PLAINFIELD – To increase college accessibility and affordability, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is excited to announce that college-bound students can apply to all Illinois public universities through Common App.

The governor’s office and Illinois Board of Higher Education worked with the Illinois General Assembly to utilize $1 million in funding to add all public schools and a dozen private universities to the Common App system.

“Streamlining the college application process will help us keep Illinois’ best and brightest in state,” Loughran Cappel said. “Expanding opportunities for our students will help encourage them to choose Illinois’ higher education facilities as the next step in their academic journey.”

PLAINFIELD –  State Senator Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is urging area residents, organizations and students to work together to write letters to veterans’ homes residents ahead of Veterans Day this year.

“Our heroes and their loved ones have sacrificed so much to protect our democratic values and freedoms,” Loughran Cappel said. “I urge folks to take a few minutes out of their day to drop a quick note in the mail to show appreciation to our veterans.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois first responders will now be honored on Oct. 28, thanks to the help of State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel.

Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) championed a measure that declares Oct. 28, 2021 First Responders Day in Illinois.

PLAINFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is thrilled to see small businesses across the 49^th District are set to receive nearly $400,000 to help them bounce back from the pandemic.

Seven businesses in the district will receive grants from the latest Back to Business program. The B2B program allocated $250 million in American Rescue Plan dollars for small businesses negatively affected by the pandemic. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $150,000 per business and can be used to cover a wide range of operations such as staff and overhead costs.

“Our local businesses are the cornerstone of our communities,” Loughran Cappel said. “These funds will help struggling business owners bounce back from this awful pandemic.”

Loughran Cappel urges residents to eat and shop at local businesses this holiday season.

“Shop, eat and think local this holiday season if you can,” Loughran Cappel said. “Not only are these great ways to support our local businesses – keep in mind the money remains in our community when you buy local.”

For a full list of businesses that have received Back to Business grants, visit the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awards page at illinois.gov/B2BAwards.

NAPERVILLE – Will County residents will have the opportunity to help save lives this weekend.

State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is teaming up with State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) to host a “Be the Match Registry Drive” on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Offices of Wheatland Township, located at 4232 Tower Ct. in Naperville.

Be the Match is a national organization that helps potential bone marrow donors enroll in a registry to help people in need of lifesaving transplants.  

“You never know the positive impact you can make on someone’s life,” Loughran Cappel said. “I urge residents to take time out of their Saturday to stop by and register to see if they can help someone who is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.”

For the safety of patients, the organization can only accept registrants between the ages of 18 and 40. The organization has facilitated more than 105,000 blood stem cell transplants, and 6,467 transplants last year.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, each year, approximately 18,000 people up to age 75 in the United States are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses where a bone marrow transplant from a related or unrelated matched donor is the best treatment option. More than 70% of patients who need a transplant do not have a fully-matched donor in their family.

Bone marrow transplants are used for patients with illnesses such as Hodgkin lymphoma, acute myelogenous leukemia, juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, severe aplastic anemia, sickle cell disease, Krabbe disease, Hurler syndrome and many others.

The registration process consists of a series of questions regarding medical history to see if interested participants meet basic qualifications. If they meet the basic qualifications, potential donors would be asked to swab their cheek to provide a sample of their DNA which would then be added to the registry for potential matching with a patient.

Loughran Cappel urges interested people who are unable to attend to consider ordering a swab kit by visiting https://my.bethematch.org/wheatlandcares. Residents with questions and concerns can also reach out to her office at (815) 267-6119 or visit www.SenatorLoughranCappel.com.

PLAINFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is inviting Romeoville residents to attend her October Coffee and Conversation event on Tuesday, Oct. 12.

“The best part of my job is listening to and receiving feedback from area residents,” Loughran Cappel said. “Our goal is to ensure we are constantly accessible and available to constituents throughout the 49^th District.”

PLAINFIELD – To celebrate and honor those who served our country, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood), State Representative Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) and Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant will partner with local stakeholders to host a veteran breakfast event ahead of the Veterans Day holiday.

“Those who put their lives on hold in service of something greater than themselves deserve our thanks and praise,” Loughran Cappel said. “This event serves as a small token of appreciation for our local heroes, helps them connect with others who have served, and gives them an opportunity to learn more about different government programs and services that are available to assist them.”

PLAINFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is urging residents to renew eligible professional licenses from the comfort of their own home.

Illinois residents can now renew certain professional licenses online. In addition, licensees’ renewal deadlines have been extended to Dec. 31, 2021.

“This is one small way that the State of Illinois is working to eliminate red tape and streamline the process to allow people to renew their professional licenses from the comfort of their own home,” Loughran Cappel said. “Please renew your licenses as soon as possible to avoid late fees and ensure you are up to date.”