Blood Donors Needed for the 19th Ward Blood Drive This Sunday, 10/4

Dear Chicago,



Donors needed! This Sunday, October 4th, the 19th Ward will host a Blood Drive at Saint Cajetan School (Gymnasium). Please enter the building at door 3 on Campbell Ave., from 8:00am-1:00pm. Blood donations save lives, and the Chicagoland area urgently needs all blood types. Local patients are still relying on donors to rebuild the blood supply. Without community support, many blood types will stay at critically low levels. Multiple hospitals in our area needed dozens of extra emergency units of blood to treat patients in the past few days!

Appointments are required. Please visit www.communityblood.org using the sponsor code C029 to locate this blood drive or call 1-800-280-4102. Be sure to bring a photo ID to the appointment. Please see the flyer below.

The event is co-sponsored by Alderman Matthew O'Shea, Senator Bill Cunningham, Representative Mary Gill, and The Community Blood Center.

A special thanks to the Warriors of St. Cajetan for their strong partnership in this life-saving effort.

Donate blood, save lives and show your Big Ten school spirit with The Community Blood Center (CBC)!

Help local patients and receive a limited-edition T-shirt by donating now through Friday, December 4th. The Abbott and Big Ten® We Give Blood competition takes school rivalry beyond the field to see which fanbase will step up the most to donate blood.

Donate and Score

We Give Blood T-Shirt Designs featuring Big Ten schools

• Receive an exclusive T-shirt inspired by your favorite Big Ten school.
• The school that drives the most eligible donations during the campaign will receive $1 million from Abbott to advance student or community health.
• Help up to three local hospital patients during a national blood shortage.

How to Participate

• Present to donate at any CBC Donor Center or mobile blood drive now through Friday, December 4th.
• Upload proof of donation (or attempt to donate) to give your favorite school credit and score your t-shirt, sent straight to your home.
• Text ‘GIVEBLOOD’ to 222688 (ABBOTT).
• Visit BigTen.org/Abbott.
• Scan the QR code - please see below
• Watch your inbox like it’s game day for play-by-play instructions to claim your T-shirt!

Sincerely,

Matthew J. O'Shea

Alderman, 19th Ward

19TH WARD UPDATES

The 18th Annual Beverly Hills Turkey Trot 5K Run & Family Walk will take place on Saturday, November 28th. Remember, anyone who signs up by Friday, October 30th (5:00pm) can request a free upgrade to a hooded sweatshirt. Choose the sweatshirt option during registration to guarantee availability. Otherwise, a long-sleeve T-shirt will be provided at packet pick-up. 

Proceeds from this year's race will again benefit the John McNicholas Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and the 19th Ward Youth and Community Foundation. Online registration will remain open until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, November 25th. In-person registration will be available on Friday, November 27th, and on the day of the race. Registration is now available at www.the19thward.com. Those who register BY 5:00 pm on Wednesday, November 25th, will be guaranteed a Beverly Hills Turkey Trot long-sleeved event T-shirt and gift bag. 

In addition, the 19th Ward will host a breakfast after the race. The cost is $5 per person or $25 per family, and tickets can be added to your cart during registration or online separately until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, November 25th, and at the door. Breakfast will be in the gym at Christ the King School.

Sponsorship Opportunity

Interested in becoming a Beverly Hills Turkey Trot 5K Run and Walk sweatshirt/t-shirt sponsor? If so, please contact [email protected] for more information. Shirt sponsors will have their business prominently listed on the back of our race shirts given to over 2,000 participants of this year's event. The deadline to become a sponsor is Monday, October 26th.

CITY/STATE NEWS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Historic Bethany Union Church to Host Annual Steak Fry

The Historic Bethany Union Church of Chicago invites the community to its Annual Steak Fry on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Guests will have the option of enjoying either steak or chicken. A free-will offering will be received.

The event will take place at:

Historic Bethany Union Church of Chicago

1750 West 103rd Street

Chicago, Illinois 60643

Please RSVP as soon as possible by calling the church at 773-779-0123.

Everyone is welcome to join us for an evening of delicious food, fellowship, and community! 

COMMUNITY POLICE AND FIRE

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Illinois Secure Choice

Illinois Secure Choice is a state-facilitated retirement program that makes it easy to save for retirement. Since it launched in 2018, the program has brought retirement savings access to workers in every county across Illinois. Not only is Illinois Secure Choice open to employees who work for an eligible employer, the program is available to anyone who wants to enroll on their own and start saving. The program is open to employers who have at least 5 employees in every quarter of the previous year, have been in operations for at least 2 years, and do not offer or contribute to a qualified retirement plan.

You can read important disclosures, including information about investments, fees, and risks related to Illinois Secure Choice here.

EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

This e-mail message is paid for and authorized by the 19th Ward Democratic Organization and not at taxpayer expense.