Dear Neighbor, I hope you are well. Today, I have information on my office hours next week as we approach the holiday season, a thank you to everyone who participated in my Winter Collection Drive, grant news, and important application deadlines.

As always, I hope you find the information below informative and useful.

Office Hours Next Week

I want to share my upcoming office hours as we approach the holidays. Here are the following dates my office will be closed:

Tuesday, Dec. 24 through Wednesday, Jan. 1

If you need state-related assistance during this time, please leave a message at (484) 200-8263 or email [email protected] and a staff member will get back to you. We will re-open on Thursday, January 2 at 9:30 a.m.

Winter Collection Drive Thank You

To everyone who donated to our Winter Collection Drive, thank you so much for your generosity! When we come together for an important cause like this, we help those who need it most in our community. We donated canned food items, winter clothing items, paper products, personal hygiene items, supplies, and more. St. James Outreach House and Daily Bread Community Food Pantry successfully received our donations with more to come! Special thanks to West Norriton Township, Upper Providence Township, Lower Providence Township, Collegeville Borough, and Trappe Borough for hosting drop-off locations.

Breakfast with Frosty & Santa

I couldn’t miss the Arc Alliance’s annual Breakfast with Frosty & Santa! It was an honor to attend again this year and great to see all the wonderful people with the Arc and those who make their mission possible.

Alternate Fuel Incentive Grant Awarded

I’m happy to share that Norristown Area School District was recently awarded $10,000 for the purchase of two propane school buses under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant program from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The AFIG program was established to provide funding to help school districts, municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania replace older gasoline or diesel-fueled vehicles with electric, renewable natural gas, compressed natural gas, ethanol, biodiesel, or propane gas fueled vehicles. It’s always great to have funds like this make their way into our communities to help improve the environment and quality of life in Pennsylvania.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Deadline

Reminder! The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program application deadline is Tuesday, Dec. 31! This program provides a rebate ranging from $380 to $1,000 to eligible older adults and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

If you need assistance filling out the application, please call my office at 484-200-8263 to schedule an appointment or visit this website for more information: https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/revenue/incentives-credits-and-programs/ptrr.html.

Pennie Enrollment

Open enrollment for Pennie is occurring now through January 15! Make sure you apply before it’s too late. Pennie is Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace that allows you to browse affordable health plans while receiving the lowest costs. Visit www.pennie.com for more information or call my office at 484-200-8263 to learn more.

Virtual Sessions for Family Leadership Institute

The PEAL Center is offering virtual sessions for the Family Leadership Institute each Wednesday starting Jan. 15 through Feb. 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

These multi-session virtual meetings serve as training to help families and caregivers of children and young people with disabilities and special healthcare needs enhance their knowledge, advocacy, and leadership skills. Participation recorded by application, which must be submitted by Jan. 6. If you are selected, you will be notified by Jan. 10.

You can learn more and apply here: www.tfaforms.com/5145199.

LIHEAP Application Reminder

I want to share a reminder that the 2024-25 LIHEAP application session is currently open through April 4, 2025. If you need help heating your home this winter, please visit the website below to learn more about the program and apply!

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Perky Nominated for 2025 River of the Year!

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced that online voting is now open to name Pennsylvania’s 2025 River of the Year, and our beautiful Perkiomen Creek is one of the three nominees! Voting is open now through 5 p.m. on Jan. 24, 2025.

Cast your vote here: https://pawatersheds.org/vote-for-a-2025-river-of-the-year/.

Upcoming Observances

Hey, neighbors! My staff and I would like to wish you a safe and happy holiday season! May your gatherings be filled with joy and happiness as we each celebrate and prepare for the turn of the new year.

Christmas: Dec. 25

Hanukkah: Sundown Dec. 25 – Sundown Jan. 2