DuPage County offering energy assistance to qualified applicants
Income-eligible DuPage County residents can get some help with their energy bills and furnace repairs starting next month.
DuPage County Community Services will be taking applications for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). It offers one-time help to those qualified, whether with paying or restoring energy services. Monthly discounts on natural gas bills are also available. To qualify, one’s household income has to be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Those 60 and older, families with kids under the age of 5, individuals with disabilities, and households with disconnected utilities or pending disconnection notices can start applying on Oct. 1. Those interested can make an in-person appointment to apply starting today, Sept. 17, by calling (630) 407-6500, or (800) 942-9412. Other qualifying candidates can apply starting Nov. 1. Applications will be taken by appointment at several sites through Aug. 15, 2025 or until funding runs out.
More information about what’s needed to apply, income requirements, and application sites can be found on the DuPage County website.
ALMAS and North Central host BIPOC youth-focused event
The Alliance of Latinos Motivating Action in the Suburbs (ALMAS) and North Central College have come together to host an event focusing on the mental health of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) youth.
“Our Voices, Our Minds: BIPOC Youth Navigating Mental Health” will take place Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at North Central College’s Wentz Science Center. The event will feature a panel discussion with both mental health experts and area youth, along with a community resource fair to spread information about support services and organizations.
Free tickets to attend are available on the event website.
Downtown Naperville hosting The Fashion Brunch – Fall Edition
The Downtown Naperville Alliance will be featuring a seasonal switch in wardrobe at The Fashion Brunch – Fall Edition.
The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House, 55 South Main St., from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tickets include admission to see all the fashions, as well as brunch, non-alcoholic breakfast beverages, the chance for prizes, and some swag.
Tickets are $60 each and can be purchased through the Downtown Naperville website.
Artist chalks butterfly mural at Naperville Crossings as sign of hope
Last Saturday, professional artist Shayne Taylor of Chicago created a butterfly mural out of chalk at Naperville Crossings shopping center as part of the nationwide “Signs of HOPE” during Suicide Prevention Month.
The initiative uses art and signage to promote services, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for those in distress.
Learn more about this campaign of hope and where to find the mural.
Moon Festival brings neighbors together at Pacifica Square
In several parts of Asia, the harvest season is celebrated with the Moon Festival. Last Saturday, Pacifica Square in Aurora held its own version.
Live dance performances, vendor booths, and plenty of food were all part of the event, with the goal of bringing people together through tradition.
Take a look at some of the day’s festivities, and learn more about the Moon Festival.
Next year’s fireworks plan firmed up
The production company lighting up Naperville’s sky on Independence Day will continue the service next year, following an approved contract at Thursday’s park board meeting.
Mad Bomber has been issued a $52,500 contract for the show on July 4. The amount reflects a 5% increase. The cost of the fireworks show, held in recent years at the Frontier Sports Complex, is shared between the park district and City of Naperville.
