Dear Neighbor & Estimado Vecino,

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For Spanish readers, please read the full Spanish-language version of this email here.

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I hope you are well. I would like to share important information about my ongoing work. As always, please feel free to reach out to my office for help with any state-related issues. To stay informed,?visit my official page. You can also check your?preferences?to make sure you're signed up for?my emails.?

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Para los lectores en?español, lea una versión completa de este boletín electrónico?en su idioma?aquí.?  

Espero que estén bien. Me gustaría compartir información importante sobre mi trabajo en curso. Y no olvides?visitar mi página oficial?para mantenerte informado.?También puede verificar sus?preferencias?para asegurarse de que está registrado para recibir mis correos electrónicos.   

This week, as chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus, I joined my colleagues in leadership to condemn the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement that have seen two peaceful protesters killed.

We are urging the General Assembly to pass legislation to protect immigrant communities, for our U.S. senators to vote no on the Department of Homeland Security funding bill, and for Governor Josh Shapiro to use the full scope of his authority to protect immigrant communities, including ending collaboration with ICE and prohibiting the sharing of sensitive personal data with federal immigration authorities. You can read our full statement here.

Almost three years ago, our district faced a significant tragedy as an explosion took place at the R.M. Palmer Chocolate Factory in West Reading. That day, ten individuals were injured and seven others lost their lives. We continue to mourn the space their loss has left behind in our community, and their families deserve more than just words of solace - they deserve action to ensure this never happens again.

That's why I am proud to share that two bills I introduced, HB 1525 and HB 1526, have passed the House with bipartisan support. These bills would enact natural gas safety recommendations that could have prevented this tragedy if they had been in place beforehand and will prevent natural gas disasters like this across the Commonwealth.

These two bills will now move to the Senate for consideration. You can watch my remarks on these bills in the video below.

The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus is now accepting applications for its annual James R. Roebuck Scholarship. Applicants are required to be a resident of Pennsylvania, a person of color, and a graduating high school senior or current undergraduate student.

Applications are due on Friday, Feb. 20, and can be turned in here.

The PA House Fellowship Program is accepting applications from eligible Pennsylvania college students for the Summer 2026 semester. Fellows work in committees or leadership offices at the state Capitol.

The program provides compensation and may also offer college credit. Eligible applicants include college juniors, seniors, graduate students, or law students with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Applications are due by March 2. Visit here to learn more.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is now accepting applications! This program provides cash and crisis grants to help families cover their heating bills as we head into winter. Grant amounts range from $200 to $1,000, depending on your income, household size, and fuel type.

You can apply here or contact my office for assistance.

Applications for Property Tax/Rent Rebates are now open! This gives money back to PA renters and homeowners for costs from 2025 - including seniors, widows and widowers, and those with disabilities.

You can learn more here and contact my office for support with your application. Applications are due by June 30.

Many Pennsylvanians have unclaimed property - money from dormant bank accounts, insurance payments, uncashed checks - and you may be one of them!

My office can help you receive this unclaimed property. Contact us or go to PATreasury.gov/unclaimed-property to see if there is anything available in your name.

As the owner of a small business, I am always excited to welcome new entrepreneurs to our community. Over the weekend, we saw Ginger Jar Gift Boutique in West Reading, owned by Rachel Kuhn, hold its ribbon-cutting for its opening.

Congratulations to Rachel and the Ginger Jar team! I look forward to seeing the work you do for our community, and I will continue to ensure that our local businesses get the support they need.

Did you know there are programs available to help reduce your property taxes or provide a rebate on rent or property taxes you’ve already paid?

The “PA Homestead Exclusion Program” helps homeowners save on property taxes by reducing the assessed value of their primary residence before school taxes are calculated. The “PA Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program” offers rebates to eligible older adults and individuals with disabilities.

My staff will hold a FREE event on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Reading Public Library (100 S. Fifth Street) to help you learn more about these programs and process your applications.

Black communities continue to face persistent health disparities rooted in systemic inequities. This Black Health Matters Community Conversation will bring neighbors together to discuss real solutions to improve Black health outcomes in our district and across Pennsylvania.

There will be a Code Blue Giveaway with several resources available for the homeless community on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 200 Schuylkill Ave., Reading.

If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please reach out to my office to find out where you can find help. You can also click here to go to Helping Harvest's website, which has a map of over 350 charitable food program partners in our area.

Helping Harvest will also be collecting non-perishable food items throughout the year at their programs and events. You can learn more about those and how to ensure our neighbors are fed here.

RIZE Youth Arts will be hosting a free youth dance program on Wednesdays at GoggleWorks (201 Washington St., Reading). Latin dance lessons begin at 5 p.m., and hip hop dance lessons begin at 6 p.m. Registration can be found here.

Reading Hospital, along with the Junior League of Reading and Berks Teens, will be hosting Let's Talk, Period - a judgement free, stigma-breaking event that brings medical professionals together to ensure that girls can have honest, down-to-earth discussions about puberty and periods.

The event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences Sullivan Auditorium (1025 Old Wyomissing Road). They will also be collecting new and gently used bras to distribute to local agencies.

Space is limited - register here or by emailing communitywellness@towerhealth.org.

Routine mammograms are important to find the first signs of breast cancer. Tower Health has started their Mobile Mammography stops for 2026, with stops across our community. You can find what locations they will be at on which days here.

As always, my team and I are here to help you navigate state programs and services. Please reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas. If you can't make it into my district office, you can visit one of my satellite offices! Find my office information below:

Centro Hispano Casa Senior Center

25 N. 2nd St., Reading, PA, 19601

every Thursday from 9 a.m. to Noon

Spring Township Municipal Building

2850 Windmill Road, Sinking Spring, PA, 19608

1st and 3rd Friday from 9 a.m. to Noon

We also host DAV Services (Disabled American Veterans) in my office

1111 Penn Ave., Wyomissing, PA 19610

Every other Monday from 9 a.m. to Noon

Pennsylvania State Capitol

104-A East Wing Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 772-1858

District Office

1111 Penn Ave.
Wyomissing, PA 19610

(484) 577-2756

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