Cervantes secures more than $260,000 for literacy programs in 1st District

• 1st District
• Library Grants
• Education

CHICAGO – With strong support from State Senator Javier Cervantes, $263,824 in state literacy grants will be coming to four local educational agencies in the 1^st Senate District.

“Family and community literacy programs equip parents and their children with a foundation that supports them throughout their lives and careers,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Developing these important skills empowers people to contribute and engage fully with their families, their work and their communities.”

Adult Literacy Grant Programs are administered by the Illinois Secretary of State and are divided into three categories: Adult Volunteer Literacy, Penny Severns Family Literacy and Workplace Skills Enhancement. The programs enable educational organizations to help adults improve their reading, writing, math or use of English as a new language.

The following community organizations and schools in the 1^st District received Adult Literacy Grant awards:

• Arab American Action Network – $50,000
• Hanul Family Alliance – $48,824
• PODER Learning Center – $80,000
• Morton College – $85,000

More information about the Secretary of State’s Adult Literacy Grant Programs can be found here.

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Cervantes law to provide STEM scholarships, grow tech workforce

• Workforce Training
• iGROW
• HB 1378

SPRINGFIELD – Students will soon see scholarship opportunities in Illinois’ growing technology sector thanks to a new scholarship incentive program championed by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes.

“From the moment they start higher education, students will have a pathway to good-paying technology jobs, with employers ready to hire them when they graduate,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “The growing tech sector in Illinois needs skilled employees and the iGROW program establishes a pipeline for students to grow and live their life here in Illinois.”

Cervantes’ measure creates the iGROW Tech Scholarship program to award scholarships to public and private university students working toward qualifying tech-related degrees such as computer and information sciences, information technology, computer systems networking and telecommunications. Recipients would receive the scholarship award each year they agree to work in a qualified job that relates to their degree.

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New Cervantes law expands personal care providers to guardians, siblings

• Personal Care Providers
• SB 505

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Javier Cervantes’ initiative to expand personal care provider eligibility to include a person’s guardian, kin or siblings was signed into law Friday.

“Illinois residents have been pushing for personal care provider qualifications to include family members for a long time,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This law will ensure that family members can assist loved ones without hurting their eligibility for benefits.”

Currently, a recipient’s spouse is the only eligible family member who can contract with the Department of Rehabilitation Services to serve as a personal assistant to a person with a disability, and that individual may not have more than $10,000 in assets in order to be eligible. People who need home-based services can hire their own personal assistants to provide care in their home, based on their DRS service plan, but have not been able to hire and pay family members besides their spouse.

The new law allows guardians, kin and siblings to serve as personal assistants for their family member with a disability. They can provide services such as personal assistance, home-delivered meals, adult day care, respite care, home health services and supported employment services. Under Cervantes’ law, any wages earned by the employee will not count against the $10,000 asset limit required for disabled individuals to be eligible for the program.

“This law ensures that residents in need of home care get the help they need,” Cervantes said. “Families in our state are trying to navigate how to best take care of their loved ones, and this law tackles workforce shortages and lets families provide care in their own homes.”

Senate Bill 505 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Cervantes and Delgado remain committed to protecting workers’ rights

• SB 1515

Work to protect marginalized employees following the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1515 will continue 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Javier Cervantes and State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado announced that they would continue their work to protect marginalized employees following the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1515 that Cervantes sponsored in the Senate and Delgado led through the House.

SB1515 is aimed at protecting our immigration community, yet it fell short from its intention. Instead of moving forward with legislation that may not make Illinois a national example in protecting our immigrant community, Senator Cervantes, Representative Delgado, the Governor and advocates unanimously decided the best approach is to introduce a new bill that will make us leaders in the nation.

“We brought this legislation forward to protect employees and ensure Illinois is following through to protect workers’ rights,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve our goal with this legislation but the job does not stop there. I want to assure residents that I am committed to getting this measure right to protect our community.”

Delgado added, “Senator Cervantes and I are committed to continuing our work to protect all workers and determine a secure path for advancing workers’ rights in the workplace. No one should find themselves subject to, or in fear of name or social security number discrepancy notifications and we remain focused on working together with the Governor's office, labor leaders and advocates to bring forth a permanent solution for consideration during session in the fall.”

Senate Bill 1515 was vetoed by the governor on Friday. Cervantes and Delgado pledge to continue conversations and work with the administration and advocates to bring forth a solution for potential review in the fall veto session.