Hello Friends,

I hope that everyone had a very relaxing holiday break! Our office is excited about returning to Lansing this week for the start of the second year of the 102nd Legislature. This year marks my fourth year serving as your state representative! I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent our community, and my team is excited to resume working for you in our capital.

The House and Senate session both began on Jan. 10, and committees will start meeting in the next couple of weeks. As always, if our office can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Ranjeev Puri
State Representative, 24th District
Proudly serving Canton Township

In this Edition:

  • Upcoming time with Ranjeev
  • Upcoming Community Events
  • Gov. Whitmer’s State of the State Student Art Contest
  • Resources

UPCOMING TIME WITH RANJEEV

Community Coffee Hour 

Thursday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m.

Board Room, Canton Township Administration Building (1150 S. Canton Center Road)

We have scheduled our first coffee hour of 2024, and it is coming up quickly next week! You can find out about future events in our bi-weekly e-newsletters, on our website or through social media. We hope to see you soon to provide updates on what is happening in Lansing! I always look forward to the questions and discussion my constituents bring to our monthly check-ins.

Infographic with photo of Rep. Puri and details about his January 18 coffee hour.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

Check out a list of upcoming activities in our community on the Canton Township website. I have highlighted a couple below:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration and Peace March

Jan. 15, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Summit on the Park

A special celebration and peace march are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the Summit on the Park. This event is sponsored by Interfaith Community Outreach: Plymouth-Canton and Canton Township.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program

Jan. 17, 9:30 a.m. to noon at Summit on the Park’s Walnut Room

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) of Wayne County is a supplemental food assistance program for eligible low-income individuals and families. Food products are distributed once a month at the Summit on the Park, 46000 Summit Parkway in Canton. If you are in need of assistance or would like more information, please call (734) 394-5185. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

GOV. WHITMER’S STATE OF THE STATE STUDENT ART CONTEST

Later this month, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will deliver her sixth State of the State address. She will lay out her plans to make Michigan the best place to live, work and raise a family by focusing on lowering costs, strengthening our education system and infrastructure, building on Michigan’s strong economic progress and so much more. These plans represent the future and will move Michigan forward.

To make this event the best it can possibly be, her office has created an art contest for young, creative Michiganders to come up with a design for the program cover on the theme “A Classic Michigan Story.”

Students are welcome to use crayon, marker, paint or any other material. To submit your design, please visit the State of Michigan website and follow the instructions on the webpage. Submissions will be accepted exclusively through the online system and must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14.

Below is the art by last year’s winner, 11th grader Sydney Kuipers of Forest Hills Northern High School.

Collage-style artwork with drawings of Michigan icons and a silhouette of the state on top. Text at top and bottom reads "What makes Michigan Strong."

RESOURCES

Health Insurance for 2024 is Available Through the Health Insurance Marketplace 

The Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period ends on Tuesday, Jan. 16. High-quality health insurance leads to a healthier Michigan, and all Michiganders can evaluate their options at HealthCare.gov before the Jan. 16 enrollment deadline.

If you’re worried that you won’t be able to afford the health insurance you need or that it is too complicated to enroll, help is available! Subsidies are available that can help make health insurance more affordable for Michiganders. For 2023, more than 85% of enrollees qualified for a subsidy, saving an average of more than $400 per month, with many consumers able to get health insurance for less than $10 per month. In addition, free, local enrollment help is available at HealthCare.gov/LocalHelp.

Don’t wait! If you miss the Jan. 16 deadline, you might not have another chance to sign up for health insurance until November. It is important to get started at HealthCare.gov today! You can learn more by visiting Michigan’s health insurance landing page or by calling the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services’ call center at (877) 999-6442, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Our office is always here to answer any questions or concerns or listen to any thoughts you have on any particular issue. The best way to reach us is by email at RanjeevPuri@house.mi.gov. We also hope you will join us for upcoming coffee hours so we can meet, and I can hear what is on your mind.