DOLTON — The Village of Phoenix was awarded a total of $360,000 to help area homeowners with repairs, State Senator Napoleon Harris, III announced Friday.

“Sometimes families have to postpone repairs on their homes to pay for food and medicine, and the home’s value goes down due to the condition,” Harris said. “These living situations are often not a matter of choice, that no family should bear, with or without a crisis.”

The Illinois Housing Development Authority Board of Directors awarded the Village of Phoenix to help low- and very low-income homeowners with necessary home repairs. The group awarded $11,000,000 statewide through the state’s Single-Family Rehabilitation Program. The lump-sum is projected to help at least 326 families. 

DOLTON – To address the health disparities in minority neighborhoods, State Senator Napoleon Harris, III (D-Havery) is announcing more COVID-19 testing sites on the Southside and Westside of Chicago. 

 “This pandemic has really shown the reality of the health gaps for underprivileged communities,” Harris said. “Health care needs to be equal for all racial backgrounds, which is why Gov. Pritzker’s expansion of testing to the southside and in other African-American communities across the state is so important.” 

DOLTON – State Senator Napoleon Harris, III (D-Harvey) announced Tuesday that eligible SNAP recipients will receive additional benefits beginning this week. 

“SNAP provides families with basic meals daily,” Harris said. “This additional benefit that hundreds of thousands of families will receive will ensure they have meals on their table throughout this crisis.”

More than 450,000 Illinois residents will receive additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The increased amount will automatically load onto their link cards. Link card holders do not need to call or visit an office. All new applications authorized in April will also receive the maximum allotment for their household size.

SPRINGFIELD – To encourage diversity in the transportation industry, State Senator Napoleon Harris III (D-Harvey) is sponsoring legislation that urges the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to submit procurement goals for female-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned and small business enterprises.

“No industry is excluded from diversification,” Harris said. “These contracts can give a big boost to small and minority-owned businesses. When we ask railroad companies to set goals for diversity and inclusion, we are pushing them to help make that progress happen.”

Currently, the Railroad Supplier Diversity Act allows each Class I railroad company to submit an annual report containing procurement goals and actual spending for female-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned and small business enterprises to the Illinois Commerce commission.