Vote for Me Early Between Now and February 17

Good evening. I am writing a note to remind those of you who live in the 24th Ward to vote for me early between now and February 17. You may go to Douglass Library, located on the corner of 13th and Homan, between 9 am and 5 pm Monday through Saturday. Punch 56 if you want to see the 24th Ward fixed.

If you or someone you know, wants to cast an absentee ballot, click onto this link for further instructions and download the application. http://www.chicagoelections.com/page.php?id=169

Send completed applications to the Board of Elections. When you get the ballot, punch 56 to see the 24th Ward fixed.

Thank you for your vote. I look forward to serving you as your next Alderman.

Ad-Early Voting

Handouts from Public Health and Safety Town Hall Meeting

I thank everyone who was able to attend our town hall meeting on public health and safety on January 11th.

Here is a testimonial from Dr. Shemuel Israel.

"I enjoyed the town hall meeting very much. Gatanya's info on public benefits is so valuable and Dr. Henderson's lecture on public health in North Lawndale was excellent. We applaud the work of the Dept of Public Health as they funded some of our work in the community. And Valerie, no other candidate in the 24th Ward is doing what you are doing to bring awareness and empowerment to our community."



Here are copies of the handouts.

Agenda-Public Health and Safety Meeting
Public Health and Safety Town Hall Meeting

Guide to Public Benefits

IVI-IPO Endorsement Provides Momentum to Campaign

Press Release IVI IPO Endorsement

Thanks for Making Me #1

Thanks for making my Online Candidates profile the most popular in the State of Illinois and the United States. My profile has more hits than any other candidate registered on the site, even though some others have been there longer. Check out updates to my Online Candidates Profile.
http://onlinecandidatelinks.com/citizens-to-elect-valerie-f.-leonard.html

Handouts from Town Hall Meeting on Jobs, Economic Development and Technology

Press Release-Economic Development Town Hall Meeting Outcome

Jobs, Economic Development and Technology Meeting

The27th Psalm

Jobs, Economic Development, Technology Town Hall Meeting

Chicago Westside Branch NAACP Candidates Forums

I thank Rev. Walter Harris, Pastor of Carey Tercentenary AME Church, for providing information on a series of upcoming candidates' forums for the Mayor and Select Aldermanic races. I will participate in the 24th Ward forum.

Chicago Westside NAACP Candidates Forum Flyer

Videoclip of My Introduction at the Historic K-Town Candidates Forum

To Know Me is to Vote for Me

Town Hall Flyer

Build Communities That Work

I received the following e-mail from I Make America. Please consider joining. When America works, we can build communities that work.

Dear Valerie,

Our communities are hurting. Before the recession, manufacturing contributed over $243.3 billion to the US economy and employed more than 12.5 million employees. That number has dropped significantly - 550,000 jobs have been lost -- that's 2 out of every 25 manufacturing jobs. As the economy continues to struggle, we need to take proven steps to put people back to work. Right here in Illinois, we need to invest in infrastructure to continue being the transportation hub of the country and increase manufacturing jobs in our state.

Please visit http://www.imakeamerica.com/ today and register your support for Congress to pass a federal infrastructure bill, which would create manufacturing jobs throughout the country.For every $100 invested in our infrastructure, $350 is returned to the economy. For every $1 billion spent on infrastructure, 30,000 jobs are created. We don't have to guess whether these investments will work, or hope they will. We know they do. Manufacturing is needed to supply the steel to build transit systems and bridges, build the equipment and trucks needed to get the job done and protect the workers who make it all possible. Together, we can grow our nation's economy, create jobs and build a safer America!


Thanks a Bunch!!

I thank everyone who showed up on Saturday October 30th to go out canvassing the 24th Ward to get petitions signed. We had an opportunity to network with one another, meet more people in the Ward, and hear about the issues that matter most to them. We were very impressed to hear young people share their concerns about the need to reduce violence in their schools and to increase opportunities and funding for after school programs.

Help Me Get on the February Ballot in 3 Hours!

As you may have heard, there are a lot of people in the race for Alderman of the 24th Ward. Depending on who you believe, there could be anywhere from 13 to 25 candidates on the ballot in February. Because there are so many people in the race, there’s a good chance that people have signed for more than one candidate. When people sign petitions for more than one candidate, their signatures can be disqualified. If enough signatures are disqualified, then the candidate gets kicked off the ballot. We can’t take that chance.

I NEED YOUR HELP!! Join us on Saturday, October 30, 2010 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, for Walkers and Talkers, an event for circulating petitions and phone banking. We will meet at Carey Tercentenary AME Church, 1448 South Homan Avenue.

Each session will include an overview of the issues, an update on our campaign, training for petitions and phone banking, followed by 2 hours of gathering signatures and making phone calls. I will bring donuts & coffee.

Optional: Bring a copy of your resume to be included in the Job Exchange bulletin board immediately (no strings attached), and to be considered for community development committees when I am elected. Contact me if you have questions about the bulletin board.

For Further Information: Contact me 773-521-3137, or valeriefleonard@msn.com.


Visit my Online Candidate Profile at http://onlinecandidatelinks.com/citizens-to-elect-valerie-f.-leonard.html.
Visit the campaign website at http://vote4valerie.voterspace.com/.

Visit the campaign blog at http://vote4valerie.blogspot.com/.

Follow me on Facebook, MySpace, Scribd, Twitter, and Every Block Chicago-24th Ward.



This message was approved by Citizens to Elect Valerie F. Leonard.

The City's 2011 Budget and the Least of These

Here's an article that I wrote regarding the City's 2011 budget and reporting process.
The City of Chicago-Budget and the Least of These

Wanted: Walkers and Talkers

Wanted: Walkers & Talkers
For canvassing and phone banking
• Saturday, October 16, 2010
• Saturday, October 30, 2010
• Saturday, November 13, 2010

Carey Tercentenary AME Church
1448 South Homan Avenue
9:00 A.M.-12:00 Noon

Each session will include an overview of the issues, an update on Valerie’s campaign, training for petitions and phone banking, followed by 2 hours of gathering signatures and making phone calls. Valerie will bring donuts & coffee.

Optional: Bring a copy of your resume to be included in the Job Exchange bulletin board immediately (no strings attached), and to be considered for community development committees when Valerie is elected. Contact Valerie if you have questions about the bulletin board.

For further information contact Valerie at 773-521-3137, or valeriefleonard@msn.com. Visit the campaign website at http://vote4valerie.voterspace.com. Visit the campaign blog at http://vote4valerie.blogspot.com. Follow Valerie on Facebook, MySpace, Scribd, and Twitter.

Feel free to download a copy of the flyer and pass on to your networks.

Flyer-Canvassing and Calls

Illinois Senior Internet Adoption Coalition and Congressman Danny K. Davis to Announce Federal ARRA and Illinois Jobs Now! Grants

Illinois Senior Internet Adoption Coalition and Congressman Danny K. Davis to Announce Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and Illinois Jobs Now! Grants for Broadband Adoption Project

I am very pleased to announce that a project for whom I provided technical assistance through the Illinois ResourceNet has received state and federal funding to provide computer training, equipment and high speed internet service for seniors in 23 publicly-funded senior buildings throughout northern Illinois. Illinois Senior Internet Adoption Coalition Congressman Danny K. Davis will be holding a press conference on Monday, October 4, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. at Habilitative Systems, Inc. (HSI), 425 South Kilpatrick, in Chicago. More details are found in the press release below. I hope to see you there.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2010

Contact: Ira Cohen (office of Rep. Danny K. Davis)
773-533-7520

The Illinois Senior Internet Adoption Coalition and Congressman Danny K. Davis will announce federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and Illinois Jobs Now! grants for broadband adoption project to help Illinois low income seniors and people with disabilities cross the digital divide

Press Conference
10:00 a.m.
Monday, October 4, 2010
HSI
415 South Kilpatrick
Chicago, Illinois 60644

The Illinois Senior Internet Adoption Coalition and Congressman Danny K. Davis — a group of nine Illinois public housing authorities, five private providers of affordable housing and other partners — will announce that its program to get Illinois low income seniors and people with disabilities across the Digital Divide has won awards worth $5.9 million from the federal and Illinois governments. MyWay Village, Inc., the grant awardee, will be responsible for the implementation of the program at 23 rural, suburban and inner-city sites in Illinois over the next 24 months.

“Senior citizens and people with disabilities need adequate, affordable access to the tools of the 21st century,” said U.S. Congressman Danny K. Davis. “This project represents a powerful way to close the digital divide by increasing computer training and high-speed Internet availability in our Illinois communities.”

The program will fund new computer equipment, Internet access and Connected Livingr training programs to over 3,000 residents of low income housing in Northern Illinois as well as to residents in surrounding neighborhoods. Connected Living by MyWay Village is a comprehensive technology adoption program that combines simplified technology with engaging training content and curriculum delivered by Ambassadors who are expert at getting first-time users online.

Low Income seniors and people with disabilities will gain new computer skills, improved communications with family and friends and better access to valuable information, education and health services. Trainees who pass a basic computer proficiency test will receive a highly discounted computer and Internet service. The program will collect adoption data, evaluate best practices and disseminate learning to affordable housing managers through a series of conferences and online tools.

“Low income seniors and affordable housing communities in Illinois deserve equal access to technologies that can deliver better health and economic opportunity,” said Sarah Hoit, CEO and Co-Founder of MyWay Village. “Over the last three years, we have connected thousands of seniors with our `high-tech and high-touch’ approach which has proven to be a winning combination.”

The partners in the Illinois Senior Internet Adoption Coalition include:

o Atmosphere Communications
o The Benton Foundation
o Bethel New Life (Chicago)
o BMA Management
o Housing Authority of the County of DeKalb
o DSSA Strategies
o Grundy County Housing Authority
o Habilitative Systems (Chicago)
o Housing Authority of Henry County
o Housing Authority of Joliet
o Kankakee County Housing Authority
o Moline Housing Authority
o MyWay Village, Inc.
o Oak Park Housing Authority
o Rockford Housing Authority
o Rock Island Housing Authority
o Sankofa Safe Child Initiative (Chicago)
o Senior Lifestyle Corporation

More than $4.7 million in federal funding was awarded competitively through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). More than $1.2 million in Illinois Jobs Now! public works funding provided the financial support needed to secure the federal award for Illinois, and coalition partners are contributing and additional $0.9 million in matching funds to bring the total project value to $6.8 million.

About MyWay Village, Inc.

MyWay Village, Inc. is a Quincy, MA based social impact company. The Connected Livingr program currently serves thousands of seniors residing in communities managed by such thought-leading organizations as Brookdale Senior Living, Emeritus Senior Living, Benchmark Senior Living, Beacon Communities and the Atlanta Housing Authority. For more information, visit www.connectedliving.com, call the Connected Living Center at 800.223.5080, or view our YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/connectedliving)

–
Ira Cohen
Director of Issues and Communication
Representative Danny K. Davis (IL07)

Poverty in the Chicago Area

The Chicago Tribune published statistics for Chicago area poverty rates. The numbers are staggering.

Chicago Area Poverty Statistics

Photo Montage from My Campaign Kickoff

I thank Robert Pairs for producing the attached photo montage from my campaign kickoff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEo-zSK63z4