Dear Friend,
I can’t believe we are almost done with the long, cold Michigan winter months and headed into spring! At this time of year, there is much to look forward to — more sunshine, warmer days, flowers blooming and, my favorite, March is Reading Month. During the month of March, I have the opportunity to read to classrooms across the district and hear from our young, bright students of Downriver. In addition to this, there are plenty of spring events that I am excited to attend this year like St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and Easter egg hunts. If you have an event you would like my team and me to attend this spring, please feel free to reach out to our office at any time!
Legislative Updates
At the state Capitol, my colleagues and I continue to work on meaningful legislation to support hardworking Michiganders. Last year, our Legislature made historic investments to improve our infrastructure, education, public safety and environment, among many other priorities. As a former educator, our state’s school aid budget is one I am particularly proud of — but I know there is much more work to be done. My bill, House Bill 5042, is a great example of this. This bill builds off our universal school meals investment last year and ensures that our schools will continue to receive funding to provide breakfast and lunch to all students, which helps keep kids healthy and contributes to better learning outcomes. I look forward to passing legislation like this and working hard to move Michigan forward.
Updates from District 27
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I had a great time connecting with community members from Trenton at the State of the City address earlier this month. We heard from Mayor Steven Rzeppa about what is currently happening in the city, and the direction they are headed to continue growing and improving the quality of life for residents. It’s important to engage with constituents and understand what concerns people have in their specific communities and how we can work at the local and state levels to address these issues.
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Our team recently had the opportunity to tour the Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry with Executive Director Stephanie McNees. The pantry services several communities in the Downriver area by providing food to individuals and families in need. This nonprofit organization is primarily staffed by outstanding volunteers dedicating their time to help others throughout the week. I really appreciate the work Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry is doing to support local community members with their basic needs and serve as a site for connecting folks with important resources.
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We also hosted a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) Town Hall with state Sen. Darrin Camilleri during February. This legislation would create a PDAB in the state of Michigan to lower the cost of prescription drugs and ensure that residents can continue paying for necessary, life-saving medications. Michiganders should not be forced to choose between affording prescription drugs and groceries — and I will continue to advocate for lowering costs and improving health care access during my time as your state representative.
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My team and I had a fantastic time celebrating the VFW Post 1136’s 100-year anniversary last weekend. I was honored to be part of the celebration and provide a tribute to Post 1136 with state Sen. Darrin Camilleri and Gov. Whitmer’s Office of Community Engagement at the event. Organizations like the VFW Post 1136 are vital to our veterans and their families because they provide a space for camaraderie, a connection to resources and services and fun events and activities. I look forward to another 100 years of Post 1136’s success in the Downriver community!
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Lastly, I hosted another town hall on the Michigan Jobs, Michigan Energy package with Sen. Camilleri and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters in Wyandotte last month. The town hall panel comprised myself, Sen. Camilleri, an energy policy expert and a labor leader — and we took questions from attendees about the recently passed clean energy legislation. Our state is in a pivotal moment with the transition to clean, renewable energy sources by 2040 and the creation of new energy and labor jobs to support it. While this shift is exciting because it will create jobs and lower utility costs, I want to recognize that change can sometimes be difficult. If you have any questions about this legislation or how our state is preparing for this transition, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office.
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Downriver Leaders of the Month
Each month, we award a business, teacher and first responder for their contributions and service as leaders in the Downriver area. For February 2024, I was able to present tributes to Island Coney in Grosse Ile, Ashley Cuzzort at Garfield Elementary School in Wyandotte and firefighter/medical first responder John Wood in Gibraltar for their service in our community.
If you’d like to nominate a Downriver leader — whether it be a business, teacher or first responder — please feel free to email our office at jaimechurches@house.mi.gov and share with us why you’re nominating them!
We’re Here for You
My office is open and welcomes any questions, concerns and ideas. Our team is eager to be a resource for you and your families however we can. Please feel free to reach out to our office here, sign up for our newsletter and stay connected on social media. I appreciate your feedback and thoughts.
Mailing Address: Michigan House of Representatives, P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, MI 48909-7514
Phone: (517) 373-0478
Email: jaimechurches@house.mi.gov
Sincerely,
Jaime Churches
State Representative, Michigan’s 27th House District