Advocacy in Action: A Day at the Capitol Championing Illinois Communities

On Wednesday, April 15, our team traveled to Springfield for a powerful day of advocacy, meeting directly with lawmakers and their staff to push for investment that strengthens families, supports immigrants and ensures our communities can thrive.  

Special thanks to our Director of Government Affairs & Advocacy Lisa Wright for leading each meeting, to our Senior Policy Analyst April Rosché and Policy & Research Associate Viana Chau for coordinating a thoughtful and impactful day at the Capitol. 

We kicked off the day with a meeting with Sen. David Koehler. CASL’s Vice President of Impact & Advocacy Thy Nguyen, Senior Director of Impact & Advocacy Alex Montgomery and Data Strategist David Li focused on the urgent need to fully fund critical human services programs that older adults and low-income households rely on – such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

 

We then met with Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, where CASL’s Director of Children and Youth Services Cindy La discussed funding for affordable childcare and supporting children with special needs. Johnson Liang, case manager for CASL’s Illinois Welcoming Center (IWC), shared client stories and advocated to protect funding for all IWC and citizenship services. 

Later in the morning, Cindy and our Director of Marketing and Communications, Fareine Suarez, connected with staff from Speaker Chris Welch, who plays a critical role in shaping funding allocation for human services like SNAP, Medicaid, and the Community Care Program. 

Our advocacy wrapped up with a conversation with Sen. Celina Villanueva, a longtime champion for immigrant rights and public education. Her deep commitment to justice and equity reinforced the importance of continuing to invest in immigrant integration services and protections.  

Throughout the day, we advocated for a set of priorities designed to meet urgent needs while building long-term stability.  

Supporting Older Adults and Care Workers 

• Fully fund the $1.86 billion Community Care Program for in-home care, transportation and day services 

• Increase wages for in-home and transportation service workers  

Childcare and After-School Programs  

• Fully fund the $3.2 billion Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) 

• Increase support for children with special needs and IEPs 

• Invest $250 million in after-school programs to expand safe, enriching spaces for youth 

Food Security and Basic Needs  

• Protect $613.3 million for the LIHEAP program 

• Maintain full funding for SNAP, WIC and Medicaid  

• Establish the FRESH fund to support families impacted by SNAP eligibility changes  

Immigrant Services and Protections 

• Increase funding to $41 million for immigrant integration services 

• Fully fund Illinois Welcoming Centers 

• Strengthen protections to prevent local resources from being used for immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant 

Advocacy days like this are about more than policy—they’re about people. Each conversation reflected the real needs of the communities we serve, from older adults seeking dignity in aging to families working to stay afloat and immigrants building new futures. 

As budget decisions move forward, we remain committed to ensuring these voices continue to be heard. By showing up, sharing stories and advancing these priorities, we’re helping shape a stronger, more equitable Illinois for all.