Last week I stood with advocates in full support of making sure we have funding for after-school programs in Illinois. As a parent myself, I know exactly how important it is to have safe and reliable programs that students and families can count on at the end of the school day. We have to keep this program funded so our children have a safe haven to grow and succeed in life toward a brighter future. Watch more below.

Join us on Oct. 18 for College and Career Day with representatives from multiple universities in attendance. We will be out at our district office, 1836 W. 35th St., from 5:30-7:30 p.m. This will be a great opportunity for anyone who is thinking about attending college or searching for employment. Please RSVP by calling 872-704-0031 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  We hope to see you there!

CHICAGO – State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes released the following statement after the recent strike by the United Auto Workers seeking pay increases, shorter workweeks and improvements to retiree plans:

“The United Auto Workers are seeking to improve the value given to their labor. More than a decade ago they sacrificed pay and benefits to help the automakers stay afloat. Now its time for those workers to share in the success they help create.

“As a career advocate for workers’ rights, I will continue to support groups like the United Auto Workers in their fight for fair wages and better working conditions. Working people are standing in solidarity, with inflation and cost-of-living pressures at an all-time high, leveraging this power has never been more urgent.

“I support the United Auto Workers in their fight. Autoworkers in Toledo, OH, Wayne, MI, and the rest of the Midwest, are not just fighting for themselves, but for working class people across this country. I will continue to support our working class families in Illinois to make sure their voices are heard.”

CHICAGO – With support from State Senator Javier Cervantes, residents of the 1^st District have received over $400,000 in claims returns from the Illinois Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Money Match program, which returns unclaimed property to constituents automatically without the need to file a claim.

“This is an amazing program that has brought tangible funds to the residents of Chicago they never knew they had,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “I encourage residents to keep an eye out for mail in the upcoming months as more Money Match letters are sent out.”

The Money Match program enables the treasurer’s office to work with the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Illinois State Board of Elections and the Illinois Secretary of State to find accurate mailing addresses for rightful owners of unclaimed property. The office then confirms an owner’s address and sends a letter to the individual to make them aware that a check is coming in the mail so they know that the check is legitimate.

Letters to residents whose claims meet the requirements for Money Match will continue to go out over the next several months. The treasurer’s office began mailing Money Match notification letters this month and expects to return more than $47 million in unclaimed property to approximately 66,000 individuals.