Welch Helps Families Save on Back-to-School Essentials with Annual Health Fair, Sales Tax Cut
WESTCHESTER, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and community partners helped local families prepare for a new school year and save money at his 14th Annual Back-to-School Health Fair, distributing free backpacks loaded with supplies, connecting students with health screenings, and providing a day of family fun.
“The back-to-school season should be about new opportunity and promise, and the strain of Washington’s cost of living crisis shouldn’t overshadow that hope for a great school year,” Welch said. “By helping families get new supplies, access the health screenings, and enjoy a fun day together at no charge, this event is about ensuring that rising costs and erratic federal leadership are not obstacles for our young people.”
Welch and local partners—including Amazon and the West Suburban Teachers Union Local 571—worked to distribute school supplies in preparation for the new school year. Loyola Medicine helped provide free physicals for students and young athletes, and the Erskine Reeves Barber Academy offered free haircuts. Additionally, families enjoyed free food and drinks, a performance by Stairway of the Stars from Maywood Fine Arts, and visiting animals from the Brookfield Zoo.
Welch is continuing to help families cut the costs of back-to-school shopping in August, by cutting sales taxes purchases families need to prepare their kids for the new year. The compassionate and responsible state budget Welch and House Democrats crafted cuts the cost of essentials including clothes, shoes, jackets, and backpacks, pencils and pens, calculators, writing tablets, and more from August 7 through August 16.
