State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38
Update

*

*2024 Events Review!**

It's hard to believe that
2024 is almost over! As we've done in previous years, we'll be
highlighting some of our favorite events from 2024 in the upcoming
issues of our newsletter. With 17 events hosted over the past 11
months, selecting just a few to feature is no easy task!

We're
kicking things off by showcasing two events that addressed legal
challenges our constituents could face: our Expungement and Clean
Slate Event and our two Hard-to-Read License Plate Events.

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*Expungement
of Records and Clean Slate Workshop in Highland Park*

In March, we
hosted an Expungement of Records and Clean Slate Workshop in Highland
Park with Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts. Presenters included
Magistrate Katherine Lovelace and Seth Barkley from the Allegheny
County Public Defender's Office.

Participants learned about the
complex process of expungement and clearing criminal records in a way
that was accessible for the public. Judge Lovelace's colorful
courtroom provided welcome inspiration in the face of this difficult
topic.

If you missed the workshop, you can watch the recording and
get access to other workshops at Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts -
YouTube [link 1]. You can also see additional workshop recordings and
get information at [link removed] [link 2].

If you have
questions about criminal record clearing, you can reach out to:

-
Allegheny County Bar Foundation Pro Bono Center, 412-402-6677

-
Neighborhood Legal Services, Pittsburgh, 412-255-6700

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*Hard-to-Read
License Plate Events*

Our office began hosting Hard-to-Read License
Plate Replacement Events to help drivers replace their peeling license
plates and avoid a $100 fine. This year, we co-hosted two events in
Ross Township where police officers verified that plates were
illegible and in need of replacement. Afterwards, our office processed
the forms and replacement plates were mailed directly to
constituents.

We would like to thank AAA East Central, Pittsburgh
Regional Transit Police, and the PA State Police for co-hosting our
April event, and Rep. Emily Kinkead and Rep. Lindsay Powell, Ross
Township Police Department, and Allegheny County Sheriff's Office for
co-hosting with us in October.

If you missed our events but still
need a replacement plate, feel free to stop by our office or call us
to request a form at your convenience!

Office Locations:

5000
McKnight Road Ste. 405

Pittsburgh, PA 15237

412-364-0469

1826
Union Ave.

Natrona Heights, PA 15065

724-224-2131

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*Good
News**

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*East
Liberty Health Care Center*

I had the chance to meet with Arsenial
Runion, the CEO of East Liberty Family Health Care Center, a Federally
Qualified Health Center (FQHC) here in District 38 and tour their
Lincoln-Lemington facility. We talked about the need for Pennsylvania
to fund our FQHCs in the annual budget. East Liberty Family Health
Care Center focuses its care on the underserved, uninsured, and
underinsured community, providing complete care, including behavioral
health, dental, medical, pediatrics, OB/GYN, and pharmaceutical care
to the communities they serve.

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*Veteran
$cam Jam in Springdale!*

We had an excellent turnout for the
Veteran $cam Jam we hosted in Springdale on November 14th!
Military retirees and Veterans are especially vulnerable to scams,
with reported fraud losses totaling $350 million in 2023. This event
drew both Veterans and the general public, all of whom gained valuable
insights into how to protect themselves from investment fraud and
everyday scams. Attendees also had a chance to win prizes with a few
rounds of "fraud bingo."

A big thank you to the PA Department of
Banking and Securities for co-hosting, as well as our speakers from
the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, Pittsburgh Regional
Transit Police, the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs,
and the PA Attorney General's Office. We also appreciated the
delicious hot lunch provided by Chef Rey Catering!

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*Brownie
Meeting*

Last month, I had the pleasure of joining the Hampton Girl
Scout Troop 40921 for one of their meetings. We discussed the role of
legislators, what they do, and the issues that matter most to
constituents. Afterward, the girls split into groups to brainstorm
issues important to them and chose "health" as the focus for their
next service project! These girls represent our future, and I couldn't
be more impressed with their thoughtfulness and determination to make
the world a better place!

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*Lite
Up Night in Shaler*

A little rain couldn't dampen our holiday
spirits last weekend as Shaler Township celebrated "Lite" Up Night! A
big thank you to everyone who made the evening so special, and to
Santa and Mrs. Claus for taking time out of your busy schedule to stop
by!

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*Etna
Senior Center Visit*

On Monday, I enjoyed a delicious lunch and
spent time with the wonderful people at Etna's Senior Center, located
in the First Congregational Church. We talked about the various
services our office provides, including free senior bus passes,
Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications, and disability placard
applications. It was great to assist with completing several bus pass
applications on the spot! We also reminded everyone to reach out to
our office in late January or early February to schedule a free tax
preparation appointment for AARP's 2025 Tax Aide program.

I am
grateful to have 19 senior centers in Senate District 38, four of
which are managed by the Northern Area Service Centers: Sharpsburg,
Tarentum, Etna, and Allison Park. At a time when loneliness is at an
all-time high, our senior centers play a vital role in building
community and supporting independence by offering free hot meals,
educational classes, exercise programs, and social
activities.

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*Legislative
Update**

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[link 3]

*Expanding Universal School Breakfast to Include No-Cost
Lunch*

This week, my colleague Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and I
announced that we will reintroduce our Universal School Meals
legislation [link 4]. This legislation is aimed at fighting child
hunger and helping our students succeed by expanding Pennsylvania's
current Universal Breakfast Program to include lunch.

Every day in
Pennsylvania, 1 in 8 kids goes hungry. In rural areas, as many as 1 in
5 kids experiences hunger. When students are hungry, they cannot
learn. The Universal School Meals program connects kids to healthy
foods every day so they can learn and succeed.

High prices at the
grocery store are hurting everyone, and our families are feeling the
pinch. Expanding Pennsylvania's Universal Breakfast Program to include
lunch for all students ensures that every student is fed and ready to
learn every day. It also reduces grocery bills for families, while
driving down grocery costs for everyone. This legislation is an
incredible win for every Pennsylvanian.

A Wharton School economist
study [link 5] found that expanding school meals lowers grocery
prices. Fewer meals being prepared at home means that fewer groceries
are being purchased. This lower demand leads to lower prices. The
study found that big chains saw grocery sales decrease by 10% in areas
where students receive no-cost meals, which was enough to cut prices
2.5% at store locations throughout the entire region, not just at
stores within the school district. Residents across Pennsylvania will
see the benefits of lower grocery prices as a result of Universal
School Meals.

States around the country have recognized the value
of investing in school meals. Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico,
California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont have all
stepped up to provide state funding to ensure healthy meals for all
their students, and many other states are working towards similar
legislation.

Pennsylvania has provided no-cost breakfast to all
students since October 2022, when Governor Wolf established the
program [link 6] after Senator Williams' urging [link 7], following
the end of federal waivers that provided universal free meals for
students during the pandemic.

According to statewide polling, eight
in 10 Pennsylvania voters support expanding no-cost school breakfast
to include lunch in K-12 [link 8]. Pennsylvanians of all ages in all
parts of the state understand the incredible benefits of connecting
kids to healthy foods.

Senator Williams joined the School Nutrition
Association of Pennsylvania (SNAPA) on Thursday for a Day of Action in
support of the legislation. You can join SNAPA's efforts by signing
the Universal School Meals petition here [link 9].

Read more about
the Universal School Meals Legislation here [link 10].

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*

*News
You Can Use**

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[link 11]

*Achieva Family Advocacy Meeting*

Achieva [link 12] is
hosting a Family Advocacy meeting this Friday, December 6th for
self-advocates and family members who are navigating the waiver
system. Come with questions and ideas about support services!
In-person and virtual options are available.

To attend, please
register here [link 13].

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[link 14]

*Property Tax Rent Rebate Deadline is December 31,
2024!*

Have you filed for your Property Tax/Rent Rebate yet? The
income limits and rebates were significantly increased this year, so
even if you weren't previously eligible, you may qualify now! The
deadline was extended to December 31, 2024 so there is still time.
More than half a million PA seniors have received their rebates--
don't miss out on yours!

Ways to file:

-
Online at
myPATH.pa.gov [link 15].

-
Make an appointment with our office to
file the application for you:

-
412-364-0469 (Ross)

-
724-224-2131 (Harrison)

-
[email protected].
Applications will not be accepted after December 31, 2024, so don't
wait!

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[link 16]

*December PHEAA Webinars*

Are you confused by higher
education financing? Set yourself up for success by joining one of the
upcoming December webinars hosted by the Pennsylvania Higher Education
Assistance Agency (PHEAA)! It's never too late to learn about the true
cost of higher education so you and your family can make informed
decisions.

For webinar details and to register go to Financial Aid
Webinars [link 17].

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[link 18]

*AARP Volunteers Needed for the 2024 Tax
Season!*

There is still time to become a volunteer for the
AARP
Foundation Tax-Aide program [link 19]!

Every year, our office
helps the AARP Tax Aide program by scheduling free tax preparation
appointments for seniors. And every year there is greater demand for
appointments than there are volunteers to prepare their taxes.

You
don't need specialized knowledge or prior experience to volunteer
because AARP provides excellent training for a variety of virtual or
in person roles. They draw volunteers from varied industries and the
age groups span from retirees to college students! You'll get training
and work with wonderful people throughout the tax season and gain
valuable skills as you help those in need.

Volunteers can be
trained for the following roles:

-
Client Facilitator

-
Tax
Counselor

-
Technology Coordinator

-
Leadership &
Administrative Volunteer

-
Communications Coordinator

-
Bilingual Interpreter

Learn more about volunteering online [link
20] or call 1-888-AARP-NOW (1-888-227-7669).

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[link 21]

*A Very Ruby Holiday Concert*

*East Liberty
Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Ave., Saturday, December 7, 2024,
7pm*

Get into the holiday spirit early at A Very Ruby Holiday, a
choir concert featuring the Renaissance City Choir and WVU Chamber
Singers. You will be treated to your favorite holiday standards along
with a sing-along to the 12 Days of Christmas! The concert is in the
beautiful and historic East Liberty Presbyterian Church and will be
followed by a cookie social.

*Special Buy One, Get One Ticket
Offer:*

To kick off the start of their 40th Anniversary and the
holiday season, the Renaissance City Choir has a BOGO ticket offer for
A Very Ruby Holiday concert! Use the code *HolidaySLAY24* when you buy
your tickets to receive the offer. Must buy 2 tickets for the offer to
be valid.

To purchase tickets and more information go to Tickets
for A Very Ruby Holiday in Pittsburgh from TicketLeap [link
22].

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[link 23] *

*Lawrenceville's Holiday Cookie Mall and Cookie Tour
Return!*

Lawrenceville United is hosting its *Cookie Mall on
December 14th from 1-4:30 PM* in partnership with the Boys & Girls
Club, Radiant Hall's Pop Up Market, and New Alliance Federal Credit
Union. Don't miss this opportunity to get your holiday spirit into
full gear with neighbors and friends!

Cookie Mall will include:
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Gift giveaways and pictures with Santa on the second floor from
1-4 PM

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Holiday activities with Open Up, Contemporary Craft,
Carnegie Public Library - Lawrenceville, Attack Theatre, KSWA
Wrestling, Tree Pittsburgh, and CISV from 1-4:30 PM

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Free food
and drinks for all guests from 1-4:30 PM

-
7 nonprofits
participating in this year's bake sale

-
Caroling from Aria412 in
front of Allegheny Cemetery at 4:30 PM

-
Tree lighting at
Allegheny Cemetery at 5 PM

Lawrenceville Corporation's *Cookie
Tour returns this holiday season too on December 14th-15th* from 12-5
PM all along Butler Street and surrounding blocks.

Lawrenceville
United is looking for volunteers to help Cookie Mall run smoothly. If
you are able to assist please sign up at Cookie Mall - Lawrenceville |
Pittsburgh Cares [link 24].

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[link 25]

*Donate to PajamaJam for the Holidays - Deadline December
15!*

Our next-door neighbors at Q92.9 FM are collecting pajamas for
the Foster Love Project! All you need to do is buy a new pair of PJ's
- sizes newborn through age 18, girls and boys - and bring them to one
of these convenient drop off locations:

-
Ross Park Mall - Near
the Santa area - 1000 Ross Park Mall Dr, Pittsburgh, PA

-
South
Hills Village - Upper level, near Von Maur - 301 S Hills Village,
Pittsburgh, PA

-
Grove City Premium Outlets - In the food court,
Carter's & The Children's Place - 1911 Leesburg Grove City Rd, Grove
City, PA

-
Drop off PJs at the Q's Studios, located at 5000
McKnight Road - 4th Floor, Pittsburgh PA 15237! We're open 9AM -
4:30PM, Monday through Friday

*Pajamas will be accepted at all
locations through the end of the day Sunday, December 15th.*

All
pajamas collected will be delivered to the Foster Love Project [link
26] which is dedicated to providing love in action to kids in foster
care and support to the families who care for them. Foster Love
Project offers a "Free Shopping Center" where twice a year foster and
kinship families are welcomed by appointment to bring their foster
children to come shop for clothing items, toiletries, bedding, baby
gear & more - free of charge.

Go to: Foster Love Project FLP
Shopping Center - Foster Love Project [link 27] for more information
and to make an appointment.

For more information on Pajamajam go
to: PAJAMAJAM on Q92.9 FM | All Hits | Pittsburgh's Q92.9 FM |
Pittsburgh, PA [link 28].

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[link 29]

*Get Your County Park Winter Season Passes!*

Looking
for outdoor winter fun without driving for hours? Stay close to home
with Winter Season Passes for the county ice rinks and for the Boyce
Park Ski Slopes!

Adult and senior ice rink season passes are
available and can be used at both North Park and South Park. Rates do
not include equipment rental. Lift tickets for children 5 and under
are free.

Buy your Season Passes online today: Season Passes -
Allegheny County, PA [link 30].

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As
always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have
by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 31] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
32] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 33]. 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:
[link removed]

Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928
Monday ? Friday 9-5

Harrison
Office
1826 Union Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone:
724-224-2131
Fax: 724-224-2145
Monday ? Thursday 9-5

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


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