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.   

Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, SNAP funding will run out at the end of this month, and benefits will not be delivered in November. That means over two million people across Pennsylvania will go without food aid, and more than half of them are families with children.

If you or someone you know receives SNAP benefits, reach out to my office to find out where you can get 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.

Along with these cuts, the federal government have also added new work requirements for SNAP, which will make it harder for many working-class people in our community to get their benefits. Starting November 1, these requirements apply to people who:

• Are between 18-64 years old;
• Do not have a dependent child under 14 years old; and
• Are considered physically and mentally able to work

You may be exempt from these requirements. You can learn more about the work requirements and exemptions here.

Next week, I will be heading back to Harrisburg to continue fighting for our community and to push for a fair, balanced budget.

So far, the House has had a very productive year, passing over 200 bills to support Pennsylvanians, including three bipartisan budgets!

Meanwhile, the Senate was in Harrisburg this week, and we saw continued inaction from them. They have passed less than half the amount of bills we have this year, including their own inadequate budget that flat funds our state. Prices have gone up, so that will actually reduce funding all across our state!

You have the power to make positive change for our Commonwealth - you can call Senate Republican leadership and our local senators and urge them to pass a bipartisan budget that supports our communities. It's time to stop this political show the Senate is putting on before it hurts even more people.

• Joe Picozzi (PA-5): 215-281-2539
• Frank Farry (PA-6): 215-638-1784
• Scott Martin (PA-13): 717-397-1309
• Tracy Pennycuick (PA-24): 215-541-2388
• Joe Pittman (PA-41): 724-357-0151
• Chris Gebhard (PA-48): 717-274-6735

Election Day is coming up on November 4, and it’s important for everyone to make their voice heard! You can check to make sure you are registered to vote and find your polling place here.

If you plan to vote by mail, you must request a mail-in ballot by Tuesday, October 28, which can be done here. You can either mail your ballot or leave it in a drop box in one of the locations below:

• Berks County Services Center - Reed Street Entrance (633 Court St., Reading)
• Berks County South Campus (400 E. Wyomissing Ave., Mohnton)
• Reading Regional Airport (24 Liberator Way, Reading)

More details on these drop boxes, including their hours, can be found here.

Due to the federal government shutdown, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will be delaying its application window to open on December 3. This date may change should funding be received, or if the shutdown moves into November.

My office's Youth Council is currently accepting applications! The Youth Council serves as a platform for young voices to contribute to policy discussions, community initiatives, and advocacy efforts. As a member, you will have the chance to collaborate with fellow students, share your insights with elected officials, and make a meaningful impact on issues that matter most to you, from ideas to laws. 

If you or a high school student you know are interested in applying, complete the application here.

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.

Barrio Lights made our community shine by transforming Reading into the streets of West Side Story with a night of dancing, singing, and celebration - whether you're a Jet or a Shark!

Thank you for an incredible night and for all the work you do to foster appreciation for the arts in our community.

I gathered alongside local and state leaders to break ground the new Broadcasting District, a $350 million mixed-use development planned for Spring Township. It is expected to include retail stores and over 700 residential units.

I'm excited to see the Broadcasting District develop and become a crown jewel for our community that will provide new economic opportunities and homes so Spring Township can continue growing!

It was an absolute honor to join the National Hispanic Medical Association for their first annual gala! I saw their incredible work firsthand earlier this year at La Fiesta de Salud, where they provided free health screenings and bilingual education in our district. My chief of staff, Dolores Martinez, and I are very grateful to have received the Bridge to Action Award, which recognizes the power of partnership in turning ideas into action.

I appreciate our health professionals and their commitment to care for our community while removing barriers for so many individuals. I will continue to make sure that our health care workers get the support they need.

The NAACP has always stood on the frontlines of progress, and it was amazing to honor so many community builders, visionaries and changemakers from our community at their Reading Gala this week.

The gala's theme was "The Fiery Urgency of Now," which is an idea we absolutely need to hold today. Now is the time we need to act with fierce love, fierce truth, and fierce action. Thank you and congratulations to the gala organizers and all of the honorees, including:

• Mike Robinson, Individual Impact Award
• Baba Tunde Waples, Freedom Fund Gala Corporate Impact Award
• Bob Hoffmaster, Freedom Fund Gala Community Impact Award
• Laila Jones, Freedom Fund Gala Youth Image Award
• Khaliq Weaver, Freedom Fund Gala Youth Image Award
• Beloved Pair, Freedom Fund Gala Youth Image Award

The ninth annual Spooky Hollow Halloween Carnival is scheduled for Saturday, October 25, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. A rain date is set for Sunday, October 26. Admission is free and open to the public.

Families can expect carnival-style games, crafts, a photo booth, balloon art, an inflatable obstacle course, food, and refreshments. The Haunted Pavilion, organized by the borough’s Recreation Committee Student Advisory Committee, will also return, offering visitors a chance to test their nerves in a spooky setting.

Costume judges will also circulate throughout the event, awarding prizes for creative and festive attire. Special guests portraying Wednesday and Morticia Addams are also expected to make appearances during the afternoon.

Downtown Reading will be lighting up the 600 block of Penn Street with their third annual Glow Fest! On Saturday, October 25, from 4 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., there will be glowing art and activities, food trucks, local vendors, live music, and more.

The 21st annual Fitzy’s Halloween 5K Run and 1.5 Mile Walk will be held Sunday, October. 26, at 10 a.m. at the West Reading Playground, 505 Sycamore Road. The event is a fundraiser for Lauren’s Foundation, a Wyomissing-based nonprofit organization, and you can register or learn more information at laurensfoundation.org.

Centro Hispano will be hosting a community meeting to discuss the current issues affecting our neighborhood and local businesses. There will be an English session on October 27 at 8 a.m. and a Spanish session on October 28 at 6 p.m., both at the Centro Hispano Gateway Building, 201 Penn Street, Reading. Registration can be done here.

Rafael, one of my constituents, stopped by my district office this week looking to learn how to establish his trade school, which would include training for electricity, plumbing, HVAC, welding and plumbing. Not only was my office able to reach out to the Department of Health, but we also added him to our distribution list for available grants and gave him a grant book!

If you are interested in getting our grant list sent to your email, please contact my office either in person, calling us at (484) 577-2756, or emailing repcepedafreytiz@pahouse.net. You can also go to my website and find updates on new grants posted.

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