State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38
Update

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*Upcoming Events**
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[link 1]*

*Small Business Resource Fair!*

*The Union Project,
Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 10 AM - 12 PM*

We are hosting our second
Small Business Fair next week on Tuesday, August 15 at The Union
Project [link 2] from 10 am - 12 pm! This event is for both new and
established small business owners who want more information on
opportunities to grow and succeed. Information on everything from
marketing to financing will be provided by our region's best small
business resource organizations.

For more information, including
an updated list of vendors, or to register, please visit
SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/SmallBusinessFair2023 [link 3]. If you
would like to be a vendor at this year's event, please email
[email protected] [link 4].

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*Summer
Celebration in East Deer*

*East Deer Memorial Field, Saturday,
August 19, 2023, 12 PM - 8 PM*

East Deer Township [link 5]'s Summer
Celebration is next Saturday, August 19! You'll be treated to live
music, activities for the kids, auctions, food, and games. We'll be
there to celebrate the community and encourage you to come by our tent
with your questions for Senator Williams or her staff.

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*Nature Walk with Senator Williams*

*Beechwood Farms
Nature Reserve, Wednesday, September 6, 2023, 9 AM - 10 AM*

Join
Senator Williams next month for a morning 'Birds and More Nature Walk'
with the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania [link 7] at their
Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve [link 8]. The short walk is free and
you can share issues that matter to you as we learn about the flora
and fauna on the Reserve.

Register for this event at Audubon
Society of Western PA (aswp.org) [link 9] or call us at 412-364-0469
(Ross) or 724-224-2131 (Harrison). We hope to see you there!

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*Good
News**

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*A
Visit to Fisher House*

Last Wednesday I had a chance to tour the
Pittsburgh Fisher House in Oakland to learn more about the work they
do providing free, home-like lodging in a stress-free setting to
guests of Veterans and active-duty military patients receiving
treatment in VA medical centers.

Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher
House is planning to build a 16-suite Fisher House on the VA H. John
Heinz III Campus in O'Hara Township beginning in 2024. You can read
more about those plans at VA receives grant for construction of Fisher
House at VA's Heinz campus in O'Hara Township | TribLIVE.com [link
10].

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*Energy-Efficiency
Programs in Our Region *

I joined Congresswoman Summer Lee [link
11], Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger [link 12],
ACTION-Housing [link 13], and local climate and housing activists for
a press conference last week to talk about how federal funding is
helping the region's low-to-moderate-income homeowners improve the
energy efficiency of their homes and lower their utility bills. These
federal investments are paired with state investments to support
initiatives like clean energy rebates, support for updating appliance
energy efficiency standards like my Senate Bill 755 [link 14], and the
Whole-Home Repairs [link 15] program.

You can watch the full press
conference on Facebook [link 16].

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*Bayer
Tours in O'Hara and Indianola*

Last Thursday I was able to visit
Bayer [link 17] facilities in my district in O'Hara and Indianola. If
you've had an MRI or CT scan, more than likely a component of that
imaging was created here. Thanks to Bayer for hosting me and answering
all of my questions.

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*PFT
Luncheon*

I had a great lunch and discussion last Friday with the
Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT) [link 18]. We had a chance to
hear about the exciting new opportunities for students for the
upcoming school year and talk to teachers about what supports they and
their students need from us in Harrisburg.

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*Etna
Community Day*

We had a great time at Borough of Etna [link 19]'s
Community Day on Saturday and look forward to more community
celebrations this month!

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*Legislation**

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*Universal
School Breakfast is Here to Stay!*

With Governor Josh Shapiro
signing HB 611 [link 20], this year's General Appropriations bill,
into law, Universal School Breakfasts are here to stay!

Students
will be heading back to school in the next few weeks and knowing that
they will be able to start every day ready to learn with a healthy
breakfast is a huge relief for families and schools. School meals are
just as essential to learning as textbooks and pencils- students can't
learn when they're hungry.

We're celebrating this huge win with
our legislative partners Senator Judy Schwank and Representative Emily
Kinkead, as well as the numerous advocates who joined the fight to
ensure a healthy start to the school day for our students:

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School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania -SNAPA [link 21]

-
Pennsylvania Debt Collective [link 22]

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Just Harvest [link
23]

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The Food Trust [link 24]

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Greater Pittsburgh
Community Food Bank [link 25]

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Allies for Children [link
26]

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Community Action Association of Pennsylvania [link 27]

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American Heart Association - Pennsylvania [link 28]

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PA
Association of School Administrators

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and many more!!!

We're
looking forward to the next steps of codifying this cornerstone of
food security for students, expanding the program to ensure that every
student has access to two healthy meals, and eliminating school meal
debt. If you'd like to join this fight, you can add your name here
[link 29].

Breakfast program impacts student health, participation
in school, leaders say | TribLIVE.com [link 30]

Sen. Lindsey
Williams, Sen. Judy Schwank Celebrate Extension of Universal School
Breakfast Program for 2023-24 School Year (senatorlindseywilliams.com)
[link 31]

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*Property
Tax/Rent Rebate Program Expanded!*

Last week Governor Josh Shapiro
signed HB 1100 [link 32], expanding the Property Tax/Rent Rebate
(PTRR) Program [link 33] to nearly 175,000 more Pennsylvania seniors
and increasing rebates for many of the 400,000 Pennsylvanians who
already qualify. In Allegheny County alone, there will be an
additional 16,500 people who will qualify under the new law!

This
is the first time the PTRR program has been expanded in 17 years. The
new law:

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Increases the income cap *from $35,000 to $45,000* for
homeowners;

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Increases the income cap *from $15,000 to $45,000*
for renters;

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Automatically increases the income cap to *grow
with inflation*, beginning in claim year 2024;

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Increases the
maximum rebate from *$650 to $1,000.*

These changes go into effect
for 2023 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) applications which will be
available starting January 2024.

There is still time to complete a
2022 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) application [link 34], which has
a deadline of December 31, 2023. If you need help or have questions
call our offices at 412-364-0469 (Ross) or 724-224-2131 (Harrison) or
email us at [email protected].

Senator Lindsey
Williams Celebrates Expansion of Property Tax Relief for Seniors [link
35]

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*Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grants Open!*

Since
2019, urban agriculture in Pennsylvania has grown and expanded thanks
to funding from the Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program
[link 37]. This reimbursement grant program has funded 113 projects,
including one in the Borough of Etna in 2021. The grants are an
important tool to expand fresh food access to neighborhoods, many of
which are food deserts and only served by a single convenience store.
For the 2023-2024 cycle, thanks to a partnership with GIANT Company
[link 38], $700,000 in grants are available to grow opportunities
across the Commonwealth! Eligible projects must include improvements
to urban agricultural infrastructure. They may also include
improvements to programs that promote sharing of resources between
urban agricultural entities that build a neighborhood's access to
fresh, local food.

Applicants can be individuals, businesses,
community or agricultural organizations located in urban communities
[link 39]. Grants are either individual "micro grants" for one-time or
single entity applicants or "collaboration grants" for partnership or
regional projects.

*The application deadline for the Urban
Agriculture Infrastructure Grants Program is 5:00 PM on September 1,
2023.* Grant applications must be submitted online through the PA
Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Single
Application [link 40]. To start an application, click here [link
41].

Full grant guidelines are in the July 15 edition of the PA
Bulletin [link 42] and at agriculture.pa.gov [link 43].

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*Virtual
Retirement Planning Program*

*Monday August 21, 2023, 1 PM - 2
PM*

The PA Banking and Securities Department [link 44] is hosting
"STaRT" (Start Today and Retire Tomorrow), a virtual program to help
you reach your retirement goals. Mark your calendars for Monday,
August 21 from 1pm-2pm.

For additional information contact Mary
LaRochelle at [email protected] [link 45] or
717-509-5613.

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[link 46]

*Young Ambassadors Program*

Applications are now open
for Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful [link 47] and Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation (PennDOT) [link 48]'s Young Ambassadors Program
[link 49]! This eight month program is open to students grades 10 - 12
and builds young peoples' leadership and community stewardship skills.
Students select a project that fits the program goal to keep
Pennsylvania clean and beautiful and learn what it takes to see the
project through to successful completion. *Application period closes
September 14, 2023.*

Learn more and apply at Young Ambassadors of
Pennsylvania - Keep PA Beautiful [link 50].

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*PennDOT
Open House and Hiring Event*

*PennDOT, 51 Fox Chapel Road, O'Hara
Twp, Thursday, August 17, 2023, 12 PM - 6 PM*

Mark your calendars
for August 17 at noon if you're interested in exploring a career at
PennDOT [link 51]! There may be on-the-spot interviews, so make sure
you bring a valid ID and an up-to-date resume. You can look at the job
openings available online at www.employment.pa.gov. [link
52]

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[link 53]

*East Liberty No-Cost Farmers Market*

*Highmark
Wholecare Connection Center, 6033 Broad Street, Friday and Saturday,
August 11 & 12, 2023, 10 AM - 2 PM*

The next Highmark Wholecare
[link 54] Farmer's Market is this Friday and Saturday! These no-cost
farmers market events are held throughout the summer and fall in order
to address food insecurity and offer healthcare assistance in the East
Liberty neighborhood. Stop by to pick up some free fresh produce. If
you need help with your insurance plan or have questions about your
care, you can meet with a Highmark Medicaid Member Service and Care
Management team member.

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[link 55]

*Larimer Tree Care Event*

*Liberty Green Park, 100
Larimer Ave, Pittsburgh, Tuesday, August 15, 5:00 PM - 7:00
PM.*

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy [link 56], Negley Run Watershed
Task Force [link 57], and Tree Pittsburgh [link 58] are hosting a Tree
Care event in Liberty Green Park next Tuesday! Help care for the young
trees in the park and enjoy a free dinner provided by the
sponsors.

You can register for the event here [link 59].

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[link 60]

*Shaler Township Community Yard Sale*

*Kiwanis Park,
Saturday, September 9, 2023, 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM*

Mark your calendars
for Shaler Township's Community Yard Sale [link 61] in September!
Register [link 62] by September 6th to reserve a table or just come by
to shop!

As always, please feel free to reach out with any
questions you may have by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 63] (Ross
Office), 724-224-2131 [link 64] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 65]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams

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mailto:[email protected]

Contact
Information:

Website:
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Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928

Harrison Office
1826 Union
Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone: 724-224-2131
Fax:
724-224-2145

Harrisburg Office
366 Capitol Building
Senate Box
203038
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3038
Phone: 717-787-6538
Fax:
717-787-8625

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