Village of Oak Park

The Village recently launched the initial phase of its E.C.H.O. Program, an innovative initiative designed to enhance community safety and well-being by offering compassionate responses to non-emergency and low-risk calls for service through 911 dispatch. E.C.H.O., which stands for Engaging Community for Healthy Outcomes, reflects #OakPark’s commitment to reimagining public safety and meeting the diverse needs of our neighbors. Find more information on the Village website at oak-park.us/echo.

We're celebrating National Public Health Week through Sunday! This year's national theme is "It Starts Here," and in #OakPark, public health really does start with the Oak Park Public Health Department. From supporting community safety with Narcan boxes placed throughout the Village to distributing gun locks at events, local public health officials are focused on prevention and access and committed to keeping residents informed. Read about the Public Health Department's various divisions and how they help the community at www.oak-park.us/nphw25.

In celebration of National Volunteer Week and Earth Month, the Village and the Office of the Village Clerk are organizing the second annual Oak Park Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 12. This family-friendly event will begin with a complimentary light breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. From 9 a.m. until approximately 1 p.m., volunteers – including #OakPark elected officials and staff – will take the streets for a coordinated effort to clean up the community. The Village will provide heavy-duty trash bags, coated safety gloves, brooms, shovels and litter pickers for the event. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to participate. Find more information and sign up to participate at https://lnkd.in/gDV7buRt.

Have you made upgrades to your home that improved energy efficiency or electrified gas appliances? You may be eligible for a Climate Ready Energy Efficiency Grant from the Village. All #OakPark households are eligible to apply, with grant funding up to $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 available depending on the household’s income. Find information about what expenses are eligible and how to apply at https://lnkd.in/ghWTa_-J.

The entire community is invited to #OakPark’s second annual Holi Celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 5 on the south lawn at Village Hall. The event celebrates the Hindu Festival of colors and will feature music, dancing and food for purchase. The popular throwing of brightly colored powders will occur during the second half of the event. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed in clothes that can withstand being covered in colored powder. Visit www.oak-park.us/holi25 for more information.

Earth Month is underway! The Village's Office of Sustainability & Resilience is joining with community partners to promote a wide range of Earth Month events and activities throughout April! Visit https://lnkd.in/gwFJkxkE for the full list, and don't miss these events this weekend: 🌎 The Oak Park Eco-Extravaganza is happening from 10 a.m. to noon this Saturday, April 5 at the Oak Park Public Library. This free Earth Month community kickoff event for all ages offeres a chance to play and connect with community groups working in the sustainability space. More info: https://lnkd.in/gYqSqJMp. 🌎 The Oak Park Climate Action Network is hosting free clean energy open houses from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. Find more information and register to attend at https://lnkd.in/gWg-GQQG.

The Oak Park Public Health Department is partnering with the Oak Park Township to host a blood drive from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25. The blood drive will take place at the Oak Park Township office at 130 S. Oak Park Ave. and will help supply local community blood centers. Find more information and a link to register at www.oak-park.us/blooddrive. About every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets, and one blood donation often saves more than one life. Blood donations are needed now to alleviate a national shortage and ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not delayed in our local community.

Early voting for the April 1 Consolidated Election is underway and continues through March 31 at Village Hall. Suburban Cook County voters can cast an early ballot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Voters are asked to enter Village Hall via the courtyard entrance on Madison Street. Grace-period registration is also available during early voting hours for individuals who missed the registration deadline. More info is at https://lnkd.in/gSWwbtU. #OakPark

The Village’s compost program recently got even greener when LRS began using its first Mack electric rear loader refuse truck for #OakPark’s compost collection routes. The all-electric refuse truck is one of the first in use in the United States. Learn more about the Village’s compost program and how to sign up at oak-park.us/compost.

Don't miss the Village's Women's History Month panel discussion at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 22 in the Veterans Room at the Oak Park Public Library. The free event will feature several generations of local difference makers discussing the national Women's History Month Theme: Moving Forward Together! Find more information, including bios of the panelists, at www.oak-park.us/WHM25. #OakPark