Extension and Changes to the Stay at Home Order

• Face coverings will be required in public indoor spaces. Beginning May 1, individuals over the age of 2 will be required to wear face coverings in public indoor spaces where they can't maintain six feet of social distance, including grocery stores. The modified order will also include occupancy limits for essential businesses. 

• You will have more options for outdoor activities. State parks will begin a phased reopening in May, and fishing and boating in groups of no more than two people will be permitted. A list of parks that will be open on May 1 and additional guidelines can be found on the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Website. Golf will also be permitted, as long as golfers respect strict safety guidelines and social distancing measures. 

• Some businesses will reopen. Greenhouses, garden centers, and nurseries, as well as animal grooming services, will be allowed to reopen as essential businesses. Non-essential retail stores may reopen to fulfill curbside pickup and delivery orders. However, these businesses must follow social distancing guidelines and require customers and employees to wear face coverings.

• If you return to work you'll be safer. Manufacturers will be required to provide face coverings to all employees who are not able to maintain six feet of social distance. The order will also require manufacturers to adopt new practices to protect customers and employees, including staggering shifts and operating only essential lines.

• Navigating unexpected effects of the outbreak. Schools with dormitories will be given direction on allowing students to pick up belongings, and surgical centers and hospitals that meet strict safety criteria may be able to resume certain elective surgeries. 

Find more details on the modified Stay at Home Order here.

Staying home isn't easy, but it's the best tool we have to fight COVID-19. According to data from top academic institutions and researchers across Illinois, the Stay at Home Order has saved thousands of Illinoisans, if not more--without these restrictions in place, we may have seen up to 20 times as many deaths as we are currently experiencing. 

But, the fight isn't over. The data also suggests the state will see a second wave of the virus if social distancing requirements are lifted now, which could claim tens of thousands more lives.

So, for the health and safety of our friends, families, neighbors, and front line workers, we must continue our efforts to contain the spread of the virus. We know many people are eager to return to their jobs, social lives, and daily routines--we're hoping that this modified order will help ease some of that restlessness. 

If you have questions, are in need of resources, or otherwise need assistance during this difficult time, please don't hesitate to reach out by calling 872-208-5188 or visiting www.senatorram.com/contact-us.

Together, we can finish the job and put a stop to COVID-19. 

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay home. 

Villivalam outlines work with, seeks suggestions from community in response to COVID-19

CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) has worked closely with members of the communities he represents to support people in need during the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To date, his office has provided and participated in:

• Calls to more than 100,000 constituents to offer assistance and to answer questions,
• Regular newsletter updates, FAQs, and resource guides with the latest information,
• Wellness check calls made to 6,139 seniors, speaking with 855 of them to connect them to vital federal, state, and local services,
• Assisting on 122 COVID-19 related constituent cases, having resolved 64 of them,
• 59 food pantry/grocery deliveries,
• Creation of a GoFundMe that raised approximately $15,000 in support of local food pantries,
• Coordination of constituent services with other governmental offices and,
• Several online presentations and briefings with fellow local lawmakers and community leaders, including town halls on resources for small businesses, first responders, and schools. 

“People need the support of their elected officials more than ever during this unsettling time,” Villivalam said. “I encourage anyone in the 8^th District who needs help and/or has suggestions on how we can help to reach out to my office.” 

To contact Villivalam and his staff, call (872) 208-5188 or visit his website, www.senatorram.com, to send an email.

COVID-19 resources for April 8, 2020

I want to start by saying thank you to all those on the front lines. Thank you to all those who work in health care--nurses, doctors, physician assistants, first responders, home care workers, hospital cleaning teams, hospital maintenance and janitorial teams, and more--for taking care of our community members while risking your health and that of your loved ones.

Thank you to people working in essential services like grocery stores, pharmacies, transit, garbage collection, construction, maintenance, and more.

Thank you to social workers, therapists, and other social service workers who are giving all you have to care for the mental well being of our community members through these incredibly difficult times.

Thank you to all who are staying home. I know this is not easy for many of you. Many have been furloughed, laid off, or had to close a business. Many are working full time while caring for elderly or sick relatives or home schooling. For many, isolating is detrimental to your mental health. Staying home is difficult in so many ways. And still, you're staying at home to protect our most vulnerable residents and those on the front lines.

To you all--I'm committed to keeping you up to date on the latest resources and information from the State as well as other levels of government and our community organizations to make sure you all make it through this with all the resources and support possible. Below is the latest on a wide range of topics. Have a question that isn't answered in this email? Please respond or give us a call at 872-208-5188 and we'll make sure to get back to you with an answer. 

We're also going beyond resource lists and doing our best every day to make sure our constituents have basic needs met. Over the last two weeks, our volunteers, interns, and staff have made over 3,000 calls to seniors around the 8th District to see how they're doing and ask how we can be of help. In coordination with food pantries, including the Niles Township Food Pantry and ICNA Relief, our volunteers have delivered groceries to 35 seniors, and have at least 10 more deliveries lined up for this week. 

Click HERE to sign up for phone banking or grocery delivery.

Finally, a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of our volunteers. 

Read more …

5 ways to help during COVID-19

For those most vulnerable among us, times are incredibly tough. Our office hears every day from people who have lost their jobs in connection to COVID-19, people who need food brought to their home to avoid potentially life threatening exposure, people who are shutting down their businesses to protect the public health, and people who are putting their health on the line at work every day to care for others. 

Are you in need of assistance? Please reach out to my office at 872-208-5188 or www.senatorram.com/contact-us. Our staff can help with a wide range of needs from grocery delivery to navigating the application for unemployment benefits.  

Looking for ways to support others in our communities? Here are 5 ways you can help:

1.  Support our community food pantries

Food pantries in our community have seen an incredible uptick in need, some seeing 10x their usual number of clients over the last few weeks. 

They have dramatically increased their capacity to order, pack, and distribute food, toiletries, and more in mere days. All the while, implementing critical and difficult safety practices to protect clients and volunteers. 

Staff are working day and night to keep up with need. 

In order to help keep up with this need, I am working with State Senator Laura Fine, State Senator Heather Steans, State Representative John D'Amico, State Representative Kelly Cassidy, State Representative Mark "Yehiel" Kalish, State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Commissioner Larry Suffredin, Commissioner Bridgett Degnen, Commissioner Scott Brittton, Alderman Debra Silverstein, Alderman Samantha Nugent, Alderman Andre Vasquez, MWRD Commissioner Josina Morita, and Committeeman Lou Lang to raise funds for our community food pantries and we need your help.

We have donated and ask that if you're able you click here to join us in supporting this important cause.

Every donation counts, whether you have $15, $50, $100, $250, or $500 to spare. 

Read more …