JOLIET – To ensure every woman in Will County has access to the menstrual products they need, State Senator Rachel Ventura is partnering with the Will County NOW Chapter to host a menstrual products drive.

“I strongly encourage people in our community to drop off new, unopened menstrual products for those in need for these essential toiletries,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “When inflation and market pressures make these basic hygiene products unaffordable for many women in our community, drives like this help to meet that need.”

From Oct. 10 through Oct. 24, Senator Ventura’s office will be collecting the following unopened, unexpired items:

• Menstrual pads (all sizes)
• Panty liners (all sizes)
• Tampons (all sizes)
• Menstrual cups (all sizes)
• Period underwear (all sizes)
• Hygiene wipes
• Personal heating/menstruation pain relief pads or patches

There will be collection boxes for these items at public libraries across Will County. Click here for participating libraries.

Menstrual product drives are a way to directly address poverty and hygiene access issues for people in the community. These products can bring self-esteem, dignity and better health outcomes that ultimately uplift the entire community.

From Oct. 10-24, people can drop off donations at Ventura’s office, located at 221 Springfield Ave. in Joliet, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. To learn more about Will County NOW, click here.

JOLIET - To address resident concerns, fix aging roads and bridges, and bring good jobs to Will County, State Senator Rachel Ventura secured over $385 million to upgrade, replace and repair local infrastructure.

“We are upgrading our roads and bridges in our community, in turn bringing good jobs and development in a time of economic uncertainty,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “I am proud to say our state is putting tax dollars to use fixing problems that our constituents have been concerned about for a long time.”

The largest multi-year program to build and repair infrastructure in state history will invest $50.6 billion over six years, continuing an unprecedented investment in safety, mobility and quality of life made possible by the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. IDOT’s new multi-year program is both comprehensive and multimodal, with investments in roads and bridges, aviation, transit, freight and passenger rail, waterways, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations touching every Illinois county.

Ventura’s district will receive more than $385 million for 34 projects slated for completion in 2026. This is part of a $1.2 billion investment over the next five years. The largest of these upgrades will include a new bridge reconstruction to the Des Plaines River Bridge with an estimated cost of nearly $146 million.

"Under Gov. Pritzker, our investments in transportation are doing more than ever to connect people to the meaningful destinations in their lives,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi.  “This new multi-year construction program will not only create jobs and economic opportunity, but it will also improve quality of life in Illinois – making it easier to walk and bike, catch a bus, deliver goods, and get you safely from where you are to where you need to be.”

A full list of projects in the 43^rd District can be found here.

CHANNAHON – Time spent outside, in nature and with their peers can bring lifelong memories and benefits to children and their families, which is why State Senator Rachel Ventura fought to secure funding for the Channahon Park District’s DuPage Park renovations. The Park District held a ribbon-cutting for the park Tuesday.

“I am proud that our community is improving public spaces for children and their families to experience the outdoors,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “This ribbon-cutting marks the completion of all four neighborhood parks — DuPage, Louie Moorman, Swifton and Potawatomi — which are ready for our community to enjoy.”

The new DuPage Park is funded by an $185,000 grant through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity secured by Senator Ventura.

“’The playground is where friendships are forged and imaginations soar.’ Thanks to Senator Ventura's efforts, the Channahon Park District has received the necessary funding to continue being a premier provider of fun experiences that impact lives,” said Michael J. Leonard, Executive Director of Channahon Park District. “The Channahon Park District is deeply grateful for her dedication to the community and partnership in creating opportunities to play.”

To view information about the neighborhood parks and other projects at the Channahon Park District, click here.

JOLIET – Amid ongoing discussions on how to address illicit substances coming into Illinois prisons by mail, State Senator Rachel Ventura criticized the Illinois Department of Corrections’ decision to electronically scan and withhold mail from incarcerated people.

“The way the emergency rule is being implemented by the Illinois Department of Corrections is a poorly thought out response that does not serve the needs of incarcerated people nor properly protect staff at our prison facilities,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “DOC has dragged their feet every step of the way on addressing the illicit mail issue, and this latest decision was a rushed stopgap to a problem the legislature has been trying to solve for years.”

The legislative oversight panel formally objected to DOC’s decision to withhold mail from incarcerated people and instead deliver electronically scanned copies of external correspondence they receive. Several lawmakers had expressed their dissatisfaction with this direction via letter.