If you are having trouble viewing this
message or would like to share it on a social network, you can view the message
online.
 | |||||||||||||
Constituent Stories
Constituent Wins - Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program Assistance The popular Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program (PTRR) keeps my constituent services staff very busy! We have helped over 400 constituents submit their applications to the Department of Revenue so far this year. This includes hosting several events at senior high rises across District 38 to help people get their rebates processed without needing to leave home. The new deadline for filing your 2024 PTRR is December 31, 2025. Rebates will start being issued on July 1, so if you haven’t filed your application yet, we’re happy to help! The PTRR program is funded by the PA Lottery and was created to help our most vulnerable neighbors. It expanded last year with higher rebate amounts and increased income limits that are now tied to inflation, so increases in Social Security won’t count against our seniors. To qualify for a PTRR, you must be:
This year, your household income must be less than $46,520 (only half of Social Security income counts towards determining household incoming). For the application you will need ID (first-time filers only), all of your 2024 income documents, and your county, local, and school property tax receipts (homeowners) or a completed rent certificate from your landlord. Rebates are a maximum of $1000 back on 2024 rent or taxes. Please make an appointment with my office to have your rebate application completed, answer your questions, or to help you get the documents you need. Everything will be submitted online for you.
At your appointment, my staff can check on your eligibility for programs like SNAP, Allegheny County Senior Citizen Tax Relief and Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion Programs, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, PACE/PACENET prescription discounts, and more! For complete information on the PTRR program go to: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/revenue/incentives-credits-and-programs/ptrr.html. Upcoming Events FREE Paper Shredding
Event Need to safely dispose of documents this summer? Join Rep. Lindsey Powell and me at our FREE paper shredding event on July 12th! You can get rid of clutter and protect your personal information at the same time! Each car will be limited to two file-size boxes. Drivers are asked to remain in their cars and open their trunk. Our office staff will unload documents from cars and the materials will be immediately shredded on-site. Bags and boxes will be returned to the car after they are emptied. All you have to do is drive through and we will handle the rest! To avoid traffic issues, we request that participants NOT arrive before the start of the event. The shredding truck will arrive at 9:00 am and cannot get to the lot if it has to navigate a line of traffic. FREE Paper Shredding
Event Can’t make the July 12th Shredding Event? Don’t worry. We’ll be at the Ross Township DPW for another free shredding event on Saturday, July 26th with Rep. Emily Kinkead! Look for more information coming soon. Good News Support Unionizing Nurses at Magee I was proud to stand with Nurses and Advanced Practitioners at Magee-Women’s Hospital as they announced their plans to formalize their union through SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania! These workers care for some of our region’s most vulnerable patients — from newborns in the NICU to people undergoing cancer treatment — and they’re standing up to demand the respect, staffing, and resources they need to provide their patients with the best care possible. Since Magee nurses filed for an election at the beginning of June, UPMC has responded by not only trying to remove hundreds of nurses from the union and preventing them from having an election — a voice — at all. Executives are wasting healthcare resources on a high-priced corporate law firm to create legal roadblocks – resources that they should be putting toward staffing and retention of nurses. New Addition to Contemporary Craft in Upper Lawrenceville On May 15th, I was honored to be a part of the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Timmons Studios at Contemporary Craft! I am thrilled about this exciting new chapter of artistry in Pittsburgh, and I can't wait to see what they do with this beautiful new space! Fire Operations 101! Thank you again to the Pittsburgh FireFighters for holding FireOps 101 this year. This experience is an eye-opening look into the hard work and danger that our first responders face every day. This was my second time going through the program, and I've learned so much about what our firefighters need to stay safe, healthy, and meet the demands of their work, and how the legislature can better support these community heroes. You can read more about Fire Ops and its impact on local elected officials here: Lawmakers suit up to learn about firefighting during Fire Ops 101 training in North Park. Opposing Federal Cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and WIC In Harrisburg, I stood with my colleagues against the Federal cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and WIC. Cutting these programs will hurt seniors, children, people with disabilities, and those who need medical assistance to stay in their homes. These cuts aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They represent real lives and real families. Medicare and Medicaid keep rural hospitals in business and provide the care that we all need. SNAP and WIC support our local farmers and ensure we all have the food we need. We will not stand by while all Pennsylvanians face such devastating losses. We will fight to protect our neighbors. Strawberry Festival in Cheswick! My staff and I had a fantastic time at Cheswick’s annual Strawberry Festival! It was great to return to Rachel Carson Park this year and share this beautiful space with everyone, especially after weeks of cold and rain. Rep. Mandy Steele and I had some great conversations with constituents, pet a lot of dogs, and of course enjoyed a bowl of delicious strawberry shortcake!
Legislative Update Senior Farmers Market Vouchers Every year, my office helps constituents with the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, an annual program that provides low-income seniors with vouchers to use at local farmers markets. This program is a lifeline for our seniors, providing them with access to fresh, nutritious Pennsylvania-grown fruits and vegetables every summer. It also helps our local farmers, who see the economic benefit of this program. Unfortunately, this year, counties across Pennsylvania are receiving significantly fewer checks than they have in previous years because the Federal government has only sent a portion of the funding that Congress appropriated for the program. These are federal dollars, authorized by Congress to be spent, that are being withheld instead of sent to the states to help our seniors and farmers. I joined my Senate Democratic Caucus colleagues in sending a letter to our Pennsylvania congressional delegation, asking them to please ensure that all of this funding is sent to the states. At a time when national conversations are focused on improving public health outcomes and strengthening local food systems, this move sends the wrong message. Cutting back on programs that help our most vulnerable populations access nutritious foods while supporting local farmers undermines both public health goals and economic sustainability. June 24, 2025 is Senior Farmers Market
Voucher Distribution Day! Originally set for June 10, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) has a new distribution date for vouchers: Tuesday, June 24, 2025. This program helps income-eligible older adults supplement their diets with locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables by providing five $5 vouchers ($25 total) for use at area farmers markets. To be eligible for vouchers you must be 60 or older, live in Allegheny County and meet the income limits below. Note that income is self-reported and should be your gross household income. 2025 household income limits:
On distribution day, vouchers will be distributed in person only on a first-come, first-served basis from 9am - 12pm at participating Senior Community Centers (see list above for Senate District 38 locations). Remember to bring proof of age and county residency. There will be an opportunity to join a waitlist once vouchers have been exhausted. Eligible seniors who are unable to travel to a senior center may designate a proxy - someone to pick up their vouchers. Proxy forms, program information, and a complete list of distribution centers can be found at: Vouchers can be used through November 30, 2025 on produce grown in Pennsylvania or purchased directly from a Pennsylvania farmer. Please note that you must spend the whole voucher at once, change can’t be given. To find a participating farmer’s market or farm stand:
Vouchers are meant to be a supplemental nutrition resource, not a means of assuring food security. If you know a senior experiencing food insecurity, please encourage them to call the SeniorLine at 412-350-5460 to get connected to more comprehensive resources, like home delivered meals or a local Senior Center. Contact our office at 412-364-0469 (Ross), 724-224-2131(Harrison), or [email protected] if you have any questions or want us to print and mail you a SFMNP proxy form.
News You Can Use Cooling Centers Open in Senate District 38 This weekend was the first weekend of summer, and unfortunately we all had to prepare quickly for extreme heat. Allegheny County Government activated Code Red status and opened cooling centers for residents. Please check on neighbors, friends, and family — especially those who are older or medically vulnerable — and to help spread the word about available cooling resources. FREE Meals for Kids This Summer Kid’s Summer Meal Site Finder Looking for a free summer meals program near you this summer? Type in your zip code on the USDA SUN Meals for Kids Site at https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunmeals to find USDA approved locations that serve meals and snacks to kids 18 and younger at no cost. The site finder shows directions, hours of operation and contact information for every site in the United States! Locations in Senate District 38 include:
Citiparks Free Kids Summer Food
Service Program The City of Pittsburgh’s 2025 Summer Food Service Program started this week and will run through August 15. Lunch and/or snacks will be served to kids 18 and younger at no cost at Pittsburgh eight city parks and scores of partner locations throughout the city. Locations in Senate District 38 include:
For information on the program go to : https://www.pittsburghpa.gov/Resident-Services/Food-Programs/Summer-Food-Program. For the full list of sites go to: https://www.pittsburghpa.gov/files/assets/city/v/1/parks/documents/2025-food-programs/citiparks-sf-sites-2025.pdf . PHEAA June Webinar: Covering the Financial Gap for Higher Education Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is hosting an upcoming webinar on covering the costs of college after scholarships. Deep Dive into Covering the Gap: Thursday, June 26, 6:30 -7:30 PM It's crunch time. The semester bill I received from the school has a tight deadline. The format of the bill looks different from the aid offer I received a while back. Are there any costs I need to plan for that aren't showing on the bill? What happened to the federal work-study award? Will I need to borrow? If so, how much? What loan programs are available? Join this 1-hour webinar where these questions and many others will be answered. Let's take a deep dive into covering the gap! Learn more and register here: https://www.pheaa.org/tools-resources/financial-aid-webinars. Our 9 County Parks Have a Positive Economic Impact! The first ever economic impact study was recently completed on the nine Allegheny County Parks. It confirmed what we all know– our parks keep our environment and our economy healthy! According to the study conducted by 4Ward Planning, vibrant and well-maintained parks contribute to higher property values, increase municipal finances with tourism and recreation revenue, and create jobs. Your county parks are visited by over 23 million people every year! Four of the nine Allegheny County Parks are in Senate District 38, and we hear from constituents all of the time about how important they are. Whether it is appreciation for the fields and courts for games, free summer outdoor concerts, a walk or run on a paved pedestrian trail, or a challenging hike along a segment of the Rachel Carson Trail, people know our parks are top notch and take full advantage of their offerings. Maintaining and providing for their funding should always be a priority for our region. You can read more about the study and your nine county parks at: Allegheny County Parks create economic spillover in nearby municipalities | TribLIVE.com. More information on the parks and events is at: https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Parks-and-Events. The Kingsley Association Sneaker
Ball! Don’t miss the Kingsley Association’s 2nd Annual Sneaker Ball! It is more than just a night of “high-sneaker-fashion,” music, and celebration—showing your support for Kingsley makes a powerful statement on community investment, resilience, and opportunity. This event brings together individuals, businesses, and community leaders and blends elegance with energy, stylish formalwear with fresh kicks, and symbolizes the fusion of tradition and progress! To buy your ticket and for complete information go to: https://www.zeffy.com/en-us/ticketing/2025-sneaker-ball-gala. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have by phone at 412-364-0469 (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 (Harrison Office) or by email at [email protected]. My staff will return your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday). |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
