Giving Thanks for 2024 and Getting Excited about 2025
reflecting on 2024!
Rep. Joanna E. McClinton January 1, 2025
I love the winter holidays for many reasons.
I love spending quality time with my family and friends, and cooking (and eating!) great holiday food.
I especially love hosting and participating in community events where I can spread cheer and resources with my neighbors – from books for kids at my Fall Festival to turkeys for families at Thanksgiving to healthy lifestyle tips for my wisest neighbors at my Celebrate Seniors event in December.
I even got to spread some Christmas joy alongside the Philly Specials - Eagles’ stars Jason Kelce, Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson - and Gov. Josh Shapiro by delivering gifts to Philadelphia’s 200,000 public school students.
The holidays give me an opportunity to connect with so many people in our community. And I am grateful for that.
I also like to take some time around the holidays to reflect on the year that is ending before I prepare for the year that is about to start.
So first, reflecting on 2024:
This year my district office helped nearly 3,000 people in our community by providing almost 4,000 services including distributing SEPTA bus passes to seniors, resolving unemployment issues, and facilitating PennDOT services.
I also hosted more than a dozen events throughout the year to gather the community and help neighbors access resources and help with state programs. From my job fair in June to Back-to-School in September to a Veterans luncheon in November. I thank everyone who attended these events and made them a huge success.
Helping you access state services is one of my favorite parts of my job.
Now in 2025, I am excited to continue to offer you services in the community, and to return to Harrisburg for a new legislative session. I will be advocating for you and for policies that help our community every day.
I am hopeful that my colleagues and I can build on the success from the last legislative session where we secured millions of new dollars for our schools, helped improve health care for pregnant women in the MOMNIBUS bill package, and dedicated funding for law enforcement including $5 million to enhance the Philadelphia Crime Lab.
We’ll continue to pass bills to help local families cut costs and save money, to protect access to health care, and strengthen public safety.
I know with so much news happening close to home, and each of us with our own busy schedules, it is easy to lose track of the policy debates in Harrisburg. But believe it or not, many decisions made at the state Capitol affect quality of life right here in West Philly.
I want to help make Harrisburg accessible to all of my neighbors, so you can be informed on the policies being debated and the laws being passed.
You can read the West Philly Journal every month for the latest news from the Capitol. Or for more frequent updates sent straight to your inbox, you can sign up for my weekly email newsletter on my website (www.RepMcClinton.com), where I provide legislative updates, info about state programs and details about many events in the community.
And you can always stop by my office at 149 South 60th St. for help with any state program, like the Property Tax Rent Rebate Program or the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. We’re always here to help!
Happy New Year!