at this month’s 15th Police District meeting with West Side faith leaders.

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News

  • Expungement, record sealing event helps West Siders get jobs after leaving prison

    Austin resident Anthony Jefferson has been working over the past six years to expunge his criminal record. With help from the Monroe Foundation, he's moving toward the clean slate he wants to achieve to secure employment.

  • Get free groceries, other help from these Austin groups

    On a recent Thursday, volunteers from What About Us Charitable Enterprises spent the morning filling dozens of grocery bags with fresh food and staples that soon filled the arms of West Side residents in need. Dorin “Pastor Mac” McIntyre, executive director and co-founder of What About Us Charitable Enterprises and pastor of Mount Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, is one of many helping Austin residents struggling with food insecurity.

  • 29th Ward residents invited to holiday events on Tuesday

  • 29th Ward residents invited to propose how to spend $450,000

    Austin residents are invited to participate in this year's participatory budgeting cycle. The annual process lets ward residents ages 14 and up decide how to spend a portion of the aldermanic menu money.

  • Forty Acres Fresh Market marks important moment this week in bringing store to Austin

    Austin moves one step closer this week to getting a new grocery store with the groundbreaking of Forty Acres Fresh Market in the heart of the Soul City Corridor. Another effort to expand food offerings on the West Side continues with the Austin Community Food Co-op, which held a virtual info session last week on its efforts to bring a grocery store to the area.

  • Healing in nature workshop set for Saturday

    The Westside Cultural Alliance continues its "See, Feel and Heal" nature series Saturday at Garfield Park Nature Area, 100 N. Central Park with a workshop on making memory boxes. The workshop sessions focus on art and nature as vehicles of healing through art therapy, which provides wholistic healing for the body, mind and spirit.

  • Illinois residents can apply for help with paying gas, electric bills

    Applications are now open for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for qualified residential customers who are over the age of 60, have a disability or have children under the age of 6 to receive financial assistance to pay their energy bills. LIHEAP is a federally funded bill payment assistance program that helps low- and fixed-income families pay their utility during the winter heating season.

  • West Siders turn out for chili cook off in Austin’s Soul City

    Over a dozen local chefs competed in the second annual "It’s Getting Chili in Soul City" event on Saturday. A team of five who make up the Austin African American Business Networking Association board – Malcolm Crawford, Shirley Fields, Sharmine Rickett, Ronald Smith and Marshawn Felton – created the chili contest last year.

  • Chicago Marathon runner raises money for West Side girls

    Over the last 20 years, Ashley Graham has run 56 marathons - including the Chicago Marathon five times. Several of those marathons she raised money for charity - and this year was no different.

  • Stop by Austin farmers market this week

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