“Look What’s Happening this Week in the Northwest Suburbs” Week of December 28, 2014 – January 3, 2015

           
Look What’s Happening this Week in the 
Northwest Suburbs”
Week of December 28th – January 3rd

January Events & Issue Information

Get Covered America and Northwest Suburban OFA
Affordable Care Act Phone Bank
December 4th Enroll America ACA Update Event

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January  6th 

 

@ Panera Bread 

(Arlington Heights, IL)

5 W Rand Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 60004

6:00 pm through 9:00 pm

Join local volunteers at a phone bank to help build support for the Affordable Care Act in your community. Hosted by Get Covered America and Northwest Suburban OFA.
Join NWSOFA and Get Covered America while they partner together to reach out to their community to help Americans get connected to affordable healthcare options in their area.

Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action Gun Violence Prevention 
Month Planning Meeting
GVP Team and the Chapter Team Meet-UP
December Meeting Planning Group
January 15th
Uno Pizzeria & Grill (Schaumburg, IL)
1160 Plaza Dr.
Schaumburg, IL 60173
6:30-7:00pm
 
Followed Immediately by the 
 
NWSOFA Meet UP January Meeting
If you are interested in honoring all victims of gun violence through your individual and collective actions with fellow citizens to make our communities safe, then please plan to attend our monthly Gun Violence Prevention Issues Group Planning Meeting on the 3rd Thursday of each month .
Learn how you can get involved in changing the conversation surrounding gun violence prevention efforts, changing the hearts of fellow citizens and changing the laws to create safer communities everywhere in the U.S.

NWSOFA January Team Meet Up
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“Good Things Happen People Get Involved”
Thursday, January 15, 2015
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
NWSOFA Chapter Re-Engagement 
Uno Pizzeria & Grill (Schaumburg, IL)
1160 Plaza Drive
Schaumburg, IL 60173

Private room at Uno’s corner of Golf and Meachum

Join us for a fun evening of pizza and sharing with old friends and welcoming new ones.
It will be a time to share the highlights of 2014 and see where we’re going in 2015.
Our issues are the glue that binds us. So it’s always inspirational to work with like minded folks who are making a difference.
Our issue teams are gearing up so come and add your ideas and talents to move these forward, ACA/ Healthcare, Gun Violence Prevention, Climate Change, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Fiscal and Economic Issues and Stand with Women.

Coming in January 
State of the Union Watch 
Time and place … To be announced 
Assuming January 20th.. Stay Tuned

December Event Reports

The Fiscal and Economic Issues
Discussion Group Monthly Meeting Was Held 
December 22nd @ Schaumburg Library
Just Released Jobs Numbers 11 million new jobs created since President Obama took Office
Discussion Group looking at the  US and Illinois Jobs, GDP & Debt

 

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US Budget Negotiations, Jobs Report, Deficit and GDP Discussion

 

The Fiscal and Economic team meeting at the Schaumburg Library had some new faces and folks returning from the 2014 “political” wars.

 

Karl presented the newest data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor) Statistics and we did at least 15 deep dives into areas of interest /or questions from the attendees. These meeting are the BEST! Thank you Karl and Helen for providing this powerful monthly meeting into the Jobs, GDP, Deficit and Debt & all things that drive these key indicators.

 

The two hour meeting stretched into almost three as we spent a lot of time comparing the Illinois economy to other states .. both neighboring and the larger populations states. Although not perfect.. and still a long way to go.. Illinois has really been improving and no longer sits at the bottom of recovering states from the 2008 great recession but at # 35 and rising.

Some of the US economic highlights:

  • Jobs Recovery 321,000 jobs added in November;
  • 2.7 million in last 12 months September and October employment revised up by 40,000 jobs
  • Unemployment rate: nationally at 5.8% in October, down 1.3% in the past year and continues to trend down from its high 11%.
  • GDP growth: 3.8% Revised in the 3rd quarter and 4.6% in 2nd quarter, up from minus 2.1% in 1st quarter. It appears that the negative 1st quarter result was just an anomaly, primarily due to the harsh winter in much of the country.
  • Budget Deficits – Historical and Projected
  • Just announced the GDP 3rd Quarter was revised up to 5.0%

NWSOFA “Get Covered America and Enroll America Event”
Was held on December 4th @ the Indian Trails Library
 

Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) hosted a free public forum on the Affordable Care Act and Open Enrollment 

   

Wheeling IL – The message is clear…..The health insurance marketplace is open once again for all Americans looking to get covered. Millions of Americans still need to get health Insurance. Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) hosted a free public forum on Thursday, December 4th at the Indian Trails Library in Wheeling.  Get Covered America and Enroll America addressed the Affordable Care Act and the open enrollment session. There was a special guest appearance by Affordable Care Act (ACA) Advocate, Keith Moens, whose interview was featured on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, November 16, 2014.  Keith added the heart & soul to the ACA update by telling his family’s story on how ACA restored their peace of mind from not being denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

 

Robin Schmidt, Illinois Field Organizer for Chicago, Northern Cook Co. and Lake Co Get Covered America spoke about the ACA and healthcare statistics.  Enroll America’s presentation covered the Who, What, Where, When, and Why of the ACA and Healthcare Insurance through the exchanges. Christine Ross, former ACA lead of NWSOFA, described the fight for the ACA and bringing affordable healthcare to America and Illinois.

 

Chances are you know someone who needs to get covered, or someone looking to shop around for a plan that’s right for their family. Even if you are insured, you may want to shop the website for better coverage or lower premiums. If you enrolled last time, you need to re-enroll to help secure your subsidies are current. To sign up, go towww.healthcare.gov , 1-800- 318-2596  .  Indian Trails Public Library in Wheeling has a Get Covered information desk every Wednesday and  Saturday through February 15, 2015. The volunteers will help schedule an appointment with a certified person who can walk you through the process.

 

Conclusion from the Meeting Presentation:

Even if you are insured, you may want to shop the website for better coverage or lower premiums. If you enrolled last time, you need  to re-enroll to help secure your subsidies are current. To sign up, go to www.healthcare.gov , 1800-318-2596 . Or, go to  Indian Trails Public Library in Wheeling, to visit the Get Covered information desk every Wednesday and Saturday through February 15, 2015. The volunteers will help schedule an appointment with a certified person who can walk you through the process.

 
Notice: 
This is a public meeting / events. 
 
 NWSOFA is a 501(c)4,
 non-partisan 
organization. 
All opinions are solely those of NWSOFA

About NWSOFA

NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.

 

All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.

We invite you to join us!

In This Issue
1/6/15 ACA Call Bank
1/15/15 Gun Violence Monthly Meeting
1/15/15 Chapter Meet up and Re-Engagement
1/20/15 State of the Union Watch Party
12/22/14 Fiscal Issues Meeting
Enroll America Press Release
501(c)4 notice
About NWSOFA
NWSOFA in Photos
DT Sandy Hook Rememberance in Photos
Fiscal & Economic December Team Meeting
Enroll America Event in Photos
NWSOFA Wishes you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year
New Issues e-magazine

 About NWSOFA 
QuickView-A49F6DCE9425D079601D1793F2D88B8A
NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.

 

All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.

We invite you to join us!

Follow NWSOFA on Social Media 
Click to Follow us on Twitter

Follow us @NWSOFA’s Website

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NWSOFA 
GVP Members Attended the December 11th Downtown Remembrance of Sandyhook
It was quite an inspirational night with various gvp groups particularly victim’s
family support groups. The violin player added a very solemn feeling as the names of close to 500 victims were read.
Everyone was very emotional especially for the family that just lost their daughter in Oct.
The final touch was when everyone,50-75?, took candles and flowers and walked across Michigan Ave and Lake Shore Dr. to Buckingham Fountain where they released 26 white balloons in memory of the Newtown victims.
The police stopped the traffic for us as we proceeded from Roosevelt University.
So glad we went.
Thanks, Sara Horan NWSOFA Chapter Co-Lead



NWSOFA 
Fiscal & Economic December Meeting in Photos
 



NWSOFA 
Enroll America ACA Update Event


NWSOFA 
Wishes you a very Happy Holiday Season and a Happy and Prosperous New Year for 2015
It’s time to Act .. It Is Time To Get Involved
Over the years the American Citizens have lost their voices, believing that we can not make a difference.  We have been beat down by the constant droning noise of the conservative right. This onslaught has made us like sheep .. afraid to express our views.  Not anymore!  OFA gives us back our voices and by working together we are making change one issue at a time. Together we can and will make a difference.
Thank You to our NWSOFA Issue Leads in 2013 !!

Just Click on the Photo to link the NWSOFA e-magazines daily & archived articles 

Contact Information
NWSOFA Co-Leaders Sara Horan & Bill Davis
Phone: 224-241-2012
email: nws.ofa@gmail.com
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